Tovah Burstein Angelo Santa Lucia

1. Tovah Burstein Angelo Santa Lucia Onboarding New Staff and Volunteers: The Importance of Intentional Support and Guidance

2. Housekeeping Items Session Expectations • Written Reflection on Index Cards and Worksheet  • Hands raised = Questions • Peace sign fingers = Quiet down • Talk time = 2 minutes • No food or phones during session • Index cards for reflection • Verbal Reflection  • Experiential Learning Activity and New Concepts 

3. Let’s Reflect • Why did you choose this session and what do you hope to take from it?

4. Workshop Objectives • How to align volunteers and new hires goals and expectations with your organization • How to create an effective training • Identify and model abstract concepts through tangible activities • How to provide ongoing support for volunteers and new hires • Striking a balance between formal and informal training moments

5. Our Mission • WITS seeks to bridge the achievement and opportunity gap for underserved students through building connections with positive adult role models. WITS helps provide the critical support students need to set them on a path toward academic success.

6. Volunteers WITS Partners Schools Students

7. Aligning Goals and Expectations

8. Strategies: Working with Youth

9. Definition of Success • The goals for every WITS program is to enhance a student’s self-efficacy and improve their reading fluency. • Thesetwogoals are easily relatable to most – if not all – organizations that work with urban youth in Chicago Public Schools.

10. Sample School: Washington-Irving Elementary School • Located in Medical District • 89% of students come from low-income households

11. Remember what it was like? • Think of an elementary school student you know. • What is important to them?

12. Child Development • Give them options so they can make choices • Remember that you’re the adult – don’t be afraid to give directives • Take their interests and concerns seriously, they are trying to find their “niche”

13. WITS Materials Check-in question to build rapport with your student Books leveled from A (easiest) to Z (hardest book) Reading Level: _L_ This book belongs to

14. Enhancing Attitudes • Model Reading • Reading expressively • Use character voices • Modulating speed and volume • Encourage the Student • Help student choose books • Re-read to build confidence The Goal: Students become comfortable reading out loud and see reading as an opportunity and not a task!

15. Building Better Readers

16. But What If… • What if my student is having a hard time paying attention? • What if my student does not want to read? • When should I correct my student when he/she is struggling?

17. Self-Efficacy • 10% - What a student shows • 90% - What a student actually goes through • What are some behaviors that can send students to the principal’s office? • What are some other external stressors that can impede a student’s learning?

18. What you See ≠ What You Get “Reading is dumb!” What your child may be trying to tell you • I'm angry that I struggle so much with reading. • I don't see the point in having to work so hard to learn how to read. • I'm not interested in what I'm given to read. How you can respond • Acknowledge to your child that he/she does have to work hard at reading. • Point out the power and practicality of reading in everyday life. • Help your child find reading materials at his reading level that also interest him or her.

19. Let’s Practice What does it mean to “outdo yourself”? What did you wear on the first day of school? So, do you think it’s going to be a problem to get the iguana off the schoolbag? I had a dog named Emma when I was a kid and she chewed on everything! Do you have any pets? Wait a second, who is Lady Love? Have you ever seen an iguana?

20. WITS Policies • If you are suspicious of child abuse or neglect, please notify your WITS coordinator immediately. • Stay with the group. • Do not contact your student outside of WITS. • Focus your attention—no cell phones please! • Do not give your student any gifts or candy. • Contact WITS if you have any questions or concerns.

21. Intentional Support • Expert Training Series • Ongoing Coaching • Formal • Informal

22. Expert Partners Dear WITS Volunteers, On Tuesday, September 24, we will be launching our 2013-14Expert Training Series for WITS volunteers featuring Dr. Mary Hynes-Berry from the Erikson Institute. In this interactive workshop, we will be looking at how the strategy “Reading an Object” can be used to lead readers to explore objects and ideas in a very interactive way.  You will experience and explore strategies that can make reading and writing come to life.  You will be provided with activities that can be used and adapted for children at different reading levels. The training is designed for both new and long time WITS volunteers and will equip you to have an increased impact on your students. Hello WITS volunteers, We are excited to announce that Dr. Judith Gouwens, Professor of Education at Roosevelt University, will share her expertise with WITS volunteers on March 7th at 11am. The focus of her presentation will be “Working With Reluctant Readers.” Dr. Gouwens is an expert educator and has a rich background in literacy and professional development. Read more about Dr. Gouwens below. Please join us if your schedule allows!

23. Takeaways • Blinding Flash of the Obvious • Questions • Feel Free to Contact Us Tovah Burstein tovah@witschicago.org Angelo Santa Lucia angelo@witschicago.org @WITSChicago