"Thank you for coming. You are always so nice to us. You are AWESOME!!"
- 2nd grade Reading student's note to his Classroom Coach
This program is offered in English as Reading Classroom Coaching, and also in Spanish as Compañeros en Lectura for children in bilingual classrooms. Spanish-speaking volunteers are greatly needed. Leer esta página en Español.
Children learn to read so they can read to learn.
Visit the Volunteer Center to see times and locations for Classroom Coaching or to pre-register during the summer before schedules are set.
Program Overview
Studies show that a majority of the students who cannot read by the third grade have difficulty catching up academically. Second Grade Reading Classroom Coaches share the wonder and power of reading, building the foundation for student success.
As a Reading Classroom Coach volunteer, you will...
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Provide consistent, positive support as a combination mentor/tutor for 2-3 second graders in reading
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Apply interactive learning tools and games to engage students and build a strong foundation for future success across all subjects
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Support teachers by providing differentiated, individualized instruction
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Model cooperative behavior to strengthen individual and group skills
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Motivate students by bringing energy and enjoyment of reading and making the concepts in stories more relevant
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Show students you care about them and their academic success
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Celebrate student successes
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Experience the joy of adorable, enthusiastic 2nd graders and the reward of knowing you helped another person
How it works
The Elementary Reading Classroom Coaching program is offered to second grade students in English or Spanish. Each week, a team of volunteers spends 45 minutes in their assigned classroom, working in small groups to build reading skills.
Volunteers receive
- A curriculum workbook, supporting five different reading levels, with exercises for group reading, conversations about stories, plays poems and other texts
- Initial and ongoing training
- Weekly support from a dedicated coordinator
- Guidance from teachers and coordinators on applying the tools
- Interaction and shared learnings with other volunteers
Read about Sherry Washington’s volunteer experience as a 2nd grade Reading Classroom Coach in our Spotlight.
Watch a video interview with Reading Coach Michael Embesi.
Download a program flier for Elementary School Reading Classroom Coaching.
View which schools participate in Elementary School Reading Classroom Coaching.
Volunteer and see how much fun learning can be:
Questions: Please contact 512.637.0900 or apie@austinpartners.org
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Read about our Middle School Reading Program
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Learn more about our Classroom Coaching Model
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Read about our program Successes.
This program is funded by:
3M Foundation
Andy Roddick Foundation
Anonymous Foundation
Applied Materials Foundation
Impact Austin
Michael & Susan Dell Foundation
And our founders
Austin ISD and
The Austin Chamber of Commerce
The Difference Reading Success Makes
Disadvantaged students in the first grade have a vocabulary that is approximately half that of an advantaged student (2,900 and 5,800 respectively). Austin Partners in Education works predominantly in Title I schools with economically disadvantaged populations.
A person who is not at least a moderately skilled reader by 3rd grade is four times more likely to drop out of high school.
The good news is 89% of students in poverty who do read at grade level by 3rd grade graduate on time.
SOURCE
White, Graves & Slater (1990)
National Research Council (1998)
Annie E Casey Foundation (2011)
National Recognition
U.S. Secretary of Education, Arne Duncan’s department has recognized Austin Partners in Education as an example of Better Use of Community Resources. The Department of Education has highlighted innovative approaches and best practices for increasing educational productivity. The government report speaks to the success of APIE Classroom Coaching programs in building local partnerships and using community resources and volunteers to support high quality education.
