Groovy Grammies get kids to put down their tech toys
Published Thursday April 30th, 2009
Joan Sabean has a lot of good buddies - and they're all less than eight years old.
Sabean, who just celebrated her 73rd birthday, heads to the Fredericton YMCA every Tuesday afternoon to read with a group of enthusiastic youngsters.
She volunteers at the Y as part of the weekly Reading Buddies program, co-ordinated by Frontier College. The aim of the program is to connect older and younger readers through the joy of books.
Sabean, a grandmother of 12 and great-grandmother of seven, said she's always loved reading to children in her family and enjoys spending time with the kids at the Y.
Sabean has been volunteering with the program since it started last year.
"Every Tuesday we meet from 3:30 until 4:30 p.m. There are usually about 15 or so children and we (the volunteers) each pair up with two or three children. Sometimes they can read on their own, so they'll read first and then have me finish. Last week, after reading part of a book, one little girl said to me, 'Well, I'm tired now. It's your turn,' " said Sabean with a laugh.
"I just really like being around the children and seeing their enthusiasm. We have so much fun and I think they enjoy being around a grandmotherly figure, too."
Sabean is part of a group of volunteers, whom the children - all between the ages of five and seven - call the Groovy Grammies.
Along with the rewarding experience of sharing her love of literature, Sabean said she also enjoys spending time with the other volunteers, who share many of the same interests.
The Reading Buddies program nurtures children's developing literacy skills and provides an opportunity for seniors to continue to contribute their knowledge to the community, said Sally Crawford, co-ordinator of the Reading Buddies program.
Frontier College provides materials, transportation, training and support to the volunteers. The YMCA supplies the space and contributes backup supervision of the children, who are part of the Y's after-school program. Crawford borrows the books they use from week to week from the Fredericton Public Library.
"On the surface, this all seems straightforward and low-tech, with the volunteers reading to the students for an hour a week, but really, it's so much more. There's an intergenerational connection there. It's all about the stories and the conversations," said Crawford.
"These children, who live in a busy world filled with technology, computers and iPods, they can still be entranced by storytelling. Their imaginations are unbelievable and a program like this fosters that. The volunteers and the children learn so much from each other. Sometimes we forget that the simplest things can be the most effective."
Deborah Campbell, New Brunswick co-ordinator for Frontier College, developed the Reading Buddies program last year.
"It's enriching to share your love of reading with others," said Campbell.
"Families are so mobile now and many children aren't able to have that day-to-day relationship with their grandparents anymore. It's often more of a long-distance situation. This program helps the children develop a special bond with seniors, along with nurturing their love of literature."
Campbell said at Frontier College they believe that literacy is a fundamental right for everyone.
"For us, literacy is about building a relationship with a learner and supporting what they can do," said Campbell.
"It's also about self-confidence, being creative and being able to express ideas and what's in your heart. The programs we have - programs like the Reading Buddies program - help encourage that."
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