By Laura Bain (guest columnist)
(Laura Bain is a reading specialist in a rural Ohio elementary school and is passionate about the importance of teaching kids to read. She’s also one of my dearest friends. – Jane Hess Collins)
I have the most important job in the world, and I love it. For very little effort, a few words of support can change a child’s life, or at least change an attitude about reading, and that’s moving in the right direction. I work with some of the lowest-achieving students in my rural elementary school, and very often I’ve boosted their reading levels to average or above-average in about 20 weeks. I have learned that anyone can make a big difference in the reading attitudes of children, and your help is essential.
All you need is a kid and a book, patience and a smile. And if you’ve ever read something that you’ve really enjoyed, or something that really made a difference to you, you know the real reason for reading. Share that attitude.
You make such a difference if you volunteer to read with kids at a school. They will do anything to please, and the attitudes they adopt in their first 10 years of life are critical to the rest of their lives. And at the risk of sounding sexist, we need more male role models in these kids’ lives. A man who can spend a little time with a boy and a book suddenly makes that book very important. But women, please volunteer too. They need you.
Kids know if they’re not good readers, and they may be afraid that you’ll find out. So bring your smile, be reassuring and let the child know she’s safe with you. Help her when she’s stuck, and don’t criticize. You don’t need to know how to teach reading; just share your attitude that reading is worth the work and that you believe they can read, and that they can read better every day. Let them know that you enjoy hearing them read, even if it’s a little choppy and there are mistakes, and that you like books, and like the child.
Talk about what happens in the book. Talk about things the story reminds you of. Ask them– what do you think happens next? Why did he do that? What would you do? This is a great opportunity to help children think.
Reading should be a shared, social experience. Call your local school and say that you want to volunteer to help kids read. Schools are busy places and you are appreciated more than we take the time to express. So thank you from me in advance.
My heroes are people who read to children from birth (yes) to high school (yes). If you can make yourself available for that, with any child anywhere, you’re my hero.
Get out and give back.
