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Team Read sends volunteers into Shelby County’s elementary schools to work on reading skills with second graders. While a training workshop took place last month, volunteers are still needed for this year-long program. Spokesperson Jackie Flaum says it is a perfect opportunity for congregations partnered with public schools to make a real difference in the classroom.
Team Read teaches volunteers how to coach second graders on learning foundational vocabulary words, or sight words. Team Read arose from a partnership between Germantown United Methodist Church (GUMC) and Caldwell-Guthrie Elementary in North Memphis. Due to their success rate, the program has been adopted by the Shelby County School system, with the hope of implementing it in all elementary schools.
Children who are reading at grade level or below are tapped for the one-on-one tutoring program. Volunteers come to the school for one hour a week to work for 30 minutes with one child. These coaches help kids learn to recognize 1,000 sight words that students must memorize in order to become proficient readers.
Flaum says administrators at Caldwell-Gutherie have tested second graders who have participated Team Read and seen a significant increase in reading scores.
“We hope representatives from other churches will join us,” says Flaum, GUMC’s Head Coach. Team Read is part of the church’s Urban Haven Project.
To register for the training or get more information, contact Jackie Flaum at jrflaum@yahoo.com or GUMC Urban Haven Project co-chairs Ruth King at ruthmking@bellsouth.net and Shirlee Clark at shirleemclark@me.com