Fall Training and Orientation September 2018

1. Fall Training and Orientation September 2018

2. East Cooper Faith Network (ECFN) • East Cooper Faith Network (ECFN) is a collaborative network of faith and charitable organizations East of the Cooper. • We can do more, we can do better working together • ECFN is the community center for its 3 Initiatives • I-Beam • Camp I-Beam • Fix It!

3. I-Beam: A steel beam used in construction to prevent structures from buckling. It is positioned at critical points, and is often a key ‘connector’ between other foundations. The name represents ‘I’which is the CHILD who will always be at the center of what we do The ‘Beam’is the beacon of light that shines through our mentors

4. I-Beam History

5. I-Beam and Faith “I tell my Christian friends that they can go into the schools. While they can’t go in there talking about Jesus, they can go in there and act like him”. Molly Spearman Superintendent of SC Public Schools as quoted in the Greenville Online

6. Poverty in the East Cooper Although poverty is not the only factor that may make a child at risk, it is a leading one 27.3% 8.8% 23.8% St. James Santee Elementary Bell Hall Elementary Charles Pinckney Elementary Carolina Park Elementary James B. Edwards Elementary Jennie Moore Elementary Laurel Hill Primary Mount Pleasant Academy Mamie P. Whitesides Elementary 8.4% 8.9% 8.8% % People Living in Poverty (2010 Census data by zip code)

7. Free/Reduced Lunch The percentage of students receiving free or reduced pricelunch is often used as a proxy measure for the percentage of students living in poverty. Source: School Digger, 2017 https://www.schooldigger.com/

8. I-Beam Factors • At Risk Children is defined as low income and/or performing below expectations in standardized reading tests. • Children in poverty are twice as likely to repeat a grade and three times likely to be expelled or drop out.. • Reading performance from children at risk can correlate to low graduation rates. • Most Schools in Mount Pleasant do not qualify for Title I designation and do not receive funds to assist low income children.

9. I-Beam Overview What and Who is I-Beam for? Lunchtime literacy and mentoring program. Connects mentors and children in the 2nd – 5th grade who may…. score below the 25th percentile in MAP (measures of academic progress). qualify for free or reduced lunch. are recommended into the program by their teacher, guidance counselor, or administration. Offers children the opportunity to develop a one on one relationship with a caring adult where they can socialize and develop their reading and communication skills. • One Student. One Adult. One Hour. Once a Week.

10. Reading Volume of Fifth-Grade Students of Different Levels of Achievement Richard Allington, What Really Matters for Struggling Readers

11. Success What does success look like for an I-Beam Mentor? • Children reading more at school, at home • Better reading skills • Increased enthusiasm for learning • Emotional support

12. Top Reading Strategies Adrienne Lauder Charleston County School District

13. Understanding the Reading Process We shouldn’t teach great books; we should teach a love of reading. - B.F. Skinner

14. Why are they in I-Beam? • Student Card (to be placed in folder) • Student Name: ____________________ • Student Birthday: __________________ • Please check for key focus areas that are needed • Comprehension • Fluency • Phonics and Sight Words • Vocabulary • Mentor Relationship

15. Mentors Role • Engaging children in enjoyable experiences with literature, writing, reading, and listening. • Helping children feel successful by giving positive feedback and support. • Modeling through your own actions that reading and writing are pleasurable and valuable activities. Your role is not to replace the work of the teacher. Instead, you can extend or support the literacy learning that is going on in the classroom.

16. Areas of Reading Support Phonics/ Sight Words Comprehension Vocabulary Fluency

17. Get the Reader Engaged! Poor readers are passive! Encourage Your student to figure words out. Give clues, prompts, and ideas to help them do this.

18. Connect to the Text Text to Self • What does this book remind you of? Text to Text • Have you read anything similar to this? • Does this remind you of anything else you have read? Text to World • Does this remind you of a place you have been? • Does this remind you of something you know? • What else do you know about this topic?

19. Ask Questions • What is the story about? • What is the plot of the story? • Who are the characters? • What is the setting? A Story has 5 basic but important elements • Characters • The setting • The plot • The conflict • The resolution

20. Expand Vocabulary The larger the readers vocabulary the easier it is to make sense of the text. • Identify new words before, during, or after reading. Making a list of words. • Highlight new words and discuss them after reading. • Write new words on a post it note to discuss after reading.

21. Predict and Prove (Guess and Check) Research suggests that when students make predictions their understanding increases and they are more interested in the reading material • What do you think this book is about? • What do you think will happen next? • What do you think the character will do? • How do you think the problem will be solved? • What would you do if you were in the story?

22. Visualizing: A tool to Enhance Understanding • Visualizing is a comprehension stratagey that enables readers to make the words on a page real and concrete. • Close your eyes and think about how that would look. What do you see? • Draw a picture of what you think this looks like. Imagine a Day… when the peace of a forest and the strength of a mountain become a cathedral for your heart.

23. Decide what is important Thoughtful readers grasp essential ideas and important information when reading. Readers must differentiate between less important ideas and key ideas that are central to the meaning of the text. Make a T-Chart – listing important ideas on one side and less important on the other. Important Not important

24. Make inferences and then draw conclusions Inferring is the intersection of what is known, garnering clues from the texts, and thinking ahead to make a judgement, discern a theme, or speculate about what is to come. Recall what has already occurred and try to predict what will happen next based on that information.

25. Summarize and Synthesize Synthesizing is putting together separate parts into a whole. • Why do you think the character, plot, or setting was important to the whole story. • What parts of the beginning and middle were important to the climax or end of the story.

26. Check for Understanding If confusion disrupts meaning, readers need to stop and clarify their understanding. Readers may use a variety of strategies to “fix up” comprehension when meaning goes awry. • Have student read • Discuss the book with the students, looking for points of misunderstanding. • Have the student retell the story, looking for points discussed and omitted.

27. Build Fluency Fluency is important because it frees students to understand whatthey have read. • Have students reread the same passage with a stopwatch trying to decrease their time. • Encourage students in grades 1-5 to read it with their eyes. No finger pointing. • Read along at a normal pace with students. • Read books with a repetitive part. • Slide a pencil under the line, encouraging the student to keep up. Things to say: • Read it like you are talking. • Make it sound like a story you would love to listen to

28. Teaching Phonics Use magnetic letters • Change the beginning: cat, fat, mat, rat • Add to the beginning : and, land, band, sand • Change endings: cat, cab, can • Add endings: going, sees, liked

29. What to do when a reader blocks on the word Ask the student • To reread • Say the first part of the word and take a guess • Do you see a part you know (you may mask part like “go” in “going”) • Think about the story • Show the student another similar word like “man” to learn “can” • Sound it out • If you feel there is no way for the student to “figure” out the word, tell them the word.

30. What to do when a child says a word incorrectly • Tell the student to try that again, something is not quite right. • Refer to the same strategies as when a child blocks on a word. • If it is just a pronunciation error, just tell the word

31. Learning High Frequency Words • Use Dolch Word list • Flash Cards • Find high frequency words in books • Write high frequency words several times • Use magnetic letters to make high frequency words and go see

32. Graphic Organizers

37. 6 Keys to Reading • Make reading together enjoyable • Consider the reader’s interest, experience, and reading level • Introduce the book in a relaxed conversation • Encourage the reader with specific praise (using sounds, using pictures, noticing mistakes, rereading, fixing mistakes, maintaining meaning, reading smoothly) • Help the reader maintain the story. • Read together on a consistent basis.

38. Ways Mentors Can Support Readers Wait……………...........for the reader to try Praise………………………. Conversation…………………………….

39. Joyful Experience Learning to read and write ought to be one of the most joyful and successful of human undertakings. Don Holdaway

40. Questions?

41. A day in the life of an I-Beam Mentor I-Beam Committee Member

42. Daily Routine • Arrive at your elementary school about 5 minutes early. Park in designated visitor parking spaces. • Go to the front office to sign in and obtain a visitor's badge. • Meet your student at predetermined location (library, cafeteria, or classroom) • Remind student to get book and/or folder • Spend a few minutes talking with student and getting to know them. • Read with your student and discuss the book. • Escort student back to class or cafeteria and have student return I-Beam folder. • Sit with student in cafeteria while student has lunch and chat, visit with student and his/her friends. • Leave school through front office and sign out. You will find that students will look forward to seeing you each week and brag about you to their friends!

43. Mentor expectations • Be a ninja - be silent, unobtrusive, don't disrupt teaching or interrupt school routine. • Establish a trusting relationship with your student by being on time, keeping to the schedule, and showing up every week. • Share your enthusiasm and joy of reading. • Use specific praise for your student - "Good work figuring out those science terms.“ • Know that you are helping your student to succeed in life! • You are a guest of the school. Please respect the time of teachers and administrators.

44. Mentor expectations • Don't overstep your role. You are not their teacher, family, mother, or father. You are a caring, responsible adult who models good reading skills. • If you must give your mentor a small gift for birthday or Christmas, please limit that gift to something you can buy at a school Book Fair - a book, bookmark, pen, pencil, notepad. • You should NOT buy your mentee lunch or other treats. That changes your role. • Respect the privacy of your student and do not give out personal contact information nor ask for it from your student. • Defer to the teacher. They work every day, 7 hours a day, 5 days a week with your student; they know them better than you do.

45. Best Practices Exchanging Information • A list of mentors including contact information for your school will be shared with you. • The volunteer coordinator will try to keep you informed of schedule changes or field trips at the school. • If a student is absent, the school may try to contact to you; however, this is not always possible. Please be understanding. • Ask to be added to your teacher’s class weekly email.

46. Best Practiceswhen needing a sub • Contact other mentor volunteers within your school or church who may be able cover for you by reading with both your student and their student that week. • Notify your Volunteer Coordinator as soon as possible if you know you cannot read on certain days and/or if you cannot get someone to cover your absence. • Notify the teacher of any changes – they might even allow you to read on a different day. Consistency and communicating possible changes demonstrates respect for your student and their teacher.

47. Safety and Child Protection • Volunteers should immediately report any suspicious behaviors, that may indicate: • sexual abuse or exploitation • neglect • physical abuse • emotional abuse • If your student mentions something that suggests abuse, do NOT question child. You are NOT an investigator. • Acknowledge their statement, ask them if they'd like to talk to the school counselor and go on with your lesson. • Notify school principal and volunteer coordinator as soon as you leave the student. Definitions: Child Abuse and Neglect (CAN) according to federal law, child abuse means doing something that hurts a child. This may be physical, emotional, or sexual. Neglect means not giving or doing something that a child needs.

48. Safety and Child Protection • All volunteers will submit a driver's license to the school for a SLED check.   • All volunteers will sign in at the office and wear a nametag. • At no time should any volunteer be alone with a child in a closed room. • All mentoring must take place in a public area where others can openly observe. Please refer to your folder insert for the volunteer background on-line process

49. Thank You • For making the choice to help a child. • For taking time to learn more about I-Beam and how to make a positive impact on children by being a mentor. • One Student. One Adult. One Hour. Once a Week.

50. Questions….