Students learn from their peers and other students. Clays Mill is a wonderful learning community and we wanted to give our students the opportunity to do just that. We have teamed up with Mrs. Harman's 4th grade class for book buddies. On Friday afternoons, Mrs. Harman's 4th graders come to our classroom and spend time with our students. Each 4th grader has been paired up with a Kindergarten or 1st grade student and reads AR books with them.
Before long, the older students will help our K/1 students take AR tests to earn AR points. When students earn points, they will be awarded "dog tags" to show progress in AR. Kindergarten will receive a tag at 2, 4, 6, 8, and 10 points. Kindergarteners will begin AR late fall. First grade students will earn a tag at 10 points and then every 10 points after that. There are other awards to be received throughout the year for points earned. First graders may begin AR as soon as they are ready. They have been given their AR usernames and passwords. This is just another way to help students stay excited about reading.
This book buddy experience has been a positive experience for both classes. Students enjoy spending time with their buddies and look forward to their visits each week. Fourth graders are mentoring young students in a variety of ways. They help them write their name, work with them on learning to tie their shoes, and talk with them about their day at school. With our older students in "the village" outside, we really don't get to see them often. This has really helped them connect with more students in our school community. We are glad to have our book buddies from Mrs. Harman's class and look forward to spending more time with them this year.
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