BOCA RATON, Fla. — Reading is the key to a good education, and one Boca Raton teacher is gaining national attention for her creative lessons.
Walk into first grade teacher Cara Pavek's classroom at the A.D. Henderson University School, and it's clear that reading is encouraged.
"Sometimes parents are worried they've read that book 100 times and they've memorized it, but that's OK," said Pavek.
Each student in her class gets their own book basket and takes books home.
"We're about to head on winter break," said Pavek. "We don't give homework to them because we want them just to read and enjoy family time."
But this teacher knows that technology is changing education. So Pavek is using it to engage and excite her kids, and the creator of a popular online learning platform called Epic! was so impressed with Pavek's lessons, they named her a master teacher.
"I used to spend hours at the library to sit down and pick the books that I would be using in my classroom for my lessons," said Pavek. "Now I have them at my fingertips."
"She teaches us really good tips and we have these secret missions that help us," said student Wyatt Smith.
While Pavek relies on the new age of iPads and apps, her baskets of books won't be going anywhere.
"Some kids need that turning to feel accomplishment of that physical turning of the page," said Pavek.