Reading Partners: PEOPLE MAKING A DIFFERENCE

Primary Grade Book Club

* Mission: Persuading primary-grade students that reading is fun even after school.

At Napa Street Elementary School in Northridge, reading after school has become the “cool” thing to do.

At least, that’s what the members of the after-school Primary Grade Book Club say when they chant “Reading Rabbits, we are cool, we read books after school,” before delving into fairy tales and other books.

The 18 children in grades one through three who call themselves Reading Rabbits meet every Monday and Wednesday afternoon to read stories, occasionally act them out and then discuss them.

Carolyn Bayer, a first-grade teacher, started the club in August for children who don’t read enough at home. Many of the students have limited English-speaking skills, so building their vocabulary is an important goal.

Bayer said the club has been successful because it is a child-centered club. She lets the children decide what they read and what activity or topic of discussion follows the reading. But most important, their enthusiasm for reading carries into the school day, she said.

* Quote: “I think basically they’re getting the idea that learning can happen with their friends. To me learning is a social process. They’re learning after school with their friends. This is a very informal club, but the end result is that they’ve had another hour of instruction.”

--Carolyn Bayer, Napa Street Elementary School first-grade teacher and founder of the Primary Grade Book Club.