Mr. C Gets a Mohawk

June 10 , 2008 – Fifth grade teacher Blake Christiansen (a.k.a. Mr. C) has a mohawk. And his students are to blame. Throughout the school year, each student is required to read 20 different genres such as non-fiction, historical fiction, realistic fiction, poetry, a play, and watching a movie with sub-titles. Students demonstrate that they have read each genre through one of 125 different ways, such as an Accelerator Reader test, making a clay model of a favorite character in the book, creating their own illustrations for the book, or making a crossword puzzle from the book. If the students reach the reading goal, then they earn the right to participate in shaving Mr. C's head at the end of the year. This year Mr. C started growing his hair out at the beginning of the school year and didn't cut it all year. "It drove my wife crazy," he says. He even dyed it blonde. Mr. C has relinquished his electric shears to his 5th grade classes for 12 years, 8 years at Minnehaha and 4 years when he taught in Eagle, Colorado. One year in Colorado the event was captured on the cover of the local paper. "I am so committed to the importance of reading. I also love being crazy with my hair, so it is a win-win for everyone!" He's a bit concerned that due to uncontrollable thinning circumstances on the top of his head that a new incentive might need to be found, maybe shaving his legs and eye brows or clipping his toe nails.