It was a normal day of Reading Program, on a bright Friday afternoon at the Fellowship House. The kids were arriving and sitting down to a healthy snack prepared by the tutors, but we were still waiting for Robert.
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Reading Program
Written by Doug Wagner | Executive Director
One of our second-grade boys was struggling in school. This wasn’t unusual—school had always been a struggle for Jamir. But now he was refusing to read. Jamir was emotionally withdrawn and his mother and father were at a loss as to how to reach him. The more he struggled in school, the further he withdrew into himself.
Jamir was reading well below grade-level, so he was accepted into Fellowship House’s Reading Program. Ms. Joan, our Reading Coordinator who volunteers in the Reading Program, began working with him on Fridays. To his surprise, he discovered that he… loves to read! Reading has opened up the world to Jamir. He has since come out of his shell and last marking period, he even earned a spot on the honor roll.
Jamir’s mother recently sent a message saying, "Thank you for starting this program, it has completely changed our son! My husband and I are so grateful for everything you do...."
The third brother in his family to attend the Fellowship House children’s program, Jared is presently in 2nd grade. Anthony & Francisco, the brothers who preceded him, were self motivated, honor roll students. Jared’s family didn’t quite know what to make of him, because he wasn’t like that. Ms. Joan, the Fellowship House Reading Program Coordinator, patiently worked with Jared to assess his reading level. She has a wonderful way of caring for the children, affirming their value by giving them her full attention. So much so, that the children beg her, “Test me, test me!” At the conclusion of his assessment, Jared told Ms. Joan, “Thank you so much for teaching me.” As a result of Ms. Joan’s encouragement, Jared left feeling hopeful for a change. This was the rare occasion when someone made the effort to reach down to meet him at his level. Jared’s sincere gratitude touched Ms. Joan’s heart. In all her years of teaching, she had never had a child thank her. This year, Jared is proudly taking part in the reading program at Fellowship House.
The true Spirit of Christmas doesn’t require shopping… or decorations… or stress. The true Spirit of Christmas is marvelously simple. It’s all about taking a break from our own concerns to focus on the needs of others. This year, don’t let the craziness rob you of the Peace and Joy that Jesus came to bring!
As we all know, it is critical that children learn how to read and develop a love of reading.
However, many children in Camden have never been able to develop this love and are severely behind in their reading skills. Most children live in low-income homes and, although so many mothers are working hard, money and time are tight.