News
Volunteers, one-on-one time push literacy to new levels
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| SNP photo by Dan
Trittschuh McCord Middle School eighth-grader Alex Stroh (left) helps Granby Elementary School fourth-grader Max Contreras with his reading during a session Thursday, March 18, at Granby. |
* Dozens of community and student mentors are teaching reading skills to younger children at Worthington's elementary schools.
By PAMELA WILLIS
Struggling readers are making literary strides in
Worthington elementary schools thanks to mentoring help from
older students and other volunteers in Project MORE.
Reading specialist Polly Bates said one second-grade student has two high school mentors who found out she was having a birthday, so they brought cupcakes to her reading session.
"What a great day it was for her and she is making tremendous strides in reading as well as gaining confidence in her abilities," Bates said.
The MORE in the program name stands for "Mentoring in Ohio for Reading Excellence." The program currently is being implemented in 160 schools across Ohio, according to the Web site ohioprojectmore. org.
On Thursday, March 18, mentoring sessions took place at Granby Elementary School between Granby fourth-graders and McCord Middle School eighth-graders.
"The mentors use specific leveled lesson plans that include fluency practice of a passage," Bates said. "They read a leveled book to the student, then the student reads the book back to the mentor. The session includes discussion questions to guide the reading, a graphic organizer to solidify ideas gained from the material, a comprehension quick-check students can answer independently, and games to aid vocabulary development and skill review."
Bates said the guided lessons for each book cover four half-hour one-on-one reading sessions.
She said 108 mentors currently are helping 39 students at Granby.
Project MORE is being implemented in eight of Worthington's 11 elementary schools so far, with plans to expand to the rest.
Bates said she received training in the program about a year and a half ago and began the program at Granby with nine students and a variety of mentors.
"Late last spring, I decided to try my own summer version of the program with some of my first-grade parents to help my students stay on track over the summer without overtaxing the students or their parents with lots of unplanned reading requirements or high-cost tutoring."
Bates met with seven parents every other Tuesday during the summer to exchange materials and books.
"It was like the old bookmobile idea, but it was out of my car with leveled materials," she said. "Everyone seemed pleased with the program and the students began second grade without losing any ground."
Last fall, Bates trained Granby sixth-graders to work three days a week with second-graders and recruited retired teachers, parents and grandparents as reading mentors. Twenty-one McCord eighth-graders jointed the program to work with Granby fourth-graders.
"We are now getting to really serve the needs of our students more effectively," she said. "All children need reading practice in order to be successful and this program affords them that opportunity in a meaningful, purposeful way.
"All of the teachers involved with our students who are in the program have seen lots of growth," she said. "The mentors have really been committed to the kids and do such a great job."
In January, retired guidance counselor Kathy Moore came on board, and with the help of Ralph King at Worthington Kilbourne High School, she recruited and trained volunteers from study halls as well as students from Scott DeMauro's government classes.
Moore said her goal is to recruit 1,000 mentors in all.
"This huge bank of trained mentors will ensure the program's sustainability," she said. "Project MORE is a highly effective reading intervention for struggling second-, third- and fourth-grade readers.
"Four components make it work so well: one-to-one instruction, four sessions per week, 30 minutes per session and the fact the mentor uses an individualized, prescribed lesson plan," she said.
Bates said she wants to train a number of Granby fifth-graders in mentoring this spring so they will be available to help struggling readers at Granby in the fall.
People of any age can volunteer as a mentor by calling Jennifer Wene, director of academic achievement, at 614-883-3000.
Bates said adults will need to have a background check as well as be fingerprinted.
About a week ago, 34 mentors were trained at the Griswold Center, and after spring break, about 50 teachers from the Care After School program will be trained.
"We know that one-on-one teaching is most effective, and Project MORE can offer that opportunity for so many students," Bates said. "The program takes a lot of work and organization but it is well worth the time."
Reading specialist Polly Bates said one second-grade student has two high school mentors who found out she was having a birthday, so they brought cupcakes to her reading session.
"What a great day it was for her and she is making tremendous strides in reading as well as gaining confidence in her abilities," Bates said.
The MORE in the program name stands for "Mentoring in Ohio for Reading Excellence." The program currently is being implemented in 160 schools across Ohio, according to the Web site ohioprojectmore. org.
On Thursday, March 18, mentoring sessions took place at Granby Elementary School between Granby fourth-graders and McCord Middle School eighth-graders.
"The mentors use specific leveled lesson plans that include fluency practice of a passage," Bates said. "They read a leveled book to the student, then the student reads the book back to the mentor. The session includes discussion questions to guide the reading, a graphic organizer to solidify ideas gained from the material, a comprehension quick-check students can answer independently, and games to aid vocabulary development and skill review."
Bates said the guided lessons for each book cover four half-hour one-on-one reading sessions.
She said 108 mentors currently are helping 39 students at Granby.
Project MORE is being implemented in eight of Worthington's 11 elementary schools so far, with plans to expand to the rest.
Bates said she received training in the program about a year and a half ago and began the program at Granby with nine students and a variety of mentors.
"Late last spring, I decided to try my own summer version of the program with some of my first-grade parents to help my students stay on track over the summer without overtaxing the students or their parents with lots of unplanned reading requirements or high-cost tutoring."
Bates met with seven parents every other Tuesday during the summer to exchange materials and books.
"It was like the old bookmobile idea, but it was out of my car with leveled materials," she said. "Everyone seemed pleased with the program and the students began second grade without losing any ground."
Last fall, Bates trained Granby sixth-graders to work three days a week with second-graders and recruited retired teachers, parents and grandparents as reading mentors. Twenty-one McCord eighth-graders jointed the program to work with Granby fourth-graders.
"We are now getting to really serve the needs of our students more effectively," she said. "All children need reading practice in order to be successful and this program affords them that opportunity in a meaningful, purposeful way.
"All of the teachers involved with our students who are in the program have seen lots of growth," she said. "The mentors have really been committed to the kids and do such a great job."
In January, retired guidance counselor Kathy Moore came on board, and with the help of Ralph King at Worthington Kilbourne High School, she recruited and trained volunteers from study halls as well as students from Scott DeMauro's government classes.
Moore said her goal is to recruit 1,000 mentors in all.
"This huge bank of trained mentors will ensure the program's sustainability," she said. "Project MORE is a highly effective reading intervention for struggling second-, third- and fourth-grade readers.
"Four components make it work so well: one-to-one instruction, four sessions per week, 30 minutes per session and the fact the mentor uses an individualized, prescribed lesson plan," she said.
Bates said she wants to train a number of Granby fifth-graders in mentoring this spring so they will be available to help struggling readers at Granby in the fall.
People of any age can volunteer as a mentor by calling Jennifer Wene, director of academic achievement, at 614-883-3000.
Bates said adults will need to have a background check as well as be fingerprinted.
About a week ago, 34 mentors were trained at the Griswold Center, and after spring break, about 50 teachers from the Care After School program will be trained.
"We know that one-on-one teaching is most effective, and Project MORE can offer that opportunity for so many students," Bates said. "The program takes a lot of work and organization but it is well worth the time."
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