Project READ’s Family Literacy Instructional Center (FLIC) Book Club:
This month we had over 20 learners participate in our bi-weekly read aloud Book Club. Students, sitting alongside of tutors, teen tutors and parents, took turns reading aloud from the same book. Each child was given a brand new book to take home to build his/her own home libraries. After the story was read, students took part in a craft project related to the book. This month we read We’re in A Book- by Mo Willems and I’m Not Scared. Project READ’s Junior League tutors helped lead the Book Club and spearhead the craft activity.
Project READ’s Family Literacy Instructional Center Game Night!
Our new monthly pilot program Game Night has become an exciting way to end the month and a fun way to learn together. Games have been preselected according to our students’ needs. The children are broken into groups of 4-6 to play games together. Each gaming group has a staff member or Junior League tutor to facilitate the game. We have been focusing on collaboration, community building and expressive language this month. Some games that the students played were “Let’s Talk,” where students take turn asking each other conversation starter questions, “Don’t Say It,” which focuses on descriptive words, “Tell Tale,” where students build on each other’s stories. Each month we introduce new games to the students. Sixteen students took part in the program and many more are signed up for next month!
FLIC/FFL Story Hour
This month almost 70 Project READ learners, families and friends joined us for our February Story Hour. Parents and children were in awe when Wild Things, Inc. introduced their many varied animals from a kangaroo to an alligator. It was a great experience for everyone to learn about the importance these wild animals play in our world and how to be safe and respectful to our animal neighbors.
Project READ Families In Partnership (FIP):
This month the Project READ Families in Partnership program
celebrated 59 active pairs. One of our
FIP tutors, Francine, reported her learner Julissa is doing fabulously! Their
big accomplishment for the month is Julissa reading 2 chapters from a book out
of the Judy Moody series. When Julissia first came to Project READ in October
of 2013 she was still working on distinguishing between upper and lower case
letters and sight words. In just a year and a half she is reading whole
chapters. This is a great achievement by two very dedicated individuals.
Congratulations and keep up the good work you two!
Project READ Kids In
Partnership (KIP) Story Hour at Fair Oaks Branch Library:
Over 75 families, Project
READ students and tutors came out to enjoy a wonderful and lively show by
Gabe of Wild Things Inc. Families were fascinated by up-close encounters with wildlife
while also being moved by hearing their stories of struggle and eventual rescue
by this wonderful organization. Families also enjoyed Dr. Seuss-inspired crafts
and were happy to take home their very own copy of the classic, The Cat in the
Hat.
Project READ Kids In
Partnership After-school Tutoring and Programming at
Fair Oaks Elementary:
Over 80 youth
continue to participate in Project READ’s Kids In Partnership one-on-one and
small group tutoring programs at Fair Oaks Elementary. In addition to
individualized, student-centered tutoring time, youth also participated in 32 book clubs. These book clubs are
also designed to meet students at their current reading level and help them
reach their reading goals by focusing on linking background knowledge to the
theme of the book, using expression while reading to build fluency and
discussing new words and the book to build vocabulary and comprehension.
Project READ students also enjoyed a variety of art, science
and cooking projects that brought learning to life in a hands-on and fun way.
For example, during cooking time, after reading recipes and step-by-step
directions, students made burritos and valentine cookies. They also completed a
two-week experiment on seed germination and plant growth that involved making a
hypothesis, recording observations and caring for a germinating seed. Students
were also excited to express their gratitude for their tutors in hand-written
valentine notes.
Project READ teen
tutors participated in two training workshops:
How to use specific praise and feedback while tutoring to
best support learners and How to make and use play dough as a tutoring tool
across grade levels. After reviewing art techniques like water color, crayon
resist and using positive and negative space, teen tutors also created and
contributed Dr. Seuss-themed artwork for our annual BBQ and Award Ceremony to be
held in July 2015. Our Teen Tutors are
helping their little learner while improving and understanding these reading
and science concepts also!
Project READ’s
successful continued partnership with Second Harvest Food Bank:
Project READ families continued to benefit from the
long-standing relationship with Second Harvest Food Bank. In February alone,
over 355 Project READ participants
enjoyed over 1,060 healthy snacks
that are vital for the concentration needed for tutoring and learning.
Project READ Adult
Program:
This month we’d like to highlight the hard work of learner
Brenda Canchola and tutor Naomi Glixman.
The pair has been working together since May of 2013. This is what Naomi had to say in February’s
Monthly Report Calendar:
“Brenda has made huge progress! In
particular, she has made a lot of progress in comprehension and
vocabulary. Her ability to organize
language conceptually has really kicked in! She does a great job of
understanding/ writing paragraphs and essays, and her presentations really
shine. She's a good descriptive writer, and I can't wait to see what she comes
up with in the future.
Last semester she was assigned to read a
short novel for a class she took at Canada College, which we read out loud, for
one of her classes. When we started, she couldn't understand what a novel was,
or why somebody would write about imaginary characters. But then, after a few
chapters, she got it. The world of reading for pleasure, and connecting
to fictional characters, and how that relates to her own life, and all the rest
of it that makes us crave reading, opened.”
Project READ Adult Inmate Peer Tutoring
Program:
12 inmates housed at the Maguire Correctional
Facility graduated Tutor Training. We
held a graduation ceremony so the men could be recognized in front of their
peers for their hard work and dedication to empowerment through education.
Project READ Adult
Literacy Computer Lab:
Of the new adult learners who started in February, 15 adults decided to get a jumpstart on
their learning by using the adult computer lab. Project READ has Rosetta Stone
for those adults who need to improve their grammar, vocabulary and
pronunciation. Also available is Lexia Core5 for those who need to build their reading
ad writing skills. All together Project READ adults logged in 268 hours of computer time this
month!
