The Newsletter of
Project L.O.V.E. Fall 1998 P.O. Box 325 Cornwall PE C0A 1H0 What is this thing called L.O.V.E.? Project L.O.V.E. stands for Let Older Volunteers Educate. More than 170 very committed (mainly retired) older volunteers help students in Prince Edward Island schools with their school work, usually in that most important area, reading. Volunteers go to their school once a week, spending between an hour and a whole morning or afternoon in the school. They usually help one student at a time, listening and coaching them with words, reading aloud to model good pronunciation and expression for them, helping with classroom projects or to get caught up on missed assignments. Teachers whose students work with the Project L.O.V.E. volunteers all agree: Their students benefit greatly from this help, gaining self-confidence through the interest shown in them by the volunteers. Sharing Stories a Hit at June Luncheon! At the June Luncheon this year, volunteers shared stories about their experiences is schools over the year. Some of the stories were written down to be shared with those who weren’t able to come to the luncheon. We heard the story of one young boy who was spending his second year in Grade one. He has a very poor attention span but is very excited about reading. He knows the stories by memory for the most part. One day he was reading to the LOVE volunteer and looking at the ceiling at the same time... he said to her: “Hey look, I can read without looking at the words!” One volunteer who was working with a grade five boy felt that he could read as well as she could, so she asked him why he came to the LOVE program. He said: “I’ve always been able to read, but not with expression. Now, I can read with expression!” A Grade three student was telling his LOVE volunteer that he had plucked a chicken (the story they were reading was about plucking a chicken). The volunteer asked him: “Why did you pluck a chicken? Where did you do this?” His answer was: “On my father’s farm.” The volunteer asked: “Where is your father’s farm?” His response: “next to the house!” One volunteer always asks the children to bring in more challenging books, and a Grade three child arrived with one that was just too hard for her. So, the volunteer rummaged through the box of books in the LOVE room and found one that she liked. After they had finished and the child was leaving, she informed the volunteer: “That was a Grade one book!” Letter Mates: A whole new way to share. Project L.O.V.E. has just received word that we have been successful in our application to the National Literacy Secretariat to start a new project, Letter Mates. Letter Mates will match older elementary students with volunteers who are shut-in or can’t get out to go to school for regular Project L.O.V.E. sessions. We will just make a few matches this fall, to test the project, and then expand to make more matches in the new year, once we see how the project goes. Both Canada Post and RBC Dominion Securities have given us funds to conduct Letter Mates. Many thanks to all three funders! If anyone knows of people who might be interested in participating in Letter Mates, please contact our Coordinator, Mary Burke, at the above number. National Child Day: November 20 In 1993, November 20 was designated National Child Day by the Canadian government. It marked two important declarations on the rights of children by the United Nations, one in 1959, the other in 1989. The Day is a recognition of the rights of under-eighteen-year-old children, and their importance and value to society. It reminds us that children need love and respect to grow to their full potential. One of the suggestions in the activity guide for National Child Day is: “to listen to children, to marvel at their uniqueness and all they have to offer.” Project L.O.V.E. volunteers are already doing this every day. So, Happy National Child Day, everyone! If you have access to the internet, there is a Web site with activities to celebrate the day. It’s at www.hc- sc.gc.ca/child-day or /journee-enfant for the version en français. At the site you can participate in discussions, make suggestions, and send an electronic greeting card to a favourite child. The sixth, and final, Case Study! As we said in our last newsletter, here are more of the Case Studies of problems which our volunteers have encountered. The solutions were developed by volunteers and teachers at our volunteer Gathering, in June 1996. Case Study #6: You have two small boys who come out of Grade three to read with you. They read very reluctantly, and when you try to correct their mistakes, they ignore you. When you ask them to pay attention, they are sullen and uncooperative. Questions:
A last resort: Take the child out and find another who is more responsive. School Captain: A helper for the Coordinating Teacher As you may have noticed, teachers are busy people, and sometimes they find it hard to keep in touch with their volunteers. In some schools, volunteers take on the role of Captain, to pass on information to the volunteers from the school. They might also call the Project L.O.V.E. coordinator to report on progress, get kits for new volunteers, and they help with recruitment. Captains are a great assistant to a busy coordinating teacher, but the job isn’t a very onerous one. It’s busiest at the first of the year, when all the volunteers must be called, and a meeting set up at the school. A Captain’s Manual has been developed with suggestions for any situations the volunteers may encounter, and contact names and phone numbers. Please consider taking on this role, if there isn’t a Captain in your school. It would really help! Don’t forget to Check In! In some schools, volunteers go straight to work, without checking in with teachers or the school secretary. But it is essential for our insurance coverage that you are known to be in the school. Most schools request that visitors come to the main office first, before going into the school. This year, Project LOVE will be providing a box for volunteers to leave their name tags, and a sign-in sheet, in the secretary’s office. Please be sure to check in there before heading off to work! Welcome! And Welcome Back! Many thanks to all the volunteers who are making Project L.O.V.E. such a success. Schools around the world are envious of our volunteers and our program! |