SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WAND) — Administrators and teachers at District 186 have seen a split in the reading levels of boys and girls in their schools.
However, they hope a new program will help bridge the gap. With the Real Men Read program, male volunteers visit third grade classrooms and read books to students.
“We meet with the kids four times, once a month over the next two quarters, and we’ll read them a book, whether it be a whole book or a portion of a chapter book,” said Caleb Leach, a District 186 dad and volunteer reader. “We’ll also have some questions laid out for them … and then the kids will also go home with that book as well.”
Leach said it’s also important to make sure that kids have positive and consistent role models as well. He says the fact that each classroom has the same reader multiple times helps them connect with their volunteer as well.
“More girls and women are readers than men and boys,” said Nathan Kochanowski, the principal at Dubois Elementary school. “In particular, most of the employees in an elementary are typically women. So it’s really about exposure, seeing guys that are successful in our community reading and contributing and being a good role model for our boys.”
The readers all get the book in advance and a chance to think of questions that they can ask students. Kochanowski says third grade is a crucial point because it’s when students start to get better at reading and jump into chapter books.
“I hope they get a better understanding and love for reading and this makes them want to dive into a book,” said Leach.
In total, nearly 1000 third graders will benefit from this program and nearly 50 men have volunteered.
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