A Boundless Reader: Dorne Eastwood
Dorne Eastwood has personally experienced the power of Boundless Readers professional development and witnessed first-hand a transformation in her students. It was her own experience that made the impact real for her.
Former Teacher, Chicago Public Schools
New Teacher Coach, Northwestern University
Board Member, Boundless Readers
Book Fave: Bird by Bird, Anne Lamott
via Network for Good
Boundless Readers l 5153 North Clark Street, Suite 206 l Chicago, IL 60640 l p. 773.989.8582 l e. info@boundlessreaders.org
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After a 23-year career in banking, Dorne longed for more meaningful work. So she enlisted in Golden Apple's alternative teacher certification program. After only two months in the program, she was put in charge of her own 7th grade math class at Northwest Middle School (Belmont-Cragin area), which had a 90 percent low-income and predominantly Hispanic and Polish student population.
As a new teacher, she was overwhelmed with all the challenges before her, including building a classroom library for her students. A colleague recommended she apply to Boundless Readers (then the Rochelle Lee Fund). She had no idea at the time that Boundless Readers would deliver so much more than a classroom library of new books.
“What I received was professional development that was relevant and applicable in my classroom, and the privilege to join a high-caliber network of Boundless Readers educators eager to share their best instructional strategies. It changed the way I thought about teaching and how I taught math. I was introduced to a wide variety of children’s books and strategies to supplement my teaching. For example, I learned to use a Shel Silverstein poem to show my 7th graders how mathematical graphs tell a story. Applying what I’d learned had a strong impact on my students—even those who had previously feared the math book.”
Today, Dorne is a devoted champion of Boundless Readers work, and is proud to serve on its Board of Directors. “I want to help other Chicago public school teachers to get involved in Boundless Readers programs so they too can experience how developing a love of reading in students can have a significant and meaningful impact on teachers and students alike.”
