Kindergarten Teacher Reads Bedtime Stories Online for Students After Classes Were Cancelled [Video]

• A Kindergarten teacher reads bedtime stories online to her students now that the school has canceled classes.
• She says that this is to keep in touch and to let the kids know that things will be okay.
• This gives her students something to look forward to every day.

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Matthew Marinello, 6 years old, raced to the computer for his bedtime story that his kindergarten teacher would read online.

Teacher Amy Brantley from Kensington Elementary School had an arrangement wherein she could have her students use an online conferencing tool so that she read them bedtime stories. This was to keep in touch while the children are not in school.

I read to my students a bedtime story via google meet! @KensingtonES_NC @AGHoulihan @UCPS_MonroeNC @RimmerEdTech #imissthem #seeyousoon #listentomomanddad pic.twitter.com/mrcjvhBekF— Amy Brantley (@mrsamybrantley) March 16, 2020

 “I knew it was really important for kids to still hear me and see me and for me to let them know that things will be okay,” teacher Amy tells PEOPLE. “I know they’re hearing it from their parents at home, but I think hearing it from the teacher they spend so much time with is important too.”

Matthew has found something to look forward to. “It’s a surprise every night,” he says. The little bonding moment online with his teacher and classmates excites him, especially the part where he will get to find out what book they are reading next.

“It’s fun when she reads books the books are funny and she makes voices,” he says.

Valerie Marinello appreciates the effort from the teacher. “It’s been so nice having her do this. She’s been checking in on them one-on-one throughout the day and then to see them all together, they were all just so excited to see each other. It was so cute.”

Teacher Amy says that these little bonding moments are for her as much as it is for the kids.

Last night for story time, I had a guest appearance from our TA, Mrs. Saurbaugh! The kids were going crazy when they saw her! We had 17 students listen to “The Good Egg” I liked @zoom_us much better than my previous program. @KensingtonES_NC @AGHoulihan @UCPS_MonroeNC pic.twitter.com/nga9hMKlrX— Amy Brantley (@mrsamybrantley) March 19, 2020

“It feels really good knowing that they get some part of their normal life back, even if it’s just for a short period of time,” she says. “But for those 25 minutes, I give them some part of their normal life because this is not normal.”

The effort goes a long way and Valerie says she is thankful that her son’s teacher cares so much.

“It’s super sweet and so important, especially when right now we’re just surviving,” she says. “Matthew doesn’t understand why he’s not going to school.”

The little boy asks 15 times a day when will he be going back to school. “I feel sad right now,” he says. “I miss seeing my friends and I like seeing them again.”

Source: People