EDUDEAF: Reading Buddies

Subj: Re: reading buddies (fwd)
Date: 97-02-08 08:31:40 EST
From: smanros@EN.COM (Susan Manross)
Sender: EDUDEAF@LSV.UKY.EDU (A Practical Discussion List Regarding Deaf Education)
Reply-to: EDUDEAF@LSV.UKY.EDU (A Practical Discussion List Regarding Deaf Education)

To: EDUDEAF@LSV.UKY.EDU (Multiple recipients of list EDUDEAF)

Dear Edudeafers - was sitting here in my ugly bathrobe with my cup of coffee, reading my morning email. This *wonderful* msg brought tears to my eyes. Thought I would share! Wanted to do this with my HH first graders BUT...............couldn't get the teacher of our older kids to *bite*! DRATZ!!

Sue Manross
teacher of first grade HH kids
AG Bell School
Cleveland, OH, USA
smanros@en.com ---------- Forwarded message ----------
Date: Fri, 7 Feb 1997 17:21:19 -0500
From: Jane Bartow
Reply-To: TAWL-A Teachers Applying Whole Language
To: TAWL-A@LISTSERV.ARIZONA.EDU

Subject: Re: reading buddies

My third graders and I are buddies to a kindergarten class. We do whatever the kids in K need to do, or whatever we might need help with. For instance, we sometimes help with a measuring project. Or the kids come and listen to the third graders read books to them. We write together, too, and the example of the third graders writing is a strong one for the little kids. We go into the outdoors together because the third grade science curriculum deals with phenology, and we know our campus well. When the kids in K want tonow more about birds, we can show them the kildeers nests, the robins hide-out, where the geese gather, etc. Once we were outside, getting ready to come in, waiting for the end of the group to get caught up, and we saw a hawk sitting still in the tree overhead. ALL the kids were so quiet and began writing in log books and drawing the hawk. It was really exciting. We keep log books of the activities we do together, third graders writing, Ks doing the illustrating (unless they want to write).

The third graders plan little parties for the kids, too. At Christmas time, we entertain the children, and the third graders make all the plans. At the end of the year, we put on a mini carnival for the little ones, doing magic tricks, making booths of various kinds, taking photos of the kids together, etc. Everything we do involves reading of some kind and /or writing. And the children end up being buddies for years.

In our school, the first and twelfth graders are buddies like that. The first graders sing at the graduation ceremonies.

Here's a good story, Maureen. Chris was reading with his K buddy, and he discovered that his buddy knew some of the words on the page. Before long, Chris realized that the buddy knew all the words on the page. Then the book. Then another book. Excited, Chris came to me to report that his buddy could actually read. His K teacher was surprised and went over to hear the boy read. (He must've been bored with the letter books that our K still uses!) She was amazed, too. But the kicker came at conferences when the K teacher reported to the parents about his reading. THEY had no idea their son could read at all! Chris was really happy to have discovered a reader.

Love,
Jane

Uploaded by: B.J. Lawrence / Kent State University / Deaf Education Major