Peer reading a hit in Happy Valley

INTERESTING READ:
Wesley Shelton-Jordon, middle, reads to kindergarten students Alexis Dean and Michael Perry during the reading time at Happy Valley Primary School last week.

For a brief period each day, third grade students of teacher Ted Weidman at Happy Valley Primary School split into two groups and visit the kindergarten rooms of Denise Perkins and Shannon Spencer where they read to the younger students.

Spencer and Weidman have taught together in the Happy Valley Elementary School District for 20 years and they have done peer reading before. But this year, a regular schedule was worked out and everyone is benefiting from it, especially the students.

The teachers go over with the students what books are appropriate for the younger children before they pick out the books. The third graders stepped up to the plate and it “is like they have been doing it for years,” said Spencer.

“They know what questions to ask to keep the younger students interested in the stories and having a younger person reading to them keeps their interest,” said Perkins who also has been with the district twenty years.

As the teachers explained the program the room was quiet except for the reader in the small groups of three or four students. Third-grader Jamin Lopez made hand motions as he read, and explained, his story to kindergartners Jaysen Cowan, Ryan Myers and David Reese.

In another group Julian Young stopped her story long enough to explain what was happening to Skyler Reynolds and Brenden Shafer.

Weidman and Spencer said that next year when the students are in fourth and first grades, they will be continuing the buddy reading program.