IRCMentorCollaborative.org READING & HOMEWORK STRATEGIES FOR MENTORS A Webinar! Join us for a training that you can attend without leaving your home or work! (all you need is a computer) Wednesday March 12 th 12-1:15 pm Contact Jessica at: to Register Indian River Mentor Collaborative Presents:

The Collaborative Mission: Provide evidence based training and Resources to every youth serving organization and group in Indian River County The Agencies:

Guest Speakers  Taught students from a variety of ages, skill sets and backgrounds over 20 years  A consistent student herself continuously taking courses to increase her knowledge and awareness  Proud Mother of two children  Has a passion for working with and empowering children as well as helping to protect our environment with her ecology skills  Retired elementary school teacher  Worked with children professionally for over 30 years  Has a passion for empowering children  Enjoys creating creative, interactive, and strengths based activities for her students to learn with Nancy WoodJoAnn DeCarlo

Objectives for Today  Strengths Based Focus  Helping Struggling Readers  Helping with Homework

To view your mentee for their strengths and talents rather than their deficits Strengths Based

Positivity  Starting positively  Praise and Reinforcement  Ignoring negative behavior

Setting Goals  Identify Objectives  Setting the goals  Appreciating their efforts

Information about reading strategies and some helpful tips for how to help Helping Struggling Readers

Phonemic Awareness  Phonics: Phonics is simply the system of relationships between letters and sounds in a language. learning that the letter B has the sound of /b/  Why it’s important: Learning phonics allows children to excel in reading and spelling. Written language can be seen as a code, and when you know how to decode it you can understand it’s meaning.

Phonics Tips  Help your mentee to separate words into their sounds to gain a stronger awareness  Play games that allow them to practice this skill Try picking a letter sound and make a game of finding it within a story or other text Find more ideas for games on the “Phonics and Word Analysis Games” handout

Coaching  Ask what the teacher uses  Start at the level of the child  Start with something the child will be successful at to increase their confidence For More Tips See “Coaching Reading Types and Tips” on the website

Making Learning Fun  Get Creative  Think outside the box  Use what they like to do

Tips and Websites to use Mentors Helping with Homework

Role of the adult in homework help Activate prior knowledge Take time to reflect on learning Reflect on child’s personal accomplishments Assist by:  Helping to organize and prioritize  Modeling a variety problem solving strategies  Providing encouragement

Homework Help  Remember the relationship  Review your personal expectations  Check in with them throughout the homework session  Tie what they are learning to real examples  Let them teach you  Only guide and encourage  Make it enjoyable

Websites for Homework  Free Student Resources:  Homework Center:  Math.com  Khan Academy

Learning is Everywhere! You don’t have to just sit and work on a worksheet or stick to just reading books to practice a specific concept  Look out into the world and actually experience those real life examples as much as you can  Use the environment and activities to teach and practice environmental print for reading practice, the grocery store for math practice and the great outdoors for science.

Thank You Thank you for joining us today!  Webinar will be posted within the following week  handouts mentioned are currently available on the website and will be organized with the webinar IRCMentorCollaborative.org  If you have questions or comments me Please complete the survey that will open when you exit the webinar