My Nonprofit Reviews

As an early childhood teacher for 30 years now, it is VITAL that young parents be able to share literacy experiences with their young children. This is the first, foremost, and most lasting experience a child will have in their acquisition of knowledge. Parents are such important "first teachers" for their children. Reading together is such a special thing that parents can do for their youngsters. However, this is not always possible if parents have challenges in reading. A few years ago, I had a young mother come into my first grade classroom to volunteer. While I was reading a book to the class, she was preparing a related art activity for the children to do after I was finished reading the story. About midway through the story, one of the children became very ill. I quickly asked the young mother to finish reading the story while I took care of the ill child. I handed her the book and then took the child to the classroom bathroom. When I came out of the classroom bathroom to page the nurse, I noticed that the young mother was telling the story based on the pictures and not the text. I didn't draw attention to the matter but let her continue until she had finished "picture reading" to the children. After school that day, I called her on the phone. I thanked her for helping out during the unexpected illness of a student and she apologized for merely telling the story by the pictures. I told her she did a great job with being caught off guard so quickly! She then told me that she'd like to take the opportunity to ask for my help. She told me she "read" the book that day only from pictures because she could not read. She cried and cried and cried. In a few days, our school connected her with LVG. What a difference this made in this young mother's life. Thanks, thanks, thanks.

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