Teach 36 children with limited English to read

           The students in our Penndco Literacy Master Map Program continue to develop as confident readers who enjoy, understand and grow emotionally and academically through reading. Our activities are for serious students to hone their literary skills. Although goals are serious, our experiences are fun.

            Our spring semester book is Peter Pan, the original novel by J.M. Barrie.  We can all relate to the mischievous boy who can fly and never grows up.  Maybe Peter Pan refuses to grow up; maybe he is unable to grow up.  For Mother’s Day, each student wrote a poem to the Mother s/he has unlike Peter Pan who has none. The profound themes are deep and personal.  As we read about him, we speculate on what is never-ending about our own childhood and how each of us has so many adventures within the small island of our own mind. We realize that books are like ships: through them we can travel far and wide.

            Each of our literacy master students has become the captain of his/her own fate.  As they read Peter Pan, each one is a “pirate captain” collecting “booty” in the form of vocabulary and syntax, images and style to save for future reading and writing adventures.  Each student is a “pirate captain” and commands his/her own ship.  There is respect for the other captains in the world of our class. No one is bullied; now one is “forced to walk the plank.”  In our class, we all ride the high seas of literacy adventure in a mutually supportive way. All for one and one for all!

            In reading this novel, both in class and independently at home, the students have already gained more vocabulary items than Tinker Bell’s number of fairies.  Our weekly classes are full of comprehension, recall and structured writing exercises to stimulate higher level thinking skills.  Like pixie dust, our meetings sparkle. And, most importantly, each week, each “captain” experiences the thrill of being transported to Neverland as s/he meets Wendy and her siblings, Peter Pan and his band of Lost Boys, Tinker Bell, and Captain Hook while becoming stronger readers and writers.

            Joyful weekly classes promote joyful reading experiences at home and culminate in students who are strengthening their literacy skills and emotional growth.  Our literacy skills are as good as Peter Pans swordsmanship skills!

            On a personal note, the instructor, Claire Green, is a reading and adventure specialist who creates a “treasure map” for our weekly gathering with our Penndco Literacy Master Map Program readers.  She is impressed by the young “pirate captains” and the treasure of remarkable families who proudly encourage them to “set sail” for excellence and adventurous literacy skills.

            Our special Thank You is following to all our Donors who support us and our children!