Study Buddies

Study Buddy time is much more than just something that your child looks forward to every Friday; the seemingly simple act of being read to by an older child supports early literacy development, engages and interests children in literature and provides children with a group of older positive role models within their school community. The children develop beautiful connections with one another over the time spent together. 

At times, Kindergarten can feel a bit cut off from the rest of the school, what with our nutritional breaks and outdoor play time happening at separate times than the older grades. Partnering up with an older grade gives Kindergarten children a connection into the rest of the school. Sometimes we get to travel all the way up to the 3rd floor to spend time in their class, and the trip itself lets the children get better perspective of what's happening in the rest of the school.

How lucky is this brother/sister pair? Each week they are so excited to be together!

She was eager to take on extra children whose Buddies were away this week. There were many older children who volunteered to take on extra children. It was really nice to see.

These two go to the Extended Day Program together after school so they were thrilled to be paired together.

For the younger children, the undivided attention and interest of the older child helps them to develop self-esteem and confidence and gives them a positive role model to look up to. The time spent together encourages use of their expressive and receptive language skills and gives them a chance to practice their social behavior and interaction. 

Spending quality one on one time with an older child reading to them can inspire the younger children to want to be readers and lifelong learners too. For the many children that are the only child or perhaps the oldest child in their family, their Study Buddy may take on the positive older sibling role and the opportunity to have that relationship can be really special for those children.

For the older children, spending time with the Kindergartners helps them to develop their patience, their expressive language, facilitation and public speaking skills, empathy and modeling of appropriate behaviors. Assuming the facilitator or the teacher role gives children confidence in their expressive reading abilities with a very forgiving audience. If you're struggling with a word or a sentence or you completely skip over something, sometimes the children won't even notice. (Of course, sometimes you have the early reader or the child who has read the book 50 million times who yells, "Hey, that's not what that says").

Precious moments.

 For most of the Kindergartners, they are most excited about the time they get to spend with the older child than the actual reading itself. For children who struggle with their expressive language, reading simple stories aloud helps them to develop their articulation and confidence.