Volunteering and Helping Promote Reading & Literacy
Traci Shannon of AStarInMyOwnUniverse.com is "booking" it to sign up at school and help in the library this year! Don't miss Traci's touching post on how helping in school is more than a desire to volunteer, it's a desire to promote reading and literacy education. Read an excerpt of Traci's post below and the entire piece on her site.
It is easy in our screen driven world to feel that a school library doesn’t hold as much value in our students’ lives. I couldn’t disagree more. At the heart of all learning is literacy. When a child becomes literate, he/she gains the ability to learn on their own. Whether they are reading a screen or a book, using Google or an Encyclopedia, the ability to read frees the child to answer their own questions and discover more.
And nothing inspires that love of reading like walking into a beautiful library. Watch a kindergartner’s face light up when they check out their first book and you’ll see what I mean. As much as I love my digital world (and you know I do!), books are real. They are tangible. And they can create that very lifetime love of reading and learning for which we all hope.
So I’m signing up in the library but there are so many ways to help. And you don’t have to be a SAHM to join in. Often, they don’t require a regular commitment but simply a few hours. Just a few days ago, our school had parents out on a Saturday to clean up the campus. Many a working parent was out there picking up trash, raking, and sweeping. Soon, we will have our fall carnival that has become a community event and raises money to support our computer lab and reading specialists. Even an hour makes a difference. Again, imagine how bright the world would be if we each simply lit one candle.
At our school, we often use Volunteer Spot. It is a fabulous website that allows coordinators to set up an event with details, including volunteer time slots. No more calling trees and headaches tracking down volunteers. No more double staffing one shift only to leave another unattended. The coordinator need only invite prospective volunteers to join the event and they are free to sign up for the shifts that best fit their lives. It even sends reminders! I love this site!
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