JJlochearnreading: (With photos)
Encouraging literacy one student at a time
Reading program at Lochearn a success
Green pieces of paper riddle the library walls at Lochearn Elementary School to display the number of children who have benefited from a reading program that was introduced last November.
The reading program called Lochearn: CARES (Community in Action for Reading in Education for Students) is an initiative that brought volunteers from the community into the school to read with students from kindergarten to Grade 5.
The program, initiated by Kim Wedman, Alexis Holstead and Vera McLeod, has been successful in enhancing community relationships.
“It is really neat that Lochearn is a community school … it’s so fun that the students are excited and the volunteers are excited; it’s a great energy,” Danielle Spencer, principal of Lochearn Elementary School, said about observing the reading program taking place within the school.
Volunteers are assigned to a classroom and they focus on reading with each individual student for roughly five to 10 minutes — one hour per week.
Lochearn: CARES volunteer Terri-Lynn Johannesson reads with Grade 4 students. She says that she always makes sure “the students are participating.”
“I get them to look at the pictures and I sound out the words with them,” she said. “I like seeing that the students feel they have accomplished something. They are happy to come and read and happy to see you.”
Another Lochearn: CARES volunteer Tammy Cote assigned to Grade 1 students has a common sentiment to share.
“The kids are fun and they keep you thinking. This is a great way to spend an hour and I wouldn’t mind doing it longer.”
Not only does the program help to increase literacy, it is also about the relationships that students make with the volunteers. Lochearn: CARES volunteer Gary Hiney says the students benefit from having his undivided attention.
“It is a unique program to connect with kids and communicate with them; it’s one-to-one communication,” he said.
“There is definitely a need for the program and it creates an environment where we can pay attention to the students.”
Kim Wedman, student support facilitator at Lochearn Elementary School, says that she is encouraged by what she has seen.
“It’s been a great success to build a community at Lochearn,” she said.
“People leave the building happy and the students are happy to read to other people and this is good for their learning.”
Lochearn: CARES runs until April but Wedman says next year they may look at running it longer.
