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Indeed, the single greatest gift your organization, church, or business can give to a school is early childhood literacy support. When your people offer an hour a week to a local school as reading mentors, you are giving those local teachers a reduced workload, children who have more social/emotional maturity, faster advancement through school benchmarks, the experience that they are not alone, and a living example that the larger community has their back.
Here are a few additional ways your organization can bless a school:
Notes of Support
Think about how you feel when you get a handwritten note that was carefully written just for you. Teachers, administration, and staff feel the same way. A handwritten note in their school mail cubby, discovered at the end of a hectic day, could be a balm to a school worker’s weary soul.
Work Parties
School district budgets are getting slashed all over the county, and all schools have a list of deferred maintenance. Organize a Saturday morning work party for your entire business/church/organization and encourage reading mentors and non-mentors alike to volunteer. A work party is Christmas to the custodial staff; it lessens the administration's anxiety and provides a more beautiful space that helps students and teachers thrive.
Ask If There is More
What else does your teacher-partner need to create the classroom experience to optimize learning? You might be amazed that their most considerable felt needs are actually simple to fulfill. Teachers may need a few more art supplies. They may need an “expert” to come share in class (the sort of expert already existing in your organization.) They may need something that you already own but don’t use anymore. It never hurts to ask.
Parties
A reading buddy program is really important and worth celebrating. An end-of-the-year party would be an excellent reward for a hard-working classroom. Imagine how fun it would be for the students to introduce their reading buddies to the rest of their classmates after a long school year of learning.
Book Giveaways
Too many children grow up in houses with NO age-appropriate books. The Department of Education reports that 61% of children from low-income homes grow up with zero books. Work with local and national book distribution organizations to supply your partner classrooms with the gift of reading at home.
