Share Your Love of Reading With Words Alive This May!

By Max Greenhalgh

A picture from last year's Share Your Love of Reading campaign! The VIP reader had students get up and dance!

May is here, and that means it’s time to #ShareYourLoveofReading! You can make an impact on society just by sharing what you love to read and why. Reading is a vital skill to have, and one that isn’t as common as you might think. According to conservative estimates, approximately one-fifth of high school graduates are functionally illiterate. This means that while about 20% of our high school graduates may be able to read and write at basic levels, they cannot do so well enough to succeed easily in jobs or other day-to-day activities.

This epidemic isn’t just affecting high schoolers. Problems with illiteracy start before elementary school does. According to a 2015 Department of Education report, six out of 10 kindergarten students enter their new classrooms unprepared. With this many students starting out with a disadvantage, it’s no wonder that about 40% of fourth graders aren’t reading up to grade level standards. This fourth grade number is especially significant, as this is when reading starts to be used to learn about other subjects, severely hampering those who struggle with reading in all other subjects going forward.

This is why it is so important to #ShareYourLoveofReading! If you can make a mark on one mind, old or young, you're working to improve the state of literacy, and this effect can snowball. Kids often unintentionally push their classmates to do better in school by leading by example, and adults can push the children in their lives to pick up a book. 

Reading aloud is one of the keys to creating enthusiastic, skilled young readers. A University of Kansas study has concluded that consistently reading to children can increase their I.Q. test scores at age 3, as well as improving overall vocabulary and fluency of language. While talking to kids is still a great way to increase intelligence, reading is even better, as we tend to speak more lazily (and with more grammatical mishaps) when not reading from a page. In a survey run by Scholastic, a shocking 83% of kids said that they loved it or liked it a lot when their parents read aloud to them, while merely about 20% of children aged six to 11 said that they still get read to at home.

Literacy is vital in all professions, even in jobs you might not expect. Those working in more physical occupations need to be functionally literate in order to safely operate equipment, follow detailed instructions correctly, and prevent workplace injuries by following safety manuals and regulations. Furthermore, engineers, scientists, and mathematicians all need to communicate their potentially game-changing ideas to their peers and all of the world, so neglecting reading due to an expertise in another subject isn’t a viable way to prepare for success in this other field.

The bottom line is this: reading is important for everyone, not matter your occupation, and reading aloud to kids is one of the best ways to inspire a love of reading. These are the reasons why this May, for our #ShareYourLoveOfReading campaign, we are inviting very special "VIP" readers of varying professions into our elementary school classrooms to read to students! This will truly help drive home the message to young kids in our Read Aloud Program how important reading is and how fun it can be!

A #shelfie from last year's Share Your Love of Reading campaign! The picture features a young baby surrounded by books! You're never too young to start reading!

A lone drop of water can make a rippling effect dozens of times that drop’s size, and your efforts this May can be a drop of water with a huge effect. Who knows who you might inspire without even realizing it? If you’d like to chime in and share your love of reading with us, here’s what you can do:

1. Take a #shelfie. Take a picture of yourself in front of your bookshelf or with your favorite book, post it on social media (while tagging #ShareYourLoveofReading and #Shelfie), and encourage your coworkers, friends, and family to do the same. This will help Words Alive get the word out about the importance of literacy, and maybe even inspire some fruitful, book-based discussions in your comment sections! Don't forget to tag @WordsAliveSD in your post!

2. Donate! Throughout May, we're looking to increase our number of sustaining donors! Monthly donations provide consistent funding for our programs that we can count on. For as little as $5 a month you can sponsor a new set of books for a classroom! Find out more here.

3. Keep following those hashtags! Words Alive will be bringing in some surprise VIP readers to read aloud to classrooms in the San Diego area. We'll also be posting images of our incredible Board, Staff, and volunteers throughout the month, with quotes explaining why reading is important to them! Sharing these images will help to spread awareness about the importance of literacy.

4. Volunteer! Words Alive is always looking for those willing to work towards improving literacy in San Diego. Check out your options here.

We can't wait to see how you #ShareYourLoveOfReading this May! 

For more information about Words Alive, please click here.

Board Spotlight: Sharon Bakcht!

A picture of Sharon Bakcht at our Volunteer Appreciation Event. She is holding her award for Leadership Volunteer of the Year.

Sharon Bakcht is one of our newest Board Members but she's already proven to be dedicated to making positive change with us at Words Alive! Sharon is a San Diego native and has 16+ years of experience in strategic planning, innovation leadership, and marketing strategy in a variety of sectors. She currently heads up early stage innovation programs at WD-40 Company for the Americas region. A native of San Diego, Sharon is passionate about fostering positive impact in the local community.

Sharon recently was awarded Leadership Volunteer of the Year at our 9th Annual Volunteer Appreciation Event. Sharon’s journey with Words Alive started three years ago when our partnership with San Diego Social Venture Partners began. She volunteered to serve as the marketing lead with our project and led our staff and leadership in developing and executing our marketing plan. She continues to provide support in her area of expertise on our marketing and communication committee.

Now, let's hear from Sharon herself!

• What was your relationship with literacy as a child?

As a child I loved looking at picture books in Spanish with my parents, who emigrated from Mexico City. My parents mistakenly thought I could read before the age of two because I would memorize the words and say them at the right times.

• When was the first moment you fell in love with reading?

As a preteen, I was a voracious consumer of The Babysitter's Club and Sweet Valley High series. I loved immersing myself in the lives of these characters and their worlds. I spent a lot of time checking books out of libraries!

• How do you use literacy in your day-to-day life?

Literacy is an imperative for my success every day.  I read for pleasure, read for work, and most importantly, I read to my 1.5 year old son, whose face lights up with wonder every time we read new stories and re-read beloved books like "The Hungry Caterpillar". One of my son's absolute favorite books was given to us by Words Alive - "How To Make Vegetable Soup" in Spanish and English. It's the best hearing that little voice say "tomato!" and "water the seeds!"

• What impact would being illiterate have on your life? Would you have the same profession if you couldn’t read?

Would you have the same profession if you couldn’t read?  Without literacy, I could not have achieved higher education in Psychology and Business Administration, and have the career I do today, leading product innovation programs at WD-40. Literacy is absolutely essential to my success.

• What is your favorite book and why?

"A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" by Dave Eggers. Some books touch your soul. This was one such for me. The way Dave Eggers writes gets straight to the heart of emotion, and revealed to me what it means to be vulnerable, loving, and humorous in the face of personal tragedy.

• What was your favorite book as a child and why?

“The Giving Tree” by Shel Silverstein. I loved seeing the relationship between the boy and the tree evolve. Looking back now, I can see that the simplicity of the way the book reveals the moral of the story is brilliant.

• Do you have a favorite memory relating to reading?

So many! I loved reading Armistead Maupin's "Tales of the City" when I was a young twenty-something living in San Francisco. I imagined a wilder San Francisco of the past.

• What made you join the Words Alive board?

I am truly passionate about language, books, stories, and the roles they play in our lives. On top of this, the staff at Words Alive is top-notch. I couldn't imagine a brighter, more effective, and more dedicated team.

• What has been your favorite aspect of being a Words Alive board member?

The adventure has just begun!

Mentors: Somebody Who Will Make Us Do What We Can

By Jennifer Van Pelt

A picture of past WAWS scholar Brittany Jackson with her mentor Sarah Archibald. The picture was taken at Brittany's graduation from the University of California, Santa Cruz.

“Our chief want in life is somebody who will make us do what we can.”

-Ralph Waldo Emerson from his 1872 book: The Prose Works of Ralph Waldo Emerson: Representative Men, English Traits, Conduct of Life

Over 100 years later, this quote still rings true for people of all ages and walks of life. When we are children, parents or older siblings tend to be the person to “make us do what we can” by teaching us nearly everything they know and the art of the possible. As young adults, this figure can be a mentoring relationship with teachers or sports coaches. As an adult, this tends to be a professional mentor that you seek guidance from. At every point in one’s life, a mentor is beneficial but it can also be difficult to find someone that is willing to invest their time and commitment into someone else’s development.

What Are the Benefits of Having a Mentor?

Mentorship is beneficial at every level of one’s life to obtain an outside perspective on where the mentee can succeed, what is holding them back, and how they can improve their weaknesses to bridge the gap. Mentors can also provide intel on an industry, company, or position that you find interesting and want to learn more about for your potential future. According to mentorship.com, the following are a few more benefits of students having a mentor:

• Young adults who face an opportunity gap but have a mentor are 55% more likely to be enrolled in college than those who did not have a mentor.

• In addition to better school attendance and a better chance of going on to higher education, mentored youth maintain better attitudes toward school.

• Students who meet regularly with their mentors are less likely than their peers to skip school.

• Young adults who face an opportunity gap but have a mentor are: 81% more likely to participate regularly in sports or extracurricular activities than those who do not.

Overall, having a mentor can be the positivity in a young adult’s life that encourages them to explore the possibilities and push them to new levels, while providing honest feedback along the way. Mentors can present themselves in a variety of ways: a teacher or an extracurricular advisor, a professional that you admire, or a participant in an organized mentorship program. Every mentor will give you a unique perspective and experience once you establish a relationship.

Mentorship at Words Alive

Realizing you need a mentor or finding one once you do have the realization can be challenging. At Words Alive, we try to take the guesswork out of it by providing mentors and matching them with students. Our Westreich Scholarship Program awards scholarships for students who have participated in our Adolescent Book Group and are now pursuing a higher education at the college or vocational level. One of the key benefits included in this scholarship program is that we pair each participant with a mentor so they can regularly meet throughout their college career -- which can be a pivotal point in their lives. Students often say that the relationship with their mentors is the most valuable part of the program, and after learning about all the benefits of mentorship, it sure makes sense why!

To learn more about our Scholarships or our Adolescent Book Group, click here. For more information about Words Alive, please click here.

Sources:

http://www.azquotes.com/quote/522200

http://www.mentoring.org/why-mentoring/mentoring-impact/

Mercedes Santiago - Words Alive Volunteer of the Month - April 2018

Please join us in congratulating Mercedes Santiago - Words Alive Volunteer of the Month for April 2018!

Mercedes has been a Words Alive Volunteer for over two years.  She is a devoted reader who brings consistency and positive energy to each of her Read Aloud Program sessions.  Mercedes is also one of the first to respond to fill in for a fellow reader.  She has volunteered for the organization's annual fundraiser, the Author's Luncheon as well. We rely so much on commitment and follow through, and Mercedes exemplifies those traits in a volunteer.

Thanks, Mercedes, for your commitment and enthusiasm! 

Check out the Volunteer of the Month Interview with Mercedes Santiago below:

Tell us a little about yourself.
My name is Mercedes Santiago and I retired after 38 years of being a school counselor for San Diego Unified School District. I'm very grateful that I had such a wonderful career supporting teachers, administrators, parents and those amazing students. Just as my career was fulfilling my retirement is equally as rich. I enjoy new experiences, salsa dancing, the arts, yoga, meditating and volunteering. Life is too good to sit back and not participate!

How did you get involved with Words Alive?
I must thank my friends, Charlene Sapien and Estela Salazar, who introduced me to Words Alive. Reading has been the perfect vehicle to be part of student's lives.

What is the most rewarding part of your volunteer role(s)?
Seeing the children smiling so happy when you enter the classroom is just as thrilling and exciting for me as it is to them. I really like to spend time listening to the student's understanding of the message and how it relates to them. I like to expound upon self-respect and tolerance whenever the book bridges these topics. I truly look forward to our time together.

What have you been reading lately?
I love having a book in my hand and presently I'm enjoying Howard Cutler M.D. & His Holiness the Dalai Lama, The Art of Happiness. Cutler writes that Dali tells you that happiness is the purpose of life and that every motion of our life is towards happiness. How to get there has always been the question. For me, it's service to others that truly makes me happy.

Thank you all for bringing joy to children.

Why Do We Read Aloud?

By Jennifer van Pelt

A picture of a young student paying rapt attention to a volunteer as they read a book aloud.

Why is Reading Aloud Important?

A child’s first exposure to books is normally when their parents or guardians first read aloud to them. Through this, they become familiar with the way in which a book is read from front to back, the plot line, and the dialogue between characters. This seems to be a given for children, however, it is so much more than that. According to Richard Anderson in his report titled “Becoming a Nation of Readers”: “The single most important activity for building knowledge required for eventual success in reading is reading aloud to children.” As the report goes on to describe, this is not only so children can follow along with your finger and start to recognize words and sounds -- though these are the starting steps. The teacher or parent needs to engage the child by asking questions about the story that makes them think and relate the story to real life events.

Can it Benefit Others Aside From Children?

Reading aloud is often a strategy employed in early years of schooling, but fades away with time -- but there is no reason for it to! It can be beneficial to teens and adults that never got the experience of participating in read alouds when they were younger. Reading aloud to older children and adults can assist them by giving them context clues to words, tones, or emotions associated with the story. Often times, the mere act of discussing or listening to others speak can help comprehension. There are a few different learning styles that vary from student to student: auditory, read/write, visual, and kinesthetic. Reading aloud touches on the auditory aspect for the students in the classroom, but it also can hit on the read/write learning style as well when the student follows the words in the books as the teacher reads aloud. This is important in the student knowing how to recognize new vocabulary words for the future.

Bridging the Gap

While reading aloud in the classroom is expected for the first few years of school, it is also important that these activities take place in the home. As cited by readaloud.org, 48% of families below the poverty level read to their preschoolers each day, compared with 64% of families whose incomes were at or above the poverty level. This disparity continues into the classroom when the child has less exposure, less practice, and is overall less comfortable than the students who regularly hear and experience books in the home. Getting these students their own books is the first step to bridging this gap.

At Words Alive, we focus on the students who do fall below the poverty line and haven’t had the amount of exposure to reading that some of their counterparts may have had at home. We believe in the power of reading aloud so much that we have a program for young children called The Read Aloud Program. This program focuses on Preschool through 3rd grade students and brings trained volunteers into the classroom to read aloud to approximately 4,300 children from low-income communities every week. This helps to level the playing field and give these students the opportunity to increase their comprehension and comfort level with reading early on so they can reach eventual success in reading. To find out more information about our Read Aloud Program or the other literacy programs we offer, head to our Programs page.

For more information about Words Alive, please click here.

Sources:

https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED253865.pdf

http://www.readaloud.org/why.html

Meghan Scripture - Words Alive Volunteer of the Month - March 2018

Please join us in congratulating Meghan Scripture - Words Alive Volunteer of the Month for March 2018!

Meghan is a passionate and energetic addition to our volunteer family.  She joined the Teen Services Program this past fall as a book group facilitator at Monarch.  Since then, she has flourished in the classroom with her group of students. Meghan livens up the discussion by facilitating cooperative learning opportunities to encourage student participation. Her volunteer teammates often sing her praises, recognizing engaging ideas she brings to the classroom and the support she brings to the team.

In addition to her classroom support, she has helped spread the word about our programs and even recruited more volunteer support from her current employer, GoFundMe.

Meghan is a joy to work with and we feel lucky to have her in our program.  Thanks for the work you do for our community!

Check out the Volunteer of the Month Interview with Meghan Scripture below:

Tell us a little about yourself.
As a former military brat, I found that having my nose in a book was a way to bring comfort and familiarity to each new city and home. I majored in English because I simply couldn't imagine what else I could possibly be as interesting as reading and writing. Graduation and a job in sales had me itching for more, so at 26, I found myself in South Korea working as an ESL teacher. Two years later, my thirst for living abroad still wasn't quenched, so I joined the Peace Corps and was blessed to be placed in a remote Fula village in The Gambia- a tiny country known as the "Smiling Coast of Africa." Upon my return, I made my home in San Diego and am loving life on this very different, but equally amazing coast working for GoFundMe, a company I believe in.

How did you get involved with Words Alive?
One of the best parts of Peace Corps for me was meeting one my best friends, Jess Fryman, who introduced me to Words Alive after moving out to San Diego and finding a job that she was truly passionate about. I've become a huge fan of Words Alive and all the opportunities it brings to so many kids in the greater San Diego area.

What is the most rewarding part of your volunteer role(s)?
I'd say the most rewarding part of my volunteer experience so far has been the little moments. We've had a couple of sessions where the kids are excited about the topic that they just keep talking. It's also been a pleasant surprise to see that regardless of the topic, these young minds are mature and introspective in ways I just didn't expect. I feel at times they are teaching *me* a thing or two!

What have you been reading lately?
I'm currently reading Born a Crime by Trevor Noah. Apartheid is such a heavy topic, but he makes it so digestible with his impeccable comedic timing and wit.

Let's Celebrate National Library Week!

By Jennifer van Pelt

An image of a library. Hundreds of books on bookshelves appear in the image. Photo credit: square(tea) on flickr

What is National Library Week?

April 8th kicks off the 60th anniversary of National Library Week. This week is focused on the importance of books and libraries as well as their contribution to society. Libraries and their patrons across the country are encouraged to participate via social media, contests, events, and fundraisers. The American Library Association (ALA) has partnered with several notable advocates and authors over the years with the goal of promoting reading and the usage of libraries.

Why The Focus on Libraries?

April is also designated by the American Association of School Librarians (AASL) to be School Library Month. These two celebrations remind us of the importance of libraries beyond the obvious destination for books. Libraries are a free resource where members of the community can learn to read at any age, get the support needed to find a job, or bring their children to participate in read-alouds.

It is important that children have this exposure to books, and libraries provide the perfect opportunity with their knowledgeable workers and friendly volunteers. Librarians understand that not everyone is literate, so they provide tutors to help teach reading skills, a safe environment to learn about books, and the means to show children the value of reading. At Words Alive, we serve low-income, and sometimes homeless students. School and public libraries are the ideal place for them to go to learn and participate in a variety of activities that can also further their literacy skills, including homework help and art workshops.

What Can I Do To Support Libraries?

Thursday, April 12, is particularly focused on advocating for libraries and taking action on what matters. This year, Take Action for Libraries Day, will be centered around safeguarding funding that libraries depend on. This involves reaching out to local politicians to show your support for libraries, as legislation and tax reforms can affect them. Check your local library’s social media page to see if they mention something about this is in the works and see how you can help!

Alternatively, show your support by becoming a member at your local library! There are so many other benefits libraries provide aside from borrowing books. Most libraries partner with various volunteer groups to help out with topics such as teaching English as a second language, tax preparation, job searching, family literacy, and even bike repair workshops! If you see a need in your community that your library doesn’t already offer a program for, reach out and see how you can help. Libraries are always looking for regular volunteers to expand their reach into the community. You can also visit your local library’s website to see what upcoming events you can attend.

The ALA also has an ongoing initiative called Libraries Transform, an awareness campaign about the ways in which libraries transform lives. Sign up to be a part of the movement!

No matter what you do this week, take a moment to reflect on the ways in which libraries have impacted your life - and be grateful that libraries exist at all!

Sources:

http://www.ala.org/conferencesevents/celebrationweeks/natlibraryweek

http://www.ala.org/news/press-releases/2017/03/take-action-libraries-day-launch-during-national-library-week

https://americanlibrariesmagazine.org/2018/03/01/national-library-week-60th-anniversary-libraries-lead/

Positivity, Hope, and Optimism: The Butterfly Project Presents at Monarch School

By Jeffrey Goldman, Words Alive Board Chair & ABG volunteer at Monarch

A group picture of The Butterfly Project presenters with Stephen Keiley's 8th grade class at Monarch School and Words Alive ABG volunteers.

Stephen Keiley’s 8th grade class at the Monarch School was recently visited by members of the Butterfly Project – an organization devoted to keeping the memory of the Holocaust alive. Three representatives of the Butterfly Project – each of them children of Holocaust survivors – shared both their parents’ memories as well as their own remembrances of what it was like to grow up as a child of a survivor.

The key message the survivors communicated was that in spite of the horrific experiences their parents were subjected to during World War II, they remained “positive, hopeful, and optimistic” for the remainder of their lives. The volunteers made it clear to the children — all of whom have been impacted by homelessness and other significant challenges — that “even though you can go through the most difficult time in your life, it is possible to still have hope and attain a highly successful and rewarding life.”

At the outset of the session, the volunteers handed out cards to the children with quotes from survivors about life before the war, during the war, and after the war. The 8th graders were then called upon throughout the one-hour presentation to read the often poignant quote contained on their card.

Picture of a student holding a case containing one of the yellow stars.

During the presentation, photos of stores with anti-Jewish graffiti and photos of people wearing yellow stars to identify them as Jews were displayed. One volunteer shared a real Jewish yellow star as well as her father’s concentration camp uniform. She showed the children where her father had cut a hole in his shirt to hide a spoon, and explained that the spoon gave him dignity because he was then able to eat soup with it instead of drinking it from a bowl. She also had a student try on her father’s cap — which was too small for the young boy — in order to show the children how malnutrition had actually shrunk her father’s body.

One particularly powerful story was about one presenter’s mother, who was “adopted” by a slightly older woman in the concentration camp after her own parents were killed by the Nazis. Her adopted mother came from a prominent catering family, and was chosen by the Nazi officers to cook them food on both a daily basis and for the large parties they would host for visiting officers. When she was caught sneaking food to her “daughters” (she also adopted another parent-less girl at the camp) and threatened with death, she stood up to the Nazis and told them they’d never kill her since they loved her food so much. They backed off their threat, looked the other way as she fed her “daughters” leftover food from her kitchen, and as a result, there are 22 lives in the world — children and grandchildren of the two girls whose lives she saved.

Picture of the students examining an actual concentration camp uniform worn by one of The Butterfly Project's relatives.

At the end of the session, the volunteers handed out ceramic butterflies for the children to paint. These will be returned to the volunteers who will fire them in a kiln and then bring them back to the class so that they can be installed on a wall at the Monarch School. Ultimately, the goal of the Butterfly Project (www.thebutterflyprojectnow.org) is to have 1.5 million butterflies on the walls of temples, churches, schools, and other public facilities all over the world, representing every one of the children who were killed during the Holocaust.

At the close of the session, during a question-and-answer discussion, one particularly astute student asked the children of the survivors, “Do you personally forgive the Nazis?” One volunteer answered, “Maybe not forgive, but I have moved on. Because if you don’t, you’re letting them win, letting them get what they want.”

Teacher Stephen Keiley ended the day by thanking the volunteers and telling them, “By telling your stories you are putting life, putting a face, on these stories that we read about.”

National Volunteer Appreciation Month: What Are the Benefits of Volunteering?

By Jennifer Van Pelt

Two of our Adolescent Book Group volunteers facilitating a book discussion at La Mesa Blended Community School. Photo credit: goldfacephoto.com

As we enter National Volunteering Month, take a moment to think to yourself: when is the last time you set aside a few hours to give back to your community? If it’s been longer than you would like to admit, you are similar to nearly 75% of Americans, according to 2015 data from the Corporation for National and Community Service. For those of you that perhaps don’t volunteer as often as you would like, take a look below at the amazing benefits that volunteering can give you!

Networking Opportunities

Volunteering brings people from many backgrounds together with the goal of working for one common cause. There is no better place to step outside your comfort zone and meet others. In the day and age of social media, you can easily stay in contact with those you meet at volunteering events to plan attending future events, expand your friend circle, or further your professional network.

Expand Your Skill Set

The basis of volunteering your time or services to a cause is that you are not being monetarily compensated -- you are donating it! This gives you the perfect opportunity to give your time or services in exchange for experience, something that you cannot put a price on and is invaluable for your degree, career, family, or personal development. Even if gaining experience isn’t a focus for you, you can discover a new hobby through your newfound skills.

Explore a New Career

Perhaps you have spent your entire career in one field, but have always wondered about a different career. Many volunteering organizations work just like companies: the position you are contemplating is very likely available in some sort of volunteering organization. Keep your day job, but test out your skills with a volunteering group on the side who have any number of positions available: Event planner, Outbound Marketing, Tutor, Social Media Specialist -- the opportunities are endless!

Your Own Well-Being

It would be difficult to find someone who finished a volunteering event not feeling great about themselves. Volunteering is ultimately for the benefit of others (though we know there’s a lot in it for you), so when you see how thankful others are for your services, you can’t help to be proud of your hard work! As discussed in an essay titled “Helper’s High” by James Baraz and Shoshana Alexander, people who give their time or money are 42% more likely to be happy. This aforementioned “Helper’s High” refers to the state of euphoria that is experienced when you give to others.

Picture of long-time Words Alive volunteer Karen Malin holding a flower pot craft containing pictures of the students she reads to! The flower pot says, "Ms. Karen, thank you for helping us grow." 

Improve Your Community

Communities thrive off the participation and engagement of those within them, and the drive to improve it from within. Volunteering opportunities focus on just that: teaching, improving the health, or providing much-needed services for the members of your community. If the members of a community are not their own biggest advocates for improvement, others may struggle to hear their voices.

The benefits of volunteering are endless, as are the opportunities. A quick Google search for volunteering opportunities in your area will yield millions of results. VolunteerMatch is the largest online volunteer network, or you can search directly for the cause you care about to see what opportunities are available! At Words Alive, we appreciate all of our hard-working volunteers, and we are always ready to welcome more! If you enjoy teaching, working with children, or just want to explore our available opportunities, head to our main site and Get Involved!

Sources:

https://www.nationalservice.gov/vcla/national

https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/the_helpers_high

What is Kindergarten Readiness and Why Does it Matter?

By Jennifer van Pelt

In the years leading up to a child’s first formalized schooling experience, parents play an important role in laying the foundation for future schooling success. With kindergarten being required in 30% of all states and 52% of all states requiring a Kindergarten Entrance Exam, making sure children have the cognitive skills to prepare them for kindergarten is an important step in ensuring early literacy success and continued development.

A picture of some children in our Family Literacy Program! They are posing with puppets they made during the FLP session.

What is Kindergarten Readiness and Why Does it Matter?

“Kindergarten readiness” is a term that outlines what many education experts tend to agree will help a child succeed in kindergarten. With kindergarten being the first schooling experience for many children, it is important that they are comfortable, confident, and eager to learn in the classroom in order to set the tone for what the next several years of their life will revolve around: school.

Recently, Common Core Standards have been introduced into classrooms nationwide. These standards establish clear guidelines of what a student needs to know at the end of each grade. These standards have been fully implemented in 41 states and help to establish expectations for what your child should be prepared to learn in kindergarten. A few notable literacy-related Common Core Standards for kindergarten are:

• Identify major characters, setting, and basic plotline of a story.

• Recognize different types of text, including poems and storybooks.

• Recognize what an author's and illustrator’s roles are in a book and how to identify them.

• Identify the parts of a book including the front, spine, and back.

• Understand the way in which we read and write: From left to right, in strings of sentences, and spaces between words.

• Identify the letters of the alphabet and the sounds they make.

By understanding what your child needs to know by the end of their year in kindergarten, you can work backwards, determine where the biggest gaps are, and ensure that your child is prepared for school.

How Can You Help Your Child Become Kindergarten Ready?

As summarized in the  “Early School Readiness” report by Child Trends, the following four skills are indicators of early literacy and cognitive development: ability to recognize letters, count to 20, write their first name, and read words in a book. While these are not an official or universally agreed upon measure for determining if a child is “kindergarten ready”, these competencies appear to be referred to most frequently in literature surrounding the topic and they are also supported by the Common Core Standards.

Children in our Family Literacy Program practice skills like counting, rhyming, and color recognition by participating in fun activities!

You can  prepare your child for kindergarten by integrating the following into your family time:

• Practice reading/writing the letters used in their name. This helps develop both the motor skills used to hold a pencil and their familiarity with the alphabet.

• Start counting with them. This can include animals in a book or carrots on their plate. Focus on incorporating numbers and counting into their daily life.

• Point out numbers that surround them. This can be page numbers, office numbers, road signs etc.

• Expand their vocabulary by using diverse language during conversations. Marianne Hillemeier, PhD, completed a study on 8,700 two year olds and the amount of vocabulary they knew. Those who used more words at age two had better math and reading skills and fewer behavioral problems when starting kindergarten.

• Teach them about books -- the front, back, spine, and how we read from left to right. This initiates a knowledge of books and prepares them to read books themselves.

At Words Alive, we understand that parents are their child’s first teacher because they have the best opportunity to prepare them with the tools needed for success in school. Our programs at Words Alive not only aim to instill reading and literacy habits in young children, but we also hope that parents leave our programs with the foundation and motivation to build these habits at home!

Learn more about our Family Literacy Program, in which we teach parents how to prepare their children for school and introduce literacy education into their homes, by checking out this page. If you are interesting in supporting these efforts, please consider donating here.

Sources:

https://www.education.com/magazine/article/kindergarten-readiness-secrets/

http://www.aft.org/sites/default/files/t2k_schoolreadiness.pdf

https://www.ecs.org/kindergarten-policies/

http://www.corestandards.org/wp-content/uploads/ELA_Standards1.pdf

https://www.childtrends.org/videos/big-vocabulary-equals-kindergarten-readiness/

https://www.childtrends.org/wp-content/uploads/2015/07/07_School_Readiness.pdf