As the 2025-26 school year ends, participants in Teachers and Children as Readers have completed another year of discussing books in small groups. Teachers and Children As Readers (TACAR) is a discussion group for Rochelle Lee Teacher Award recipients and alumni to gather and discuss books that deepen their lives as readers and enhance their practice as teachers of reading, regardless of the grade or subject they teach.
Each October, TACAR starts a new season, and the book title is sent to RLTA alumni and current awardees along with the schedule if they want to join. Members are required to obtain and read the book before the discussion and commit to consistent attendance.
Theresa Quitshaw, a teacher at McAuliffe Elementary and member of the group for two years, said: “What I love about TACAR is how it pushes me out of my reading comfort zone. It’s been so much fun reading books recommended by the group that I never would have picked up on my own. My students even hear me discussing these books with my coworkers; I’m always honest with them about what I liked or didn’t like, because it shows them that while you might not enjoy everything you read, it’s still important to give every book your best effort. Lately, I’ve noticed my students following that lead—they’re starting to try books outside of their usual genres and are giving a much wider variety of stories a real chance.”
The 2025-26 TACAR group discussed:
October – The Border Between Us by Rudy Ruiz
November – Zomromcom by Olivia Dade
December – Come and Get It by Kiley Reid
January – Mice 1961 by Stacey Levine
February – The Lion Women of Tehran by Marjan Kamali
March – Talking as Fast as I Can by Lauren Graham
April – The Briar Club by Kate Quinn
May – The Wedding People by Alison Espach
Another current member of the group, Sherry Chuhak Taylor, also at McAuliffe, said, “Just watching the students craning their necks or even shuffling things around to see what books are on my desk is so heartwarming! I think TACAR has given my students the chance to see me as a reader and not just a reading teacher.”
Join Us
Teachers And Children As Readers is open to current RLTA recipients and alumni. Meetings are held once a month on Zoom for 90 minutes (2 hours for the first session, to get to know other group members and establish norms). Book recommendations are available at the library, so participants may borrow a book instead of buying it. Participants who attend at least 7 hours of TACAR are eligible for ISBE continuing education hours for recertification. For more information about TACAR or the Rochelle Lee Teacher Award, please contact Daphne Robinson at DaphneR@witschicago.org.
