Teachers Under Cover (TUC) came into being in the fall of 1990 as a result of two separate but related concerns: the reduced activity and interest in reading exhibited by young adolescents upon entering the middle grades and the research evidence which indicated a lack of personal (nonprofessional) reading engaged in by teachers.

     The two principal objectives of TUC were (1) to increase interest and activity in reading by middle grades students, and (2) to do the same thing for middle grades teachers since it was felt that enthusiasm engendered in the teachers would impact their instructional programs.

     Invitations to participate in TUC were sent to 53 school systems throughout Indiana which Lilly Endowment Inc. had targeted for middle grade reading initiatives. From the many applications received, a committee selected 30 schools to participate.

     In each of the participating schools, a group of eight to ten teachers formed a TUC team, which received motivational materials including TUC sweatshirts for each team member. The sweatshirt provided identification of and with the program and was worn to school on those days when the team would meet. Most important, TUC teams were provided with funds to allow them to select (nonprofessional) books of their choosing for reading and sharing. Meetings occurred at various locations, but meeting places most conducive to achieving the objectives of the program appeared to be those where members could meet, dine, and discuss the books. While a late afternoon dinner meeting was very common, it was not unusual for teams to meet early for breakfast at McDonald's. Often meetings occurred in team members' homes, where the menu consisted of books and light refreshments.

     What resulted from this two-year undertaking? Evaluations conducted at the close of each school year provided ample evidence of the teachers' enthusiasm for the TUC concept. Without exception, team members stressed the importance of the sharing, camaraderie, and connectedness which they experienced in the program. The teachers' own words are most telling: "TUC is such a morale builder." "The drawing together of kindred spirits has been an experience I will never forget." "The camaraderie was wonderful. I feel rejuvenated." "The sharing of books was the most important outcome of Teachers Under Cover. By sharing I don't mean the mechanical passing around of books but the special feeling of fellowship and lively interchange of ideas."

     Did TUC have an impact on the young people and the instructional programs in the middle grades schools? Again, the teachers evaluations:

The impact has been dramatic. Two things have happened in our library. First, the number of students checking out books has increased. (Students using the library have increased in number--up 22%.) Second, the number of books being checked out has increased (up 33%).

My participation in TUC has directly influenced my students as I have used direct references to the books I read during conversations and presentations to students.

After I finished Jurassic Park and turned a couple of copies over to the library, there was a mad dash of students to see who would get a copy first.

(TUC) had a big influence on the way I teach writing . . .

I have organized a student reading club. We began with 31 members and 27 stayed active throughout the semester.

Several of my students participated in a student version called "Read and Feed."

I started an after-school version of TUC called Radical Readers. I feel the impact may be even greater next year as we start some reading groups based on the TUC process.

     Teachers Under Cover was conceived for the purpose of promoting the personal reading of teachers and students in the middle grades. First- and second-year evaluations indicate the program was successful in achieving its purpose. As one teacher stated, "For this program I would gladly purchase my own books if necessary."