Thursday, July 7, 2011

Newest Adventure

This is the second week that the kids and I have been volunteering at an enrichment and academic program that is sponsored, in part, by our church.

The lady who directs it use to meet in a local park after school and during the summer. Kids flocked to her program to continue learning during non school hours. It kept them off the streets, out of trouble and gave them a little extra help to succeed in school.

Our youth pastor and a few folks from our church would volunteer. Then "they" closed the park one summer and the program had no where to go. In steps our church. They opened their doors to the after school program and the summer program.

Anyway, this summer I decided with some of our free time, we would volunteer. To do whatever they needed us to do. And I had no idea what that would be. Finally, we were able to meet with the director and she let us know that she needed help with some kids who were struggling with reading. Which was right up my alley!

So now three times a week for about an hour to an hour and a half, we meet with three boys and work on strengthening their reading skills. Boop and Little Mama actually participate with us and Nature Girl watches EG.

Our time together is spent reviewing phonics and sight words. We play "reading games" and do puzzles. They have a little bit of free play. Each boy gets a chance to read with me individually and we have a book that I read to them. And then they get to draw and color.

Today I am bringing a board game to play if they all work hard.

I will admit, it is way more challenging then I thought it would be. At their age they are feeling the pressure of having to learn to read. And it is no longer fun. I don't know how successful I will be. My personal goal is to try to help them understand that reading is great fun and a gateway to all the information and questions they will have in life.

I hope, for their sakes, they are a little better off for the time we are able to spend with them. And I am thankful we have the time to serve . . .