Reading is Exciting!

Erick is always very excited during our tutoring time. Before I have a chance to say, "Hi, Erick!" he greets me with, "Hi, Miss Madalyn!" which is usually quickly followed by a question such as, "Is that your car?" or "Why do you wear a name tag?" or "Do you speak Chinese or Spanish?" or "Where is your sister?"
Oftentimes, my answers lead to more questions, and I have to steer him to our task at hand. It always surprises me that he is equally enthusiastic about learning more about reading as he is about our conversations before we start tutoring. I take this as a sign that Erick values our relationship as well as becoming a strong reader. We are a bit like gym partners, working out our literacy muscles.

This time, he said, very seriously, "I want to tell you something."
I asked him, "What is it?"
Then he told me about how he got lost in Sears during the weekend, and the security guards helped him find his mom.
We talked a little about getting lost and helpful people, then Erick started his work.

He finished his phonics workbook and whizzed through most of his sight words. He then read a book to me that amused him greatly: Put Me in the Zoo.
This is a book about a bear/dog creature that can change the color, shape and size of his spots as well as  transfer them to other objects (including people), juggle them, make them fly, and form them into sock-shapes. Though it sounds like an odd book based on my summary, it makes a lot of sense when you read it. Erick enjoyed it immensely. "Oh! I like his spots when they are blue!" he said, and, "Look. Now his spot is shaped like a big egg."

 

As with the last two weeks, Erick picked a book to take home. This week, he took home a story about a the adventures of a boy and his large dog. Next week will bring more excitement as Erick collects his prizes for finishing his sight words as well as his phonics workbook!

A Treat for Our Students

During our last tutoring session, we had a special treat: all the students got to pick a book to take home. Erick mulled over his choice for a long time--so long, in fact, that most of the students picked the books that interested them and he was left looking at what they had already glanced through.

He was looking for a book that not only had a good number of pictures to go with the words, but also one that was interesting to him. He passed up a book about construction (too many long words), one about forest animals (too many pictures and easy words), and one that appeared to be a colonial biography (no pictures at all!).

Erick eventually decided to take home a book called A Trip to the Doctor. It had some difficult words, like "stethoscope" and "receptionist," but also pictures to go along with them. He was glad that there were kids in the book and that there were real pictures instead of illustrations.

Perhaps this book could inform his next trip to the doctor or even a career choice!

Erick's Prize

Erick finished his first book worm and is starting to fill in titles on his next book worm. The prize that he picked was a orbit ball which we immediately discovered bounces in unexpected directions when dropped.

So far, Erick has read twenty-two books and knows the majority of his sight words. He is working on long vowels, like in the words "gate," "teeth," "bite," "slow," and "cute." I also found out that he really enjoys doing word puzzles and looking at the miniatures that we keep to teach similar sounds.

Most recently, we looked at the "wh" and "th" puzzles, and put together "thorn," "bath," "whale" and "white." Then we looked in the "wh" and "long e" tubs that had in them models of a tree, whale, wheat, set of teeth, whistle, cheese, whiskers, the number three, and two wheels. We talked about why there are two wheels (because it starts with "wh" and also has the long "e" sound!) and then we mixed up the objects and Erick separated them into their two groups. Then he rolled the two wheels in a synchronized manner to make an invisible bike.

Erick informed me that the next prize he would like to claim is the pull-back race car. With the rate at which he is reading, I think that day will come soon.

Green Eggs and Ham

Erick is so close to completing his 20-book list that his excitement is off the charts!
During our last time together, we read three books, the most memorable of which was Green Eggs and Ham. A little ways through the book, we had this conversation:

Erick: (reading) "...I will not eat them here nor there. I will not eat them anywhere" (then a pause as he flips through the following pages)
Me: Hey! No skipping ahead!
Erick: I know what happens at the end!
Me: Really. What happens?
Erick: In the end, this guy eats the eggs and ham and he likes it.
Me: Oh no! You ruined the ending! Are you sure that happens?
Erick: Yes! He says, "no, no, no, no, no, no" and then in the end he says, "okay."
Me: I don't believe it. Keep reading and let's see what happens!

As Erick reads, he becomes more rushed and makes some mistakes. Part of it is the excitement of getting a prize for reading twenty books and another part is showing me that the main character becomes amenable to verdant consumables in the end. I ask him to slow down here and there, and he manages for a while but then picks up again. He tumbles over most of the words with success and increasing volume until we arrive at the end where he practically shouts with triumph: "I do so like green eggs and ham! Thank you! Thank you, Sam-I-am!!"

And so...with much thanks to Sam-I-Am and Dr. Seuss, we have just two more books before Erick gets a prize from the prize box. Finally, speaking of boxes, Erick also finished a second box of sight words and will be tackling his third and final box next time we meet!

The Keeper of Pencils

I learn more about Erick every week that we meet together.
I also learn more about Mario each week, too.

For the last two weeks, Erick has presented me with a tiny stowaway from his pocket. The first week, it was Mario himself, and this week it was a mushroom. I'm not completely sure, but I think it's one of the mushrooms that helps Mario grow. We decided that these characters could help us rather than distract us, so Erick decided that they would be the Keepers of Pencils.
Last week, we politely asked, "Mario, may I have a pencil, please?" Then, after a pause, "Thank you, Mario."
This week it was: "May I have a pencil, Mushroom?" Then, "Thank you, Mushroom."
I'm not sure who will be the Keeper of Pencils next week, but I am glad that Erick is able to put his toy on the table and incorporate it into his learning.

This week, we finished a box of sight words and read three books. We also learned about the short 'o' sound which involved many locks and foxes. As we get into the more advanced books, Erick becomes quite involved in the storyline and flips the pages forward to see what is going to happen next. Even though I had read Ten Apples Up on Top before, I found that I laughed and was still surprised by the ending.

Next week is the last day of that we will see each other before the New Year.
Perhaps Luigi will hold the pencils.

Thumbs up from me, and a Mario thumbs up from Erick!

Championing Oakland Public School Libraries

One of the libraries Kim has worked with

Earlier this year, Kim Flom started working as Faith Network's Library Coordinator. She had volunteered for years at Maxwell Park, building relationships with OUSD as well as increasing her knowledge of library services.
Recently, the Friends of the Oakland Public School Libraries (FOPSL) interviewed Kim about her experience in OUSD libraries and her work with Faith Network. The interview, entitled "FOPSL Salutes Kim Flom" is below.
If you are interested in finding out more about Library Services, visit this website. If you are interested in volunteering, contact kim@faith-network.com.

What inspired your work in OUSD libraries?
I was tutoring at Maxwell Park Elementary in 2010 when I passed by the empty library being used as a storage facility. My interest in libraries for the elementary grades preceded my encounter with this underutilized library, but the potential captured my vision. The combination of a school with literacy challenges, combined with our students' lack of access of books in homes and at the public library, touched me. With the principal's support along with training from Faith Network volunteers who had been running the Emerson Library, I served as the school librarian for two days a week until the school closed last June. Since that time, I've served in about ten different Oakland school libraries in a variety of capacities.

What did you do before you began your work opening school libraries with Faith Network and FOPSL?
I come to this position with 30+ years of corporate Human Resources experience. Even when I worked for Safeway Inc., in their Pleasanton corporate offices, I was interested in the Oakland schools and the resource poor libraries serving our students. I approached Safeway departments, affinity groups and individuals to coordinate different areas we could leverage our strengths in a partnership.
I actually found it challenging, however, to find efficient ways to partner. This is where Faith Network and now FOPSL can serve the schools. The school and district administrations have challenges in organizing volunteers in some schools. The principal and teachers are focused on the immediate needs and goals for the students. Leadership is needed in coordinating and training volunteers.
One area Safeway employees supported the Oakland schools was through a book drive. One group in particular has hosted two drives at this point for the library and the Faith Network intervention tutoring program.

Do you have a favorite story about working in school libraries?
My father passed away during the fall semester. I had spent the night with him at the hospital before going to Maxwell Park to host my classes. I read the book Tear Soup by Pat Schwiebert to several of the classes. It was one of those moments we could talk about grief and how we can support people as they go through the process. Few books are available for children on the topic of grief. This was a natural way to introduce a topic that was close to my heart.
Another great memory was working with my son who writes screen plays. He was a guest to the library and talked with the students about the connection between books and some of our favorite movies.

What are the personal benefits?
I initially was drawn to the closed elementary school libraries because of my desire to support literacy. Books open up worlds to students. My own sons benefited from access to books and their school libraries.
I also discovered two other unanticipated benefits. I enjoy developing relationships with the principal, teachers and students. I am interested in their areas of teaching and learning. I enjoy collaborating with them through challenges. The other joy was introducing topics on character development and values through books.

Is there anything you would like to share about your personal experience with reading and/or libraries in your past or childhood?
Just that libraries and reading were a big part of my childhood and I have wonderful memories of reading with my sons.

Thank you for sharing your story, Kim.

Interviewed by Kari Hatch, November 2012.

Aiming High!

"If any of you have finished your bookworm sheet, please come see me; I have a special prize for you!" was the announcement that Merle made during our last tutoring session. Merle is the Reading Clinic Coordinator for La Escuelita, and upon hearing her announcement, Erick pulled out his bookworm. There are twenty spaces on it for the titles of twenty books, and we had five of those twenty slots filled.

Erick frowned at his paper, so I suggested, "Let's start by reading two books right away, then we can do other things!" So he immediately brightened and picked a book with a chameleon on its cover and a Jack-and-the-Beanstalk story called The Magic Beans. Between the books he paused and asked, "What do you think the prize is?"
"I'm not sure," I replied. "But it sounds like something special."

Soon enough, we will both know what the prize is...After all, we were able to get one more book in after we worked on some phonics. How fitting that it was a book about two kids that shoot for the moon and go there in a spaceship!