Reading Buddies

As a school, the older grade levels try to pair up with younger grade levels to form reading buddies.  This not only builds community in the school, but also builds an unofficial mentoring program in the building that allows the younger students to look forward to becoming a reading buddy when they are older.  Each week or every other week reading buddies get together to read to each other.  Also, we use our buddies to create writings together and supporting each other during testing. It is a lot of fun for the students and supports community building and citizenship for the students.  The younger students get really excited about reading every Friday when their reading buddy comes down and reads with them.