Sight words, chapter books and read-alouds. Though many CCHS students have graduated to analyzing complex pieces of literature, it’s time to return to the basics. Florida Future Educators of America (FFEA) is offering a reading mentorship program for Embassy Creek Elementary students.
The objective of FFEA’s reading mentorship program is to provide assistance to struggling readers in the third grade at Embassy Creek Elementary. Each CCHS program participant will be assigned a “reading buddy” to work with for the next several months leading up to the reading FSA.
“The first time we meet up with the kids, they are a little intimidated. After a couple sessions, they start to see you as someone that they admire,” President Danielle Siso said. “They grow a connection with you. You see their improvement. It’s something really special to see.”
Florida students are required to take the reading FSA for the first time in the third grade. The standardized test can be nerve-wracking for both children and parents because a student’s score is a factor in their retention or promotion to fourth grade. The reading mentorship program was created to help students that are in danger of failing by reviewing comprehension skills in a one-on-one setting.
On Tuesday, FFEA members gathered in club sponsor Emily Rodriguez’s classroom to discuss reading strategies to implement when tutoring their reading buddies. Each third grader in the program will receive their own set of books to read and review with their mentor. The helpful tips and tricks they will learn for both fiction and nonfiction text can be used not only on the FSA, but applied in higher level content analysis later on in their education.
The club plans to meet at the elementary school every Thursday afternoon for 20 weeks, beginning on November 16. CCHS students can earn volunteer hours by tutoring through the reading mentorship program.
FFEA club members have recognized the benefits of reading mentorship as well as other FFEA projects, such as the toiletry collection for the Women in Distress organization. The club’s message is to emphasize leadership and bring awareness to the educational community.
“I’m interested in FFEA because it is a great club to develop social skills, especially with the younger kids at Embassy Creek Elementary,” sophomore Sophia Escorcia said.
CCHS students interested in helping foster the love of learning for future Cooper students can speak to Emily Rodriguez, the club sponsor.
Photo courtesy of FFEA Twitter
