Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, February 28, 1995 TAG: 9502280073
SECTION: CURRENT PAGE: NRV-3 EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY
SOURCE: MELISSA DeVAUGHN
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Age: 60.
Originally from: Colorado, but she moved to Utah when she was 12.
Family: Three grown children - Andrea, David and Stephen. One grandson.
Most influential teachers growing up: Mrs. Lort, the librarian, in elementary school. "I was just completely entranced by her. When we'd come into the library, she'd say 'Children, we're going to go on a wonderful trip today,' and pull out a book to read."
Worst school-related memory: "When I was in kindergarten I sneezed and didn't cover my mouth. The teacher yelled at me and I was just crushed. To me, it was so traumatic ... it's interesting what children remember."
Last book read : An anthology of works by Edith Wharton.
Hobbies: Reading (of course!) and if there's lots of snow on the ground Pero likes to go downhill skiing.
Favorite meal: Prime rib at the Farmhouse, where her children always take her when they're in for a visit.
When you think of Donna Pero, think of books, words, spelling, libraries and anything else that has to do with reading. For the past 24 years, Pero has been on a mission to teach children how to read and how to read right.
So it was no surprise to her colleagues when Pero was voted this year's Reading Teacher of the Year by the New River Valley Reading Council.
"Donna Pero had devoted her life to the teaching of reading," said Doug Morgan, principal at Christiansburg Primary School where Pero is based. "And of course, reading is her first love. Anytime people enjoy doing something, they do an excellent job at it."
Pero said she didn't decide to start teaching until she moved to Montgomery County from Salt Lake City in 1966. She went back to school at Radford University and earned her bachelor's in elementary education and then went on to complete a master's as a reading specialist. Her credentials enable her to teach elementary education, be an elementary supervisor or principal and to teach reading to students from kindergarten through 12th grade.
She serves as an adjunct professor for Virginia Tech, teaching the Reading Recovery teaching method to teachers across the region.
Reading Recovery is an intense, one-on-one teaching method which catches first-graders in the lowest 20th percentile for reading comprehension and teaches them reading skills that will help them get up to speed, so they don't run into more problems as they mature.
Pero calls it "intervention instead of remediation."
You couldn't ask for a better candidate to teach reading to children - Pero practices what she preaches and has a voracious appetite for books.
"I always feel like, if I've read a book, and I don't have another one lined up to read next, something is terribly wrong," she said.
"My mother always read to me, but I just don't know where or when I was taught. It's as if I've always known."
"Our Schools' Finest" recognizes the contributions of area educators.
by CNB