By Anisa Farah
The
Sixth Graders have an elective called Reading Buddies! Kathleen Moore
and the Sixth Graders in this elective go downstairs to the Tobin School
to Ms. Sumi’s room to read books to the Junior Kindergarteners and the
Kindergarteners. The members of the elective get books from the Tobin
& Vassal Lane library to read to Ms. Sumi’s students, although at
least one of the Sixth Graders has brought a few of her favorites from
home - The Stinky Cheese Man and Bedtime for Frances - to read.
The Sixth Grade Buddies have learned that their younger buddies have some favorite books. Some of the kids love the book The Spider & The Fly, and want to hear it over and over and over!
According
to Ms. Sumi, "The children in my classroom eagerly look forward to
Fridays when they get to see their reading buddies. They look up to them
as role models. It not only promotes their literacy skills but helps
with their social development and self-confidence. I am always impressed
by the grace and poise with which the Sixth Graders conduct
themselves."
The Sixth Graders look forward to their weekly visit too. “Being in
Reading Buddies helps us with our reading skills and helps us learn more
about how to be with little kids” says Sixth Grader Juliana Vandermark.
Her classmate Aviva Gould loves her reading buddies. “They’re
surprisingly clever for their age” she says.
This elective is on Fridays from 1:25PM until 2:10PM, and since the
Tobin students get out at 2, the Sixth Graders help their younger
Buddies pack up at the end of their day, and then help with their
dismissal to their buses and afterschool.
Sixth Grader Sylvia Chalfin-Wakely says she loves this elective, and
adds ”Our Reading Buddies are really cute and fun to be with. And they
usually adore you.”