WHAT TO DO WHEN…..

Today's module is about the special circumstances that sometimes come up in Reading to Kids, and how to handle them. For the most part, we encourage you to keep doing what you are already doing, but in some cases a different course of action is called for.

 

READING CLUB OR BOOK-RELATED SITUATIONS

…you have a short book or you have extra time

• If you know you have a short book, plan in advance how you can stretch it out but still make it fun for the kids – ask questions, act out the characters as you read, read the book and let the kids act out the characters, etc.
• Go through the read aloud book a second time
• Have the children continue drawing or making other crafts, play a game (Simon Says, Duck Duck Goose, etc.), sing a song, or read one of the prize books aloud (after the room is cleaned up)
• Next month, our Returning Volunteer Training will deal specifically with "Games and Activities: What to do with Extra Time," so feel free to let us know if you have any ideas of games or activities that work well when there's extra time!

…the kids say that they read the read aloud book in class

• The kids may have read the book before but that does not mean that they know the story. Do read through the book but you may have to work a bit harder to engage the kids and make them active listeners. Refer to the questions to ask the kids that are provided on the sheet with each book. These can help you engage the kids in the story.
• If all the kids know the story and you can tell that they are bored as you read through it, feel free to stop. Read one of the prize books instead.

…the kids want to trade their prize books or don't want it because they already have it or because it is a book especially for girls/boys

• Encourage them to trade prize books with their friends for one that they don't have
• Encourage them to give the girly/boyish prize book to a sibling, cousin, etc.
• Encourage them to try to read it; they might like it
• As a last resort, check with the Site Coordinator. They may be able to very discreetly give a child a different prize book. But please do not let the kids rummage through the prize books looking for one they want.
• This situation can be avoided or minimized by the way you give the kids their prize books. Suggestion – at the end of the reading clubs, take the kids' name tags and randomly select one. That person gets first pick of the prize books. And so on.

…your craft activity just doesn't work

• Abandon it as opposed to wasting time. The most important thing is to keep the discussion in English going, and to make some connection to the book. Have the kids draw one of the scenes from the book you just read, and keep the discussion in English going.
• For next time, remember to make a model while you meet with your GLC, and come up with additional crafts or activities to do if you have extra time.

…you do not have enough prize books

• ONLY send a volunteer to get more if are 3 volunteers in your group
• When you return to the multipurpose room at 11:30, ask the Site Coordinator for extra books. He or she may need to borrow prize books from another grade if we run out of prize books in your grade. You can either wait to give all the books away in the multipurpose room, or ask a child to volunteer to receive their book in the multipurpose room.
• For next time, check that you have enough prize books before leaving with your kids

 

PEOPLE OR BEHAVIOR SITUATIONS

…your kids won't talk or the kids aren't conversational in English

• Don't worry, they're listening! It may take 30-60 seconds for some kids to translate a question to Spanish, formulate an answer, then translate the answer back to English. Be patient. Try to ask simple questions to start a discussion.
• If the quiet is language-based, translate some simple words from your book into Spanish. Colors and animals are a good place to start. Use the Spanish-to-English translation sheet that you will find on your grade level table.
• Sing! Leading children in simple songs is a great way to make them feel more comfortable.

…your kids are picking on one another, annoying one another or are fighting

• Separate the kids that are fighting. Sit between them if needed.
• Stand behind them. A larger person behind them sometimes can get them to calm down.
• Take the child or children outside and talk to them. Singling them out sometimes is enough to get them to behave.
• If this doesn't work and the fighting will prevent the other kids from enjoying the book, you can take the child or children back to the multipurpose room. Turn the kids over to a Site Coordinator or a school administrator.

...you have a child that can't stop crying

• While not ignoring the crying behavior, try to get the child involved in the book by pointing things out, showing humor, etc. Have the child next to you or ask them to help you turn the pages. Often a crying child will forget why he or she was crying in a few minutes.
• Take the child outside for a short walk and a drink of water
• If all else fails, have one volunteer take the child and find the Site Coordinator or a school administrator. The only time it is ok to leave one volunteer in the room is when there is an emergency (kid is sick, behavior issues, child can't stop crying, etc.).

…you have a child that gets sick

• Have one volunteer bring the child to the multipurpose room or to the office where they will find a school administrator
• If there is a mess, don't clean it. Wait for the janitorial staff. In this case, take the whole class back to the multipurpose room to get a new room
• OTHER SITUATIONS

…there's a parent in the room

• Let them know that there is a parent training happening for them. Send them back to the multipurpose room for the training.
• If they prefer to stay with their child, no problem. Use them! Parents can be excellent resources for translating or helping kids with craft projects. Try to involve them in your activities; they can be a huge help.

…your room is locked

• Bring your whole group back to the multipurpose room and ask a Site Coordinator or Administrator to open the room.

…there is a distracting item in your room

• Try to minimize the distraction by having a quick discussion about it and then continuing with your reading as usual
• If it is safety issue or a REALLY big distraction (like animals or birds in the classroom), try to get a new classroom. Bring your whole group back to the multipurpose room for reassignment.

출처 : readingtokids.org