Elementary School Principal Reads Bedtime Stories to Her Students Through Social Media

Going above and beyond duty, Belinda George of Homer Drive Elementary School started “Tucked-In Tuesdays,” where she gets on Facebook Live every week at 7:30 pm and reads bedtime stories to her students, typically from the comfort of her pajamas. This has turned into a big hit with kids and parents alike.

George’s work generally doesn’t finish at the end of the school day, and she has a whole lot more that she wants to get done for her students.

“I want to extend what I do past 4 p.m.,” she told WLKY News. “I’m not in every child’s home, so I don’t know if all or any of them have someone to read to them at night. This is just a way to give the children that exposure.” George’s Facebook Live videos take kids on a whole whirlwind of literary adventures, from stories about an impatient chicken to a little girl who wears ladybug wings.

Why this principal wears PJs and reads bedtime stories on Facebook Live https://t.co/sDoMz5c4Vx

— The Washington Post (@washingtonpost) March 1, 2019

George stated that literary tests from last year showed that only 55% of her students were reading at their grade level or above, and she’s hoping that “Tucked-In Tuesdays” might help inspire a newfound excitement for reading. So far, it looks like her plan just might be working.

“Kids will come up to me Wednesday and say, ‘Dr. George, I saw you in your PJs reading!” she told The Washington Post. “They’ll tell me their favorite part of the book.” George gives shout-outs in her videos to kids who tune into Facebook Live – and she’s learned that she needs to make sure she pronounces every single name correctly.

“They’ll come in the next day and tell me, ‘You’re saying my name wrong,’” George said.

It’s not just students who are getting a kick out of “Tucked-In Tuesdays.” Parents are also very much on-board.

“I love it because all of my children watch it,” Keava Turner, a mother of four, told WLKY News. “I have a 14-year-old, a third-grader and first-grader who go to Homer, and my 10-month-old even sits still to watch.”

Most of the comments involve families writing in to say hello and George diligently writing hello back. There’s also commentary on the books (“Destiny is laughing really hard 😂😅“) and compliments to the reader (“Kudos to you.. what an amazing gift you are giving to your students.. INSPIRING!”).

Parents and students at Homer Elementary aren’t the only ones tuning in. The Washington Post noted that there are 680 students who attend George’s school, and some videos have gotten as many as 2,000 views. So, yes, that means it’s fully okay for you and your family to tune into “Tucked-In Tuesdays” as well.

George told 12News that it means the world to her that kids want to hang out with their principal after school hours. “The kids are thinking cool and I’m thinking, ‘Y’all don’t know how much you’re blessing my heart.”