The reading clubs meet the second Saturday of each month from 9:00 a.m.
to 12:00 noon at seven elementary schools near downtown Los Angeles.
First-time volunteers begin the day by participating in a training session
about reading aloud to children. While the new volunteers are being trained, returning volunteers
participate in their own training program, focusing on improving the quality of
our reading clubs. After the training sessions conclude, the new and
returning volunteers are paired up, and they review the book they will be
reading to the children while developing topics of discussion and craft ideas.
While the volunteers prepare for the reading clubs, the children are signed
in by teachers and administrators, while parents wait with their children and
read books to them until the reading clubs begin at 10:00 a.m.
The children are divided into several small groups by grade level.
Pairs of volunteers are assigned
to each of these "reading club" groups. The volunteers read a
pre-assigned book during a ninety-minute session, which also includes
an arts and crafts project related to the book being read. At the end
of the session, volunteers provide each child with a book of his or her
own as a reward for attending.
Throughout the reading club sessions, teachers roam from classroom
to classroom to facilitate book discussions and to assist in arts and
crafts projects. In addition, while the reading clubs are taking
place, teachers provide training to the parents of the attending children
on how to continue the benefits of the reading club by reading to their
children at home.
Please click the play button below for a video that explains what to expect at your first reading club.
