Wednesday, November 29, 2000
|
Wednesday, November 29, 2000 |
|
Kids teaching kids Elementary students learn from middle school mentors By PAT NEWMAN It was difficult for Devon Newsted, 8, to choose a book from the hundreds of titles available to her at Barnes and Noble in Fayetteville, but Bryan Watkins, 13, her reading mentor for the second year, patiently made suggestions, pulling out a variety of paperbacks for Devon to peruse. The two youngsters were among 120 Burch Elementary School and Flat Rock Middle School students visiting the book store Thursday to enjoy a morning tour, story reading, refreshments and select a complimentary book. They are all participants in an innovative program designed to enhance reading skills for kindergarteners, first, second and third graders at Burch through twice-weekly interaction with seventh and eighth grade middle schoolers from Flat Rock. According to Sue McKuen, a counselor at Flat Rock, this is the third consecutive year the two schools have engaged in the program, and the results are promising. "Last year, Burch tracked the program and all the students' reading levels went up," McKuen said, reporting on the scores of the K-3 students participating. The mentors are selected from interested seventh and eighth graders who exhibit leadership traits and maintain B averages. They also must complete training sessions prior to working with the students. "It takes a committment on the part of the middle schoolers," McKuen said, because the students must meet with their students before their classes begin. Each session follows the same format. "The middle schoolers take a game and a book, pick up their students and meet in a common area. They will usually read about 20 minutes, play a game and then participate in a large group activity," McKuen explained. "The students read a lot of the time, or they share back and forth with them, each reading a passage." "They use a lot of different approaches," McKuen noted. But the key objective is the same, to encourage reading. McKuen and colleague Kristen Bogumill admit the program takes a lot of work, but is well worth the effort and plenty of fun for the students and their mentors. Chante Whitley, community relations manager for Fayetteville's Barnes and Noble said last week's book party was the result of proceeds gathered from the store's opening spring fund-raiser for the Fayette Literacy Action Committee. The two schools visiting applied for and were approved for $1,000 in free books for their students through the First Book program.
|
||