Reading Club Training Materials

Last updated Friday, August 2, 2013

The success of Reading to Kids depends on the teamwork of volunteers and educators who work together to run the monthly reading clubs, and it also depends on the partnership between educators and parents in nurturing a home environment in which reading is strongly encouraged. For this reason, volunteer and parent training workshops are vital components of the monthly reading clubs. Materials used in these workshops will be posted here in the future.

First-time volunteers attend training sessions led by a teacher or administrator at each school on the morning of the reading clubs. The training session introduces volunteers to the reading club format and provides insight into the expected abilities of the students to whom they will be reading. Concepts, such as "learning to read versus reading to learn," and tips on maintaining interest and discipline in the classroom are generally discussed, and volunteers are also given ideas on how to encourage interaction and conversation with the students.

Click here for reading tips and related articles that have been culled from these volunteer training sessions.

When a qualified educator is available at each school, reading training sessions are also conducted for the parents. These one-hour sessions are generally conducted in a workshop or seminar fashion, and parents are ultimately shown or given tips on how to be good readers to their children at home, how to encourage their children to read, and how reading aloud can be beneficial to their children.

All parents waiting for their children are encouraged to participate in these training sessions. A complimentary breakfast is provided to all participating parents, and prizes are sometimes awarded as well.