Aliant Pioneer volunteers promote healthy self-concept through literacy

Published on June 16th, 2008

Published on January 31st, 2010

By Karla Kelly FOR THE DIGBY COURIER

Members of the Aliant Pioneer Scallop Club of Digby read one-on-one with grade 1 students at Weymouth Consolidated School last week in order to help promote a healthy self-concept in each child.

Students in English and French Immersion classes received a personalized copy of the book ‘I like Me’. The student’s name is in the book several times, along with two of their friends, teacher, principal and the school.

Aliant Pioneer volunteers buddied up with students for a shared reading time and a chance to interact with the youngsters. “I enjoy seeing the children’s enthusiasm, especially when they see the book is personalized just for them” said Scallop Club member Audrey MacDonald. “It encourages them to become life-long readers.”

Several of the volunteers are retired teachers and it puts them into a familiar setting. “I enjoy the interaction with the children,” said retired teacher Betty Woodman.

Vice-principal and grade 1 teacher Gail Comeau was pleased with the students’ responses to receiving the books and their time with the volunteers. “Students were excited about their new books and responded well to having a shared reading time with an older person,” she said. “It was just like having a grandparent sit down to read and talk with the children.”

Books are given to grade 1 students in Annapolis, Digby, Digby Neck, Islands, Barton and Weymouth along with four elementary schools in Clare. “The books are in English and French and the Scallop Club hands out 260 books locally,” said Betty Rice, an Aliant Pioneer volunteer. “It is a great book and suitable for this grade level.”

The purpose of the book is to help build a healthy self-concept through literacy, develop early reading skills and to show students that learning can be fun explained Rice. “Students are shown that they can be important, successful young citizens,” she said.

The Scallop Club is one of many Aliant Pioneer clubs across Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island and the book ‘I Like Me” is just one of several projects funded by Aliant.