Who are Reading Partners?
Reading Partners are work-study students or volunteers who have taken on the America Reads Challenge. Reading Partners are not tutors, they are role models who inspire young children to read better, by sharing the joy and power of reading. Reading Partners work one-on-one or with small groups of children. Typically the children's ages range from preschool to third grade.
 A Reading Partner:
 * Enjoys working with children
* Enjoys reading
* Respects confidentially
* Is dependable and responsible
 * Respects placement site rules
* Attends mandatory trainings and meetings
* Agrees to a criminal background check (if required)
Mandatory Training
Before starting as a Reading Partner, you must participate in a four-hour training which is offered in the fall and spring semester. Literacy experts are brought in to provide strategies for reading, focusing on:
- strategies for reading TO children
- strategies for reading WITH children
- language play
- planning successful reading session
What Reading Partners DO:
Reading Partners develop sustained, one-on-one relationships with children. This sustained relationship building reflects current research on factors that promote resiliency.
Read to the child: reading familiar and unfamiliar books and talking about the books.
Read with the child: supporting reading of books that are "just right" for the child.
Language play: hands-on activities to build phonemic awareness, including writing or
making books.
What Reading Partners DO NOT do:
Make photocopies
Provide recess or lunch duty
Prepare lesson plans for the teacher
Supervise the entire classroom
Placement Sites
| Benson Village School
| Mountain View Central School
|
| Castleton Elementary School |
Northeast Elementary School |
| Castleton Free Library (after school) |
Northwest Elementary School |
| Christ the King School |
Poultney Elementary School |
| Daycare Centers in Rutland County |
Proctor Grade School |
| Fair Haven Grade School |
Rutland Intermediate School |
| Lothrop Elementary School |
Wells Village School |
| Metawee Community School |
West Rutland Elementary School |
Why should I participate?
America Reads is a great opportunity for you to be part of a national effort to improve literacy and contribute to your local community.
If you love working with kids this is a great way to share your love for reading with them. For those interested in teaching, this is another way to get exposed to the classroom.
Anyone interested in participating in America Reads should contact Jan Rousse, Assistant Director of Community Service and Internships at 468-1371.
America Reads Challenge - Reading Partners - Training |
