Tommie Barfield Literacy Week and Leadership Family Night

The first ever Family Leadership Night was held at Tommie Barfield Elementary School on February 16th. Family Leadership Night showcased the students’ success and focused on teaching parents, families, and caregivers the basics of the seven habits of highly effective people. As a Leader-In-Me school it is important for TBE students and families to learn and live these habits in all aspects of their lives both at school and away from school. 

For Literacy Week, students and staff practiced for Leadership Night, decorated classroom doors, and participated in themed dress-up days. MIPD staff also read to the students. On Alliteration Day everyone dressed up as Tacky Traveling Tourists; on We Love Reading Day everyone wore red and pink; on Idiom day everyone dressed up as an idiom that others had to guess; on America Day everyone wore red, white, and blue, and on the last day everyone wore their TBE Spirit shirts.

On Wednesday there was a Door Decor Parade where students could observe all of the decorated classroom doors corresponding with the different themes. The door decorating themes included historical leaders such as Albert Einstein, literacy leaders like Dr. Seuss, literacy and monuments similar to Peter Pan and the Big Ben, and motivational world themed quotes.

The family leadership presenters were all TBE students ranging from first through fifth grade who applied for, and were hired for, whatever role they had that evening. Students were the managers of the event, tour guides, presenters of the habits, and activity leaders. Upon arrival at the cafeteria at TBE, families were given a schedule of events for the evening. As they went through each “station” rotating through four locations and learning two habits in each location, they received a stamp on their passport.

The seven habits that students are taught and learned include Habit One: Be Proactive. Habit Two: Begin with the End in Mind. Habit Three: Put First Things. Habit Four: Think Win-Win. Habit Five: Seek First to Understand, Then to be Understood. Habit Six: Synergize. Habit Seven: Sharpen the Saw.

Hosting a Literacy and Leadership Family Night at TBE is an effective way to bring in families and allow students to showcase their abilities and what they’ve learned. Students learn independence and responsibility through helping manage and run the event as student leaders. Families are able to learn the seven habits and see for themselves the fun academic environment harboring their child’s success.