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Powerful Readers, which is part of Powerful Schools, is a one-on-one tutoring program offered to K-2 students at South Shore. Only four other schools in the South End have the Powerful Readers program, which provides one-on-one tutoring that would be beyond the financial reach of most families.
Teachers identify students who are reading below grade level, based on observation or standardized test scores. Students then meet with a tutor for 30 minutes, four days a week, for 28 weeks. The focus is on learning to decode words using a structured, phonics-based approach. Each lesson ends with 10-15 minutes of reading. Every 10 lessons, students are tested for mastery of letter sounds, sight word, decoding / segmenting and fluency. After successfully passing, students earn a free book and are eligible for the next level of instruction. Progress reports are given during parent-teacher conferences. Books and activities are provided during school breaks to ensure students stay on track.
Bev DeCook, Lead Tutor, oversees three tutors and one volunteer. Tutors are evaluated each month on lesson delivery, preparedness, behavior management and positive modeling.
One of Bev’s favorite parts of the program is seeing kids make progress - seeing the light bulbs go on and suddenly, they are reading sentences. Kindergarten students go into 1st grade with more confidence and with strategies they can use to be successful.
The program targets younger students, so that intervention occurs before reading struggles manifest into self-esteem and behavioral issues. It is especially successful for students that struggle to learn in a bigger classroom environment. Most students that attend Powerful Readers regularly are reading at grade level by the end of the year. Powerful Readers also hosts an annual Literacy Night each year to get parents involved in reading with their students.
Would you like to help? Powerful Readers relies on private donations to sustain programs, such as the one at our school. You can make a cash donation, donate new or gently used books (appropriate for grades K-2) or volunteer to read with students, especially those on the program’s waiting list. Contact Bev DeCook at 252-7577 or bidecook@seattleschools.org
Powerful Schools is a non-profit organization committed to supporting and strengthening public elementary schools. This year, they are serving more than 3,400 students in Seattle. To learn more, visit www.powerfulschools.org |