Capitol Region RSVP

Presents

Book-in-a-Bag

Our program is an intergenerational program. Our focus is to bring the joy of reading to children ages 1 to 10. This program is designed to stimulate creative thinking in children by using an interactive approach. Our senior volunteers, with the help of a reading specialist, will make a book bag filled with manipulatives relating to the book, for example such items could include puppets, crafts, props, objects from the book’s story line and so forth.

Each volunteer will be trained in reading techniques to stimulate the children into creative thinking and to get them involved with reading the books themselves. It is our goal that these children will learn to love to read and want to read for the enjoyment and stimulation of it. In today’s world it appears that reading as a past time is a lost art and has been replaced by high tech games, which do not stimulate the creative side of the children.

Our program would be operated through Headstart, libraries, hospitals, community centers, daycares, and local schools. We plan to have 20 locations and 60 volunteers involved with the program by year-end. The number of children being served will vary from each service site. The goal is to provide a one on one experience, although some of the reading will be done in groups no larger than four children. Children often have as busy schedules as their parents and often do not experience the one on one reading experience. It is our goal to give children that experience through this program.

This is so important due to the fact that classroom size is on the increase, which does not allow the teacher to provide as much individual attention as is needed. Our emphasis will be on the quality of time spent reading to the children and also to promote their reading aloud for annunciation and understanding. By reading one to one, the volunteers will be more able to assess the child’s progress and help to identify their deficiencies. This can be communicated to the reading coordinator/specialist. The tutoring in a specific area could be addressed at an early time in the learning process, which will help to promote educational and life success.  

Free Reading Journal