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Lunch and Learn. Getting Community Members Involved With Literacy Education. The Educational Triangle of Success. "When schools, families, and community groups work together to support learning, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer, and like school more."
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Lunch and Learn Getting Community Members Involved With Literacy Education
The Educational Triangle of Success "When schools, families, and community groups work together to support learning, children tend to do better in school, stay in school longer, and like school more." Report from the Southwest Educational Development Laboratory
Why Community Members? • Research shows that students who work with community members on a regular basis, are more successful in their education. • Community members can provide a consistent structure to students who may not have a solid home structure • Why not?
What is Lunch and Learn? Lunch and Learn is a program I came up with seven years ago to address a need that students have today: the need for ………
Why do they need Attention? Many students don’t have the same structure at home that students had even 10 years ago. Single parents, living with grandparents, foster homes, parents with multiple jobs and complicated work schedules, parents who are children, parents who have addictions and students who are acting as the parent for their household.
What does Lunch and Learn Provide for Students? The program provides small group time (about 4 students per group) for students to bond with, read with and have discussion with an adult from the community, who is there for the sole purpose of PAYING ATTENTION to those 4 students for one hour, once a month.
Choosing Mentors I have always chosen my mentors from friends and relatives in the community. I have chosen people who have daytime jobs, close to the school, who have children themselves and are willing to give their time, once a month on a consistent basis. The one time I chose a person who was not a personal friend or relative, she only showed up once for her group and I had to find a new mentor for the students. She was the mayor of the city where our school is located! For shame!
Take some time to turn to a neighbor and discuss some people that you might choose as mentors for your class lunch and learn program. Consider how many you need to provide a 1:4 ratio for your groups. **Share with us! Ideas Please!
I have my Mentors, Now What? • Choose some short stories, magazines, newspaper activities, literacy games, etc., that can be read, played or completed during your lunch/recess. • Ask your mentors if they have any literacy games, readings or ideas. • Have a meeting with your mentors and remind them to bring a simple lunch (no fast food please), come prepared to listen, read or play games and that you will need them to be consistent, on time and enthusiastic! • Split your students into groups. I keep my groups the same sex: all girls, all boys and I match them up with a mentor of that sex. • Your school district may require a background check or volunteer training, so get started right away!
Ideas for Readings… • Poetry • Jokes • Newspaper Articles • Student produced work • Pamphlets/brochures • Short Stories
Ideas for Games…. • Apples to Apples • Bananagrams • I Have, Who Has? • Scrabble – Any Version • You’ve Been Sentenced • Catch Phrase • Silly Sentences • Zingo • Bingo
Ideas for Discussion • What are your goals for the future? • What is a tough social situation you have faced? • What hobbies do you have? What hobbies might you be interested in? • How is school going? Are there difficulties?
On The Note of Discussion You may have some students who open up to their mentors about things that are going on at home, tough social situations, etc. Be sure to train your mentors to be prepared for this, and to let you know anything serious.
The FUN Begins!!! Send home a letter to all parents explaining the program. You may have parents that don’t want their children eating lunch with someone they don’t know. But, you will probably be pleasantly surprised. Then, find a location for the students to eat with their mentors. I use my classroom and no, I don’t eat in there, the classroom door is left open and the students have their own time with their mentors…without their crabby teacher!
Odds and Ends • Get your mentors scheduled, trained and background checked, before August. • Schedule your mentors at the beginning of each month – one group in a day, never book two groups to be held at the same time. • In May, consider having a party with all the mentors. Have students write thank you notes to their mentors, have pizza, play a game to celebrate!
The Benefits- For Students • Students bond with someone other than you. • Students meet community members that have jobs, careers, and are respected. • Students get extra time with literacy instruction. • Students learn…and it’s FUN! • Struggling students see the benefits of being educated and working hard
The Benefits….for Mentors • Mentors give back to the community. • Mentors get to know the educational system in their community. • Mentors make lasting relationships with the students. • Mentors have fun and learn from the students, too!
The Benefits….for Teachers • Students get more literacy instruction • Students who are struggling, bond with another adult • Students are learning and you are NOT teaching! • You connect with the community and begin to connect the dots between students, parents, community and school.
When will you Get Started? Questions, Comments…… My contact information: Priscilla A. Dwyer priscilla-dwyer@ksd111.org or Network on LinkedIn or trrc5@hotmail.com
Resources • "Illinois Newspapers in Education, NIE classroom and education materials." Illinois Newspapers in Education, NIE classroom and education materials. N.p., n.d. Web. 27 Nov. 2011. <http://www.illinois-nie.com>. • "Research Center: Parent Involvement." Education Week American Education News Site of Record. N.p., n.d. Web. 1 Feb. 2011. <http://www.edweek.org/ew/issues/parent-involvement/>.
