CORNER BROOK With a nearly three-day training session completed, tutors at one of two Summer Reading for Fun sites in the city got right to work on Thursday morning preparing for their students.
Developed by the Newfoundland and Labrador Laubach Literacy Council, the Summer Reading For Fun program is aimed at helping children avoid the loss of reading, writing and numeracy skills that often occurs over the summer holidays. The council has been offering the program for 22 years.
In Corner Brook the council operates sites at College of the North Atlantic and at the Dunfield Park Community Centre. They are among 13 sites in the province and 22 tutors from those sites took part in the training.
Evan Greene, one of four tutors at the college site, is new to the program.
The 21-year-old psychology student at Grenfell Campus, Memorial University of Newfoundland said the opportunity sounded like a good one to him.
"It just seemed like a good way to get experience with kids and just a great summer job to have."
He plans to approach making the learning fun by appealing to the children's interests.
"Rather than telling them two plus two is four, if they like monster trucks you could have two monster trucks and another two monster trucks, you have four monster trucks," said Greene. "Just making it fun for them versus kind of sticking straight to the point like school can be. And if you're reading, maybe act out the book rather than just read it."
Brittany Roberts, 22, is also studying psychology at Grenfell and as another new tutor is excited to get started.
"I'm open to anything that they want to try out," said Roberts of the approach she plans to take. "As long as it's educational."
She said this includes playing games, drawing and doing crafts.
Overseeing, the staff as site co-ordinator will be returning tutor Sarah Gardner.
Gardner, 21, loved her experience with the program last year.
"It's a lot of fun," she said. "I just like helping the kids. It's something I love to do. It's kind of like work and play."
Gardner plans to study education once she completes a bachelor of arts in geography and psychology at Grenfell. So, she said working with the program provides her with good experience.
Registration for the program will take place on July 3 from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. in room 2020 at the college.
For more information on this, or any other site, contact the council at 634-5081 or by email at laubach@nf.aibn.com.
