Spotlight on Reading Buddies

Much like the Peace Builders program, Reading Buddies offers a way for Lucas students of different ages work together and learn from each other.  For Reading Buddies, teachers from different grade levels pair up to form teams.  The teachers then work to find compatible pairings of students who spend time every week reading and having fun together.  

Kindergarten teacher Mrs. Oakes partners with third grade teacher Ms. Lopez's class.  She and Ms. Lopez looked at their classes and selected the match-ups, and those relationships remain consistent throughout the school year.  Mrs. Oakes enjoys supporting the friendships that develop between the students.  "I really love that my students get to be with a Lucas peer who is kind of like their brother or sister,  and get the one on one attention that they thrive on."  When they read together, the third graders can hone their reading skills and help the younger kids enjoy the books.

Third grade teacher Ms. Lopez has found that including a variety of activities has helped the students bond and have fun together.  Along with reading aloud to each other, the students do crafts and play board and card games with the goal of teaching good sportsmanship and how to follow game rules.  Ms. Lopez says that her students really enjoy taking on a teaching role and developing friendships with the kindergarten students.  Mrs. Oakes notes that the third graders' patience improves as they work with the kindergarten students.  

All grades participate in Reading Buddies, so today's kindergartners will shift to the "big kid" role in the future.  Ask your child about his or her Reading Buddies experience!