January 27th, 2018
21ST CENTURY CLASSROOM
Book Buddies creates partnership between students
By JESSICA COUTTS
Special to the Messenger
ST. ALBANS — At St. Albans City School, sixth graders on the Incredibles team have weekly meetings with kindergarten buddies to read.
Students look forward to spending time with their Book Buddies each Friday in the library. Every gathering begins with a friendly greeting and a quick check-in, before venturing off to find a few books to read. Sometimes the kindergartners choose a book they’d like to hear read, and other times the sixth graders bring a personal favorite picture book to share.
Book Buddies was an idea I saw in action during my student teaching. At the beginning of this school year, I decided to try it out. I thought I would get a mixed response from my sixth grade class, but I was pleasantly surprised when every single student committed to trying the new experience.
As I began searching for a teacher to collaborate with, my students shared that they had a few worries. Would they be good at reading to younger kids? Would they know how to answer their questions? Would they even like their buddies? After Book Buddies began, one of my students confessed, “I was nervous at first, but now I am really comfortable with my buddy.”
To help alleviate their nerves, we took a few days to practice. I modeled to my sixth graders how to read to a younger crowd. I prepared them with tips such as read slowly, point to pictures, positively accept questions and attempt to answer them. I informed them that 5-year-olds have a tendency to ask many questions and can have wandering minds. Patience and acceptance are key. They practiced these skills with a partner, before meeting their kindergarten buddy.
On the first day of Book Buddies, we let the kindergartners choose who they’d be reading with. The first little boy stepped up, looked at the long line of sixth graders towering over him, pointed to one of my students and said, “YOU!”
The students paired off, and by looking around the room, it was clear each duo was a perfect match. The buddies began picking out books and found a comfortable spot to read. It was as if they’d been doing this for months! The sixth graders were patient and professional, and the kindergartners were great listeners.
When it was time to say goodbye, we marched back to the classroom to reflect on the experience. Gone were any signs of jitters. One student said, “I really enjoyed it. She is like my little sister. I always wanted a little sister!” Many noticed they had a lot in common with their buddy, and began counting down the days until the next Friday.
Book Buddies benefit both students in the partnership. For the younger students, it helps foster an early love of literacy. For the older students, it provides an authentic setting to practice reading fluency. One student shared, “I like little kids. They are adorable, and they always smile at me. Book Buddies helps them learn to listen and helps me with my fluency. I’ve noticed I’m better at reading out loud. It’s a win/win!”
In addition to the academic benefits, some sixth graders say they enjoy the “celebrity status” that comes with working with kindergartners. A boy in my class shared, “It is fun reading to them, and I can be a role model.” The kindergartners’ faces light up when they initially see their buddies in the library.
This experience is also important because of the connections the students are making with each other. It’s incredible to see some of the sixth grade students, who often struggle to engage positively with their peers, sparking conversations with their Book Buddy. They love to be leaders and positive role models for the younger community.
I plan to make this a tradition for every sixth grade class in the years to come, so all my students will be able to enjoy the advantages of Book Buddies. --Jessica Coutts is a fourth through sixth grade reading teacher at St. Albans City School.
Book Buddies creates partnership between students
By JESSICA COUTTS
Special to the Messenger
ST. ALBANS — At St. Albans City School, sixth graders on the Incredibles team have weekly meetings with kindergarten buddies to read.
Students look forward to spending time with their Book Buddies each Friday in the library. Every gathering begins with a friendly greeting and a quick check-in, before venturing off to find a few books to read. Sometimes the kindergartners choose a book they’d like to hear read, and other times the sixth graders bring a personal favorite picture book to share.
Book Buddies was an idea I saw in action during my student teaching. At the beginning of this school year, I decided to try it out. I thought I would get a mixed response from my sixth grade class, but I was pleasantly surprised when every single student committed to trying the new experience.
As I began searching for a teacher to collaborate with, my students shared that they had a few worries. Would they be good at reading to younger kids? Would they know how to answer their questions? Would they even like their buddies? After Book Buddies began, one of my students confessed, “I was nervous at first, but now I am really comfortable with my buddy.”
To help alleviate their nerves, we took a few days to practice. I modeled to my sixth graders how to read to a younger crowd. I prepared them with tips such as read slowly, point to pictures, positively accept questions and attempt to answer them. I informed them that 5-year-olds have a tendency to ask many questions and can have wandering minds. Patience and acceptance are key. They practiced these skills with a partner, before meeting their kindergarten buddy.
On the first day of Book Buddies, we let the kindergartners choose who they’d be reading with. The first little boy stepped up, looked at the long line of sixth graders towering over him, pointed to one of my students and said, “YOU!”
The students paired off, and by looking around the room, it was clear each duo was a perfect match. The buddies began picking out books and found a comfortable spot to read. It was as if they’d been doing this for months! The sixth graders were patient and professional, and the kindergartners were great listeners.
When it was time to say goodbye, we marched back to the classroom to reflect on the experience. Gone were any signs of jitters. One student said, “I really enjoyed it. She is like my little sister. I always wanted a little sister!” Many noticed they had a lot in common with their buddy, and began counting down the days until the next Friday.
Book Buddies benefit both students in the partnership. For the younger students, it helps foster an early love of literacy. For the older students, it provides an authentic setting to practice reading fluency. One student shared, “I like little kids. They are adorable, and they always smile at me. Book Buddies helps them learn to listen and helps me with my fluency. I’ve noticed I’m better at reading out loud. It’s a win/win!”
In addition to the academic benefits, some sixth graders say they enjoy the “celebrity status” that comes with working with kindergartners. A boy in my class shared, “It is fun reading to them, and I can be a role model.” The kindergartners’ faces light up when they initially see their buddies in the library.
This experience is also important because of the connections the students are making with each other. It’s incredible to see some of the sixth grade students, who often struggle to engage positively with their peers, sparking conversations with their Book Buddy. They love to be leaders and positive role models for the younger community.
I plan to make this a tradition for every sixth grade class in the years to come, so all my students will be able to enjoy the advantages of Book Buddies. --Jessica Coutts is a fourth through sixth grade reading teacher at St. Albans City School.