Reading Buddies at Maplewood Manor....with a *Twist*

You may have read it before, how a few of my students and I volunteer once a month at a local nursing home. Maplewood Manor is a 15-minute walk from our school. We go and we read with the residents there. The books we read come from our class library. This month, and last, we wanted to do something slightly different. Last month, the students invited classmates who had never gone with us before. Many are interested until it's the day of the experience, it's nice outside, and they realize that it's an after school trip. It's cool though. Nevertheless, we did have a few students go. We go whether there are ten of us or two!

This month, instead of reading other people's stories to the residents, we decided to take notes in order to write their stories! #Biographyflow

The experience was a great one for all of US!! I gave them a 2-minute crash course on how to approach the residents with this request once we arrived. Once we got started, we were off to the races! They were taking notes and learning quite a bit about today's reading buddy (the buddies change every month depending on what's going on).

When it was time to go, we....yes, WE did not really want to. I found myself learning quite a bit about Mr. F. Williams, a gentlemen from the Georgia countryside who apparently makes a sweet potato pie that'll make you want to slap yo momma! (insert *smile* here)

As we were packing up to leave, the kids were excited to pop off with the "Did you know?" questions. "Did you know Mr. ____ was in the army and fought in _____? He also has the last name of my grandpop who died." "Did you know Mr. ____ was born in Jamaica and traveled all over the world?" One resident wanted us to stay much longer. "Sir, I cannot possibly tell you all my life in a few minutes! I have so much more to say! How about I write down my story and have it for you the next time you come?"

Our goal is to take what we did learn, create mini-biographies and bring them back with us when we return in June. We want to read to them, their stories. How 'bout that?!?

"We write for audiences, not bulletin boards!" ~Mr. Flemming