Before coming to school this year, I
worked with a summer program that served residents of the Pawtucket Housing
Authority in Rhode Island. It wasn’t a very structured program, so I was able
to work with children of all ages. It was a program that was intended to
provide activities for the children of the community to keep them out of
trouble. Volunteers of the program were encouraged to be role models, to
encourage children to read and explore different endeavors. I really enjoyed
working with these kids, but there were also many difficulties. Although we
were supposed to get the children excited about books, it was a difficult task
to undertake when many could not read. I remember working with Jazmine, a
small, soft spoken, second grader. I was reading to her a Curious George book.
And, I was also trying to get her to read the book with me. But, she couldn’t
read many of the words. The book that we were reading was fairly simple as it
was intended for first graders. So, I couldn’t believe how much she was
incapable of reading. I suppose it was then that the issue of the achievement
gap became very real to me. It was upsetting to know that Jazmine was going
through the Pawtucket public school system unable to read at grade level. Why
was she so ill equipped to read a first grade level book? I was appalled to
find out that she had been neglected during her first few years in school.
As a Corp Member of Jumpstart, I am
glad that I am part of a program that works to prevent students from falling
behind like Jazmine already had. Every day that I go into session I am happy
that I am there to get preschoolers excited to read and learn. There is warmth
in the connection that is formed with these three year olds that allows them to
become excited. I remember drawing a family picture with Lyric, one of my
students in my reading group, during one of the first few sessions. She drew
every one of her family members for me and I could tell that she was so excited
that I was listening to her. Since then
she has been attached to me at the hip. So, I have been keen to her progression
in Jumpstart. During reading and circle time, she has become more responsive to
the stories and songs. When I first started Jumpstart, Lyric was often
inattentive and distracted during reading and circle time. But, now she gets
excited to take part in many of the activities of Jumpstart. I am very happy
that I am able to be part of her excitement for the program and that I can help
in her preparation for kindergarten.
Corps member
Team Courage
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