#readingcorps

After moving back home to Minnesota, I started my year of service with Minnesota Reading Corps, a statewide AmeriCorps program. Minnesota Reading Corps tutors serve at a school in Minnesota, working with students in one-on-one sessions for 20 minutes a day, until the student reads consistently at or above their grade level. The students Minnesota Reading Corps members work with are what MRC calls “the bubble kids.” They are the ones who are below grade level, but not so far below that schools put them in special classes. These kids often fly under the radar with overstretched teachers hoping they will catch on eventually. Unfortunately many of these students never catch up, and by the time they leave 3rd grade it becomes harder and harder to ever reach their peers. According to MRC, students in grades K-3 learn to read, and students in grades 4-college read to learn, which is why it is so important to reach the 3rd graders and bring them up to grade level before 4th grade.

During my term, I served at a charter school in Saint Paul, where the student body consisted mostly of Hmong and Karen immigrant children, and many knew little to no English. Approximately 90% of the students received free or reduced lunch and several families were homeless.

I learned so much from this year in Minnesota ReadingCorps. Firstly, I knew about the word gap and the importance of the 6 skills outlined in ALA’s  first round of Every Child Ready to Read, but it wasn’t until I worked with students who obviously lacked attention in this area, that I realized just how important they are to development.  After working with these children, early literacy development became my passion, and I began pursuing a second masters in Children’s Literature.  

I also learned so much about the Hmong and Karen culture, while serving at the charter school. Many of the staff are also Hmong or Karen, and had so many interesting stories. One teacher, not much older than me, told about her family escaping and crossing the river, but the boatman was actually an informer. She watched as her aunt and uncles and cousins were killed, but her immediate family escaped and eventually made it to Minnesota. In a first grade history class, students learned about the past and present (in the past, people traveled in wagons, in the present we travel by car. In the past, people used candles for light, in the present we use light bulbs, etc). However, many students shared that in refugee camps they too used candles for light.

K-3 Reading Corps tutor, Aly Raphael, sat down to talk to MDC Reading Corps staff in honor of AmeriCorps week 2015 to share her insights into how she has seen AmeriCorps work for her students and her career.

How has your service benefited your students and your service site this year?

It’s really nice that this is the second year of Reading Corps at my school, so they’re used to the program already and it’s growing here. It’s nice coming into that knowing that the teachers have already seen the data and know that the program works. They are really aware of both what we’re doing and how important it is. We already have some of that background and even as it grows into new schools, people are becoming more and more aware of what the Reading Corps is.

On a personal note, this week I was out for a while and visiting grad schools, and when I came back into the school, the kids are running up and giving me hugs and smiles, and seeing their faces and seeing that impact and knowing how much they missed me has been incredible. You see it everyday, that you’re there for them - they know it, they’re expecting you, they’re waiting at their doors like “Where’s Miss Aly?” You know, it feels good for you and it feels good for them and the teachers are constantly coming up saying, “I’ve seen this student’s data, and it’s really improved this year!” So even when [a student score] is still a little bit below and you’re still wanting it to be more - It’s always something and it’s always going to keep improving and unless you do the work, it’s really never going to get to where it needs to be.

What have your students taught you?

It’s so much. It’s definitely nice coming back in here and really, for me, it’s just been insightful going back to my roots and going back to the elementary school stage, seeing how people are learning how to read and seeing the very beginnings of this process that is so often forgotten about. We grow up and we think of reading as just a part of how we get by in life and how we continue along. We don’t think about how hard it is to learn and really seeing those processes and seeing how it is that students are creating those values of reading and how much support they have at home and how much that influences them. Things like that have been really really important. I’m interested in theories of reading and how people are growing into readers and into communities of readers and it’s such an important part of our society, that we are able to pass on these lessons and pass on the ability to read, to become useful, working, connected members of society.

Why is national service important?

For me, I think a lot of it is that people get so bogged down in the day-to-day life and saying, “Well, I do this and I’m always working with the people around me and I’m just thinking on a ‘trying to get by’ level.” We think about these larger problems and we think about all the things that we wish we could change and we wish we could do, and so often we say, “Well, I can’t do that. It’s too big. It’s above one individual to solve every problem in the world.” And it’s true, but at the same time, you need this level of commitment in a community, but also on a national level to be able to get anything done. So I really like this kind of program, and it doesn’t just have to be reading and literacy or educational gaps that you’re focusing on, it could be anything, any huge problem. It could be hunger, or societies in general, fixing cities, fixing any problem that you see, and unless you really focus on it, both on the community and on the national level in this kind of large-scale program, it’s never going to change. So this has really been a nice way to feel like I’m helping out. I’m from DC and I really like being back here and being able to help students that really need it, but at the same time, you know that this is happening across the country. Reading Corps is spreading and Reading Corps is going to be able to make that big difference in the end on a global scale, hopefully, and really change that educational outlook.

What are your plans after AmeriCorps? How do you see your year of service affecting your future career?

It’s exciting! I’m actually looking into grad schools now. I’m going to continue into a PhD program in English Literature. I’m really between two schools, but either way, I’m really excited. I’m studying a history of reading and moving forward based on everything I’ve seen here and everything I’ve learned in my past, looking into how we become readers and how those systems of values change and how we can craft, not only the communities and the values, but also just the systems for being able to become readers and being able to think about how we read and what we read and why we read the way we read. So this has been a wonderful experience, just going into that and being able to think about future research topics and the different possibilities. I’m really excited to get back into academia, to continue this question on a larger playing field.

K-3 Reading Corps tutor, Kristina Harkins, sat down to talk to MDC Reading Corps staff in honor of AmeriCorps week 2015 to share her insights into how she has seen AmeriCorps work for her students and her career.

If you were to look back on your service 5 years from now, what is one moment that you know you will still remember fondly?

It’s not necessarily one moment, but a series of moments. Every time I’m able to use what I’m learning in grad school to connect with my kids to help them own their learning and then when I watch my students sort of “get it”; the light goes on. Now they’re owning their learning and they’re helping me and we’re both growing in the same direction. We’re not competing or struggling with one another in our sessions. I’m going to love that the most, those moments when it just “clicks”.

What has been the most valuable thing you’ve learned from your service so far?

So far I’ve learned that I shouldn’t beat myself up. I really care about my students’ progress, so when they’re not doing as well as I think they should be, I automatically start beating myself up, trying to figure out what it is that I’m not doing right or what it is that I’m doing wrong. It’s a good attitude to have, but at the same time it’s not a good attitude to have. You don’t need to beat yourself up. You can reflect on what you’re doing without casting blame, and instead just trying to look for solutions.

Why is national service important?

National service is important because a lot of people have opinions about how to fix our nation’s problems; we have senators and house representatives on Capitol Hill who cast votes. We have people at home watching CNN and Fox News, yelling at the TV, but to really know what the problems are and understand them from the inside, you need to be serving somewhere where there is a need so that you can start to see the possible solutions. You’re only going to get a taste of that when serving, but it’s better than what anyone else has; you have the inside view.

What are your plans after this year?

Next year, I should be teaching high school chemistry somewhere, either here in the US or abroad, I haven’t made up my mind yet. If I do go abroad, Southeast Asia is on my list, particularly Hong Kong because a year before I joined the Reading Corps, I was teaching in China and that really solidified it for me - standing in those classrooms in Guangzhou and Yantai – that this is what I want to do.  But it also showed me where I was lacking, and the skills and abilities and knowledge that I just didn’t have yet. So I knew I had to come back home and get that stuff in order.

How did you choose that path?

I graduated from undergrad and I spent six years homeschooling my family and homeschooling other people’s families and I just put my natural organizational abilities to use and I just kept going from there.

What are you most excited about for your next step?

K-3 Reading Corps tutor, Kelly Meany, sat down to talk to MDC Reading Corps staff in honor of AmeriCorps week 2015 to share her insights into how she has seen AmeriCorps work for her students and her career.

(Photo by: Jahi Chikwendiu/The Washington Post)

What has been the most rewarding part of your service so far at your service site?

For me the best part about serving at my school with the Reading Corps is working with the kids – every day no matter how my day began I know that at some point someone’s going to make me laugh, make me happy, or make me feel like what I’m doing every day really matters. They’ll say something that I’ve been trying to tell them for weeks, like you know, they’ll be struggling with a page and they’ll pass it and I’ll say “that’s amazing, I’m so happy” and they’ll be like “you know why, it’s cuz I practiced!” because I always talk about how important practicing is and trying their best and working hard even when its difficult – so its moments like that where I’m like “I’m getting through to them!”, it becomes something more than what I’m doing for their data points and their reading skills its about the connections I’m making and relationships I’m forming that are really rewarding. It’s causing me to change the way I view everything in life. It’s making me a more grateful person and a happier person that’s focused on the little moments of happiness and progress and success throughout the day. I’m able to look at things through a kid’s eyes…. I don’t know, it’s been amazing, they’re amazing, I’m so lucky.

In what ways have you grown as an educator and as an individual through your Reading Corps service?

As an individual I’ve become more patient, I’ve become more optimistic - I’ve always considered myself optimistic but this program has made me more so in that now I believe that what I’m doing and what I can do is making an actual difference for the kids I’m working with. And that’s just because I’m seeing it happen, not even because of the data necessarily, but because kids’ confidence every day when they come to see me – it’s different. It’s made me more resilient as well, I have days when kids’ graphs don’t grow as quickly as I want and there are times when it catches up to me, so I’ve had to learn to take it a day at a time and to think about what I can do for my kids right NOW and not worry too much about where they’re going to be in 3 years, which is hard to do. So it’s definitely made me be the type of person who can bounce back from moments where I feel like I’m not really making enough of a difference.  It’s also made me grateful for the many, many gifts I’ve been given, for the education and the family values that I have.

As an educator I’ve developed classroom management skills that I’ve never had before, I’ve developed a command over setting boundaries and expectations and following through with them. I’ve definitely been able to learn what works with kids, obviously the program works, but also what works as far as teaching character. Teaching that the struggle is the time they’re really getting smarter because the brain is a muscle – I always talk about that. Developing my own voice with the kids that is nurturing but also commanding respect at the same time, that’s really going to help me in the future. Knowing how to deal with conflict, like when kids don’t want to do work, I now know how to respond to that.

Why is national service important?

Service is important because I’ve always believed it’s not enough to just be good, you have to do good. I’ve been given a lot, and when you’ve been dealt a good hand, you should be responsible for giving back. If everyone started to value giving back and serving we could really make a difference in the way America looks. Service makes you grow, you change yourself and you affect change in the world and other people. There’s nothing better than waking up every day and doing something that I believe changes something and makes a difference, even if just to my 20 students. There’s nothing that can compare to that and I think everyone should have that. It would make the world a happier, more grateful place. Obviously not everyone cares about education in the way that I do or the way that people in the Reading Corps do, but there are a million ways that you can get involved and serve, where people can feel like they’re making a difference in something they believe in and I just think everyone should get a chance to do that for themselves – not even just for what it does for other people.

You’re on to exciting things next year – tell me more about your plans and what’s in store for you in the future.

I’m going to be a Capital Teaching Resident with KIPP – I’m going to be a Kindergarten resident.  I’m so excited! It’s a year of teacher training; it’s an alternate route. It’s a gradual release model, I’ll be co-teaching for a year, which I love, so I can get support and learn from a teacher who’s already really great, so I think it’ll make me the best teacher that I can be. And that’s what I want to be for all these little babies. I’m really excited to have my own classroom with another teacher where I have 20 students at once - I’m up for the challenge. Plus I think I have a good head start with having done Reading Corps. Like I mentioned earlier, I’ve already started to develop a voice and attitude in front of kids.  

To kick off a month-long spotlight on our fantastic Reading Corps Alumni, former PreK Tutor Alyson Becker shares about her transition from Reading Corps service to a graduate program for Social Work.

My Post-Reading Corps Life: An Open Letter to Current Tutors from an Alumna

Hey, everyone! My name is Alyson, and I was a PreK Reading Corps tutor last year at Patrick Henry Elementary School in Alexandria, Virginia (and I miss my students every day!). This August, I made the transition into graduate school at the University of Maryland School of Social Work located in downtown Baltimore. As a component of my program, I also received a field placement in Lanham, Maryland at DuVal High School where I intern with Pathways Schools, a program dedicated to serving adolescents with emotional disabilities.

I can honestly say that my time as a Reading Corps tutor really inspired me to pursue a career in social work. Prior to serving with AmeriCorps, I didn’t have much direct service experience. Sure, I had done a few hours here and there in high school, but never had I dedicated an entire year of my life to service! After I became a Reading Corps tutor, went through training, and began working alongside my eager and excitable 3 and 4 year olds, I realized that I had a passion for this type of direct service work; I wanted to make this into something lifelong and take it to the next level. I found that as a social worker, I would be able to serve on-the-ground with individuals in the community, just like I had been doing with Reading Corps.

When I began applying to grad school, I discovered that my service at Patrick Henry provided me with much to share about myself and the work I wanted to do. One of the big questions in my personal statement prompted me to discuss an American social issue that I was passionate about; what better way to illustrate my service with Reading Corps?! Moreover, Reading Corps is a program specifically founded in proven intervention strategies, and no matter what type of graduate program you apply to, being involved in research is never a bad thing. Reading Corps provides an intricate and personal understanding of research assessments, data collection, and data visualization and analysis. I’m taking a social research class this semester, and I already have a very good understanding of social research components due to my time as a Reading Corps tutor. You’d be surprised how many people don’t know what integrity can look like in social research settings, and this is something that’s reality for Reading Corps tutors. During my time as a tutor, I also gained tremendous experience working with both individuals and groups, strategies for communicating effectively with children, and a firsthand understanding of the achievement gap present in our nation’s schools. I have found that a background as a Reading Corps tutor translates seamlessly into a foundation for either clinical or macro social work. As for me, I hope to continue working directly with children in the field of either adoption, foster care, or international social work.

Regarding the search for grad school and the ensuing application, I would suggest just getting yourself out there. I know it’s cliché but there are so many opportunities to go to grad school fairs and speak about your experiences and goals face-to-face with admissions officers. In October of last year, I attended the Idealist Grad Fair, and I was a bit intimidated by the rows and rows of schools present. However, this is where I first spoke with the admissions officer for the program I am in now, and we discussed my Reading Corps experience at length. She was very interested in hearing about my time as a tutor, and she encouraged me to move forward in the application process. Be your own advocate. You are getting exceptional, unique experience serving as a Reading Corps tutor, and graduate schools take notice of this level of commitment and want to learn more about you and your service. 

On a final note, enjoy the rest of your year (or more) as a Reading Corps tutor, and best of luck with whichever path you choose following your term of service. It really is an extraordinary opportunity for both personal and professional growth. Plus, the kids make it all worth it!

By: Amelia Light (pictured on the left) - K3 Tutor at Mount Vernon Community School

I love Reading Corps. It’s a wonderful program, and it really does work – as a Reading Corps tutor, though, I know that it’s hard work every day. I am a trusted adult for kids who don’t know many adults they can trust. I have to stay focused, keep my students focused, support their language development, support their reading, and help them love reading. When I evaluate their progress weekly and tri-annually, I look at their reading ability and wonder: what more can I do? Yes, they are growing and learning; but is it enough? How else can I help them? Reading Corps is always rewarding – but some days, it can be exhausting.

So it’s always nice to be reminded of the value of our service. And, occasionally, it’s humbling – especially when the President of The United States is the one to remind you.

Earlier this month, I had the opportunity to celebrate the 20th anniversary of AmeriCorps at the White House. I took the AmeriCorps pledge along with 150 other AmeriCorps members, President Clinton, and President Obama. It was a once-in-a-lifetime event, and it was amazing. The weather was perfect, the grass on the South Lawn was very soft, and I got to shake hands with both presidents. That’s not what a normal day of service is like! President Obama and President Clinton gave short speeches on the legacy and impact of AmeriCorps. They each gave me something to think about over the next few days, but I was particularly struck by President Obama’s mention of citizenship – maybe just because I was sitting in front of the White House, but it resonated with me. As the President said: we are working to make our country better, “safer and healthier, and more fair and more just,” and yet we still have a long way to go.

I joined Reading Corps a year ago because there is a fundamental disparity in the quality of education that American children have access to. There is a profound literacy gap between low-income and high-income students, which is neither fair nor just. For me, being an American citizen means not just enjoying my rights and privileges, but working to make the country a better place. In my first year of Reading Corps, I saw the difference that reading interventions made in a Head Start classroom. My students made huge gains – but they still had so far to go! Even with the incredible progress they made, many of my kiddos were still below target: they would still not be at grade level in kindergarten. My work was not done.

By: Melanie Pyne, Pre-K Literacy Tutor at Thomas Elementary

It was May 13, 2011. I heard the mailman. I went downstairs to retrieve my mail and saw a package from Trinity University. “Oh my,” I thought. “Could this be my acceptance letter?” I ran upstairs back to my apartment and quickly opened the thick envelope. “Yes!” I shouted. It was my letter. I was elated as I pranced back and forth across the living room. This moment was surreal. I was officially a graduate student pursuing a career in education.

Now, let’s flashback to a year earlier: February 2010. My experience in education began as a Literacy Tutor for The Literacy Lab at Smothers and Burrville Elementary Schools. I provided supplemental literacy services to students who were enrolled in Title I schools. The instruction provided was targeted and focused primarily on reading comprehension. Working as a tutor was very fulfilling. I knew I was providing a needed service. Using the Reading A-Z curriculum, I was able to meet the needs of each student through leveled texts. Students read from a variety of genres and the correlated lessons were fun and engaging. My experience with the Literacy Lab inspired me to teach. I had discovered that students could achieve academic success if given the appropriate tools.

In the fall of 2011, I joined AppleTree Early Learning Public Charter School as a Teaching Assistant. At AppleTree, I supported the development of young children’s early academic and social emotional skills. AppleTree’s curriculum, Every Child Ready, is a research-based, data-driven model of early childhood instruction. Implementing the Every Child Ready curriculum reinforced my belief that all children can learn when instruction is targeted.

During my last semester of graduate school, I completed an internship as a Student Teacher at Raymond Education Campus. As a Student Teacher, I facilitated student learning of phonics and word analysis skills to decode words using a program called Fundations. Fundations provides students with a foundation for reading and spelling.

May 17, 2014: I received a Master of Arts in Teaching (MAT) degree with a concentration in Elementary Education. “What am I going to do?” I thought. “Am I ready to be a teacher?” I honestly did not know. But, I did know that I wanted to tackle the issue of illiteracy. This knowledge led me to my service with the Metro DC Reading Corps. As a Pre-K Literacy Tutor for Reading Corps, I am embedded in a classroom to support the development of students’ language and early-literacy skills through conversation and transition songs. My time is also dedicated to providing targeted small group and one-on-one instruction to students needing more intense support.