A. Read & Lead™ is a one-on-one reading appreciation program conducted by high school students to teach young emerging readers in the early years of elementary school to love and enjoy reading books. The purpose of Read & Lead is to recruit high school students to read age-appropriate books to children. The high school reader can provide individualized attention that classroom teachers do not have time to give to the special students, who would benefit from more personalized attention. The high school reader provides support and friendship that enhances their child's sense of confidence, self esteem and love of learning.
A. The first step in learning and enjoying reading is to be read to by a loving adult. Every child loves to sit down and be read an age-appropriate book by a parent or older sibling. You've seen the joy in children's eyes when an older person sits down with them and reads a good book enthusiastically. The child enjoys the attention and love of the reader. In turn, the child begins to associate entertainment with reading books. Being read to by the high school reading friend on a regular basis naturally makes the child want to start reading books for him/herself.
A. Of course, family members read to many children on a regular basis and statistics prove that these children do well in school. However, according to the National Institute for literacy, "Twenty percent of adult Americans are functionally illiterate. People who are functionally illiterate cannot read well enough to read a story to a child… . And the problem is getting worse. An estimated 2.2 million people are added to the illiterate population every year." Thus, the number of children born to illiterate parents will increase. The only way these children can break this cycle of illiteracy is through volunteer programs like Read & Lead™. In addition, many parents work long hours and do not have the time to read to their children when they get home. In most cases, the television is used as a baby-sitter and source of entertainment.
A. Television - the TV is now the major source for news, entertainment and education for most U.S. families. Some people see no need to read even the local newspaper. The long-range affect on society is devastating. So the problem is not just with underprivileged, but with all children. Reading test scores are falling with each generation. Every child needs reading attention.
A. Yes. The old adage says, "Practice makes perfect." With a one-on-one mentor, every child will improve his/her interest or improvement in reading.
A. The more a child reads and is read to, the better student he/she becomes. Spending time reading with every child improves his/her love for books. A Read & Lead™ Program is beneficial to every child regardless of the child's reading ability.
A. Teachers do not have enough time in the day to provide each student the personal attention he/she needs. Our teachers are overloaded now. The school systems nationwide are underfunded. Our teachers welcome help for students with special needs. Volunteers are needed desperately to supplement our teachers' valued efforts. All students will benefit from more one-on-one reading time that a Read & Lead™ mentor provides.
A. Today most elementary schools have an extended day program, which is basically an after school service for children of working parents. Many of the potential students for Read & Lead™ participate in this program. This is a perfect time for you to conduct your Read & Lead™ program. After you get out of school in the afternoon, you can go to the elementary school and meet with your reading friend. The teacher in charge of the extended day program will appreciate your help and will find a quiet place for you to read with your reading friend. If you attend a school that has K-12 grades or if there is an elementary school located close by, you possibly could make arrangements to meet with your reading friend during study hall, lunch or immediately before or after school. Check with your principal or guidance counselor about this. If you are conducting your Read & Lead™ Program through a church, YMCA, Boys' and Girls' Club, Police Athletic League, community center, etc, you can make arrangements to read with your reading friend at the church or the organization's building. Of course, this should be coordinated through the administrators in charge of the buildings and programs.
A. Read & Lead™ is based on the concept of "youth helping youth." Our emphasis is recruiting concerned students, not adults, to be positive mentors and reading partners for the readers who need personal one-on-one attention. If millions of high school students could donate 45 minutes a week or a month helping a child learn to love to read, we could make a big difference in our literacy problem among our nation's children. Plus, small children look up to high school students. They emulate the "big boys and girls." By being a reading friend, a high school student not only can help the elementary school student love reading, but he/she also can be a positive role model in a world of so many negative role models.
A. The obvious reason is to help in the fight against illiteracy by helping young children learn to enjoy reading. What better way to show that you care than by helping a young child love and enjoy books and reading. Teaching children to enjoy reading is a form of "play" that will last a lifetime. It is the type of "play" that will prepare them for the future.
A. As few as one or two and as many as possible. The flexibility of Read & Lead™ makes the project so attractive. It does not take a lot of people participating in order to have an effective Read & Lead™ Reading Improvement Program. Of course, the more that participate, the more children you can serve. But we know that some teenagers work after school or have other extracurricular activities that may conflict with the Read & Lead™ Program. As people see how much satisfaction the participating teenagers receive from reading to a child, the number of participants will grow. So don't let lack of numbers discourage you. Get started now!
A. Teaching children to read takes training and education that most high school students do not have. Therefore, Read & Lead™ is involved in the first step in teaching a child to read, and that is to be read to. We want to share the joy and entertainment with our young friends by reading age- appropriate stories and books to them. However, many times your young reader may want to read to you. If an educator is involved in your Read & Lead™ Program, you should check with him/her to see if it's okay for the child to read to you. But, many times the child responds so well to your encouragement and attention that he/she will insist on reading to you. That's when you know you are making progress.
A. The schoolteacher or librarian will recommend which books to read to the child. Most schools have hundreds of books in the library to choose from. Many church groups use Sunday School curriculum materials that are specifically designed for a particular age group. Age appropriate books can be checked out from your local public library. The librarian will be more than happy to advise you on good books for children.
A. Nothing. There is no money raised nor spent. The only investment is the time you and your Key Club members invest in the lives of young children.
A. Probably about an hour per week. Be sure not to over-commit and disappoint a child. He/she will look forward to "story hour" and will be extremely disappointed if you miss. Try making an hour a week commitment. It will be the best investment you ever made!
A. This should be discussed with the sponsoring teacher before the program is started. With the concurrence of the sponsoring teacher, the high school reading friends should work in partnership with each other so that another experienced reading friend can take your place. Otherwise, you and the sponsoring teacher must develop a contingency plan. Absences should be kept to a minimum because they will disappoint your reading friend.
A. My mother was a book buddy at Verner School in my hometown where my sisters, Jaynie and Kate, and I attended elementary school. I remember my mother telling my father, sisters and me about how much her time with her first grade friend meant to her, as well as to the child to whom she read once a week. She still tells the story of one meeting with her little friend. The child said, "Mrs. Randall, do you know what I'm going to do this summer? I'm going to pray you'll be my book buddy next year." My mother never forgot how she was touched by that child and how the child responded to her reading a book each week and to the personal attention. The story of my mother and her book buddy has become an important chapter in our family's history. When I was elected Lt. Governor of Division III of the Alabama District of Key Club International in the spring of 1997, I made up my mind that our Division was going to do something special during the 1997-98 school year. During the summer, planning for our Fall Rally, I thought about my Mother's story about her great experience with her book buddy. I remembered that Mom said the problem was that it is hard to get adults to be book buddies because of competing time commitments of family and work. Suddenly, I thought of what our Division could do: start a book buddy program run by teenagers. Why not tap the vest high school talent pool to provide reading mentors and positive role models for young kids who need reading help? As I researched the idea more, I discovered the enormity of the illiteracy problem in America. With each new bit of information on illiteracy and the importance of reading to children, the more I realized that high school students could make a difference. I introduced the idea at Division III's Fall Rally and the idea took off. A simple brochure was developed and a manual was completed. In a matter of weeks, we went from an idea to a Division project to a multi-district project. The idea of "Youth helping youth for a brighter future" was so compelling that we needed to give it a special name to distinguish our high school program from the old book buddy idea that has been around a long time. Because we were trying to create a love for books and reading by developing a mentor relationship between a high school and elementary school student, we felt that Read & Lead™ Reading Improvement Program told the story. In a short period of time other groups and organizations expressed interest in starting Read & Lead™ mentoring groups in their churches and communities. Teenagers started Read & Lead™ Programs in churches, Boys' and Girls' Clubs and other organizations. Then, in February of 2001, the college division of the Read & Lead™ Foundation was established. The first college chapter of Read & Lead™ was formed at Princeton University.
Q. DO YOU HAVE TO COMMIT TO AN ENTIRE YEAR OR CAN YOU COMMIT TO A SHORTER PERIOD OF TIME?
A. Any amount of reading time is valuable to your reading friend and very much appreciated. But, the important thing is to have a clear understanding with the student and his teacher or parent or guardian. You do not want to disappoint a child by not living up to your agreement. Most any schedule can be worked out with the adult supervising your mentor.
A. Every time I complete a reading session with my six-year-old reading friend, I feel like I'm ten feet tall. I've often heard that the Sunday school teacher learns twice as much as the students he/she is teaching. Now I understand why. The Read & Lead™ experience helps the mentor develop humility, leadership, and communication skills, empathy, and a feeling of self-worth. Sharing your time, knowledge, and love with a child through the Read & Lead™ Program gives you a new, more positive outlook on life. You'll be a better person from mentoring through Read & Lead™.