Greetings Oasis Reading Mentors!
Welcome to our first Monday Mentor blog from the secluded confines of my living room.
We are currently bombarded with news on COVID-19, so I will not be sharing any new information. We all ended our mentoring sessions rather abruptly, so naturally we are missing and wondering about our students. The plan is to hopefully see them again in the fall – whether you continue to mentor them in scheduled sessions or simply a quick “high-five” in the hallway. We do know their teachers and administrators are doing their best to continue instruction via television, internet and some handouts.
This is our current “new normal!” What we can do to get ready for the big return is simple:
- Stay healthy – we want to start mentoring as soon as scheduling permits
- Review our Oasis literacy approach – remember that nifty handbook we were given at training? Dust it off!
- Open our minds to add different books and activities depending on our student – some in our handbook, some online, some from training
- Be ready to visit the Oasis resource room when we re-open for mentoring booklets and exciting new book titles
- If you have made connections with other Oasis volunteers, this is a good time to reach out and stay in touch by phone or email
- Stay positive that this too shall pass!
Invite others
Please consider referring a friend, previous co-worker, family member or bridge/mahjong partner to join our team. We know that with the reduced school year, the districts will request volunteers to assist with reading mentoring both one-on-one and in the classroom. Annually, we look to train 100 new volunteers and we are always in recruiting mode. With all of you returning in the fall, we should be over 450 strong!
Just for fun
So for your enjoyment and of course, thinking outside the box, attached are a couple links for you to try.
If you are interested in bird cams – I find them quite calming- here is a link. https://www.allaboutbirds.org/news/
If you would prefer a little upbeat music – perhaps some Doodling with Beethoven.
And finally, if you are more adventuresome, there is a link to download Zoom if you are planning to meet with family/friends or I would suggest trying some of the new online courses at Oasis. www.oasisabq.org
How to get started with Zoom
https://www.techrepublic.com/article/how-to-get-started-with-zooms-apps-for-ios-and-android/
Thank you to each of you for remaining on the team and committing to mentoring in the fall.
I frequently remind you not to spend extra money in preparation for your sessions, but to remember you are the gift. During these trying times, I am thankful to know I work with such passionate, considerate, empathetic, flexible, funny people. Of course, this is my first attempt at blogging – it is definitely not as easy as young people make it appear.
Please take a moment and share any thoughts or ideas in the comment section below. I am also looking for blogging ideas moving forward.
Stay tuned and be well.
Vicki
Thanks for the uplifting message.
Looking out my window I see big, fat, lazy snowflakes drifting down and melting on the ground. Happy Springtime in ABQ.
Vicki, good job on your first Vlogging attempt! It’s always good to see your smiling face. Thanks for caring for us and staying in touch.
Yes, you are right Vicki. I am wondering about my student all the time. Her teacher was hoping to have her evaluated for some additional services. I had just begun to introduce her to some different types of books. She was really enjoying the graphic adventure book. My student is of that silent almost reticent speakers so I know little about her. I tried for some closure by mailing the book we were working on. Each month we had an entry about something she enjoyed. I ended our part, be writing in it before mailing. I wrote down some rules about Covid19 protection that she would be able to read independently. I addressed it to the Principal of her school and crossed my fingers.
And thank you, Vicki for this original way of staying connected. Johanna Ash
Vicki,
Thanks for the message and for your commitment to spreading the joy of reading. I miss my students who were making such wonderful progress. I hope and pray they are reading to their parents as they read to me. I wonder whether there will be an opportunity to help them catch up in the fall. Blessings always!
Nice to see your smiling face, Vicki! Yes, both Dan and I are really missing and concerned about our students as well as the staff at Hodgin ES. We didn’t realize how much a part of our lives they all were until now. This ‘blogging’ is a new experience for me so you can take pride in making me take my first plunge into it!!! Talk to you again soon.
It was great to see your smiling face, Vicki! Thank you for the cheerful message and for the amazing Beethoven video.
Nice to see your smiling face again. I very much enjoyed the bird watching link and will keep that one for future calming. I am sad like probably many others to have my time with my young student cut short, but fortunately we had exchanged contact information and I’ll drop her a little card to encourage she continue her reading.
Sorry I missed your call. Doing some important sleeping! Glad you are connecting with us. It was strange to have no closure with my student. Hope I will get to see her in the fall to at least give her the journal she did and other work we did together. Have a good day. Baby it looks cold outside!????
Thanks for reaching out to us. It is difficult to have our school year and our tutoring time interrupted. I was wondering if we could tutor using Facetime or some other media to continue reading and doing activities. I was going to contact my teachers to see if that could be arranged. What do you think?
Hi All! Thank you so very much for going on this Vlogging journey with me.
We all miss our students and want to continue our positive impact by volunteering/connecting in some form.
Please go ahead and contact the teacher to see if there is a format they would prefer you utilize as any connection with the student must be monitored by the teacher. Some volunteers have mentioned using Zoom to read the same books together or writing letters or preparing packets. Again, please go through the teacher for confirmation. I understand that Zoom has had some “bombing” instances, so I question the safety with a student. I think if there is some Face time it needs to have a 3rd party monitor for both the safety of the student and you. APS began their broadcasting on television today and also the district is distributing tablets to families for their online learning – which they can monitor.
We are in communication with APS volunteer administration to see if they have ideas/protocol that we can use moving forward to connect with students. As soon as I hear something definite, I will share. I have not “met” with Belen, Bernalillo or Rio Rancho as of yet – don’t think I am forgetting those districts- I just think that since we have more schools with APS it might be easier to start the conversation with them.
In the interim, I hope you are reading good books too!
Stay safe and well,
Vicki
Vicki, it was nice to hear from you & keeping us up to date on what is happening. This communication is new to me but I think it will be very helpful. I have been thinking about my student ever since the school closed and wondering how she is doing & if she is reading any good books. Look forward to future connections. Love the Beethoven video.
Great job on your first blog attempt!! Loved the videos too! Thanks for doing this to stay connected!
Hi Vicki, it’s great to hear from you! You did an excellent job in putting this together. You are right….. I miss my two students!! I hope that they continue to progress in their reading and all life skills. Anyway, I just wanted to say take care of yourself Vicki and your family!! We will get back to what we had before…..it’s just going to take time…
HI Vicki, So wonderful to see your beautiful smiling face! It was hard to not have closure with my student. I asked her teacher if she would be willing to ask the parents about my emailing with her. The teacher shared my information, but I haven’t heard back. I’m hoping she’s busy doing her schoolwork and reading! I’m in a routine of walking daily with my husband, cooking more, reading, practicing ukulele, washing off our groceries from the online pickup, and talking to friends and family. We’ve also zoomed with our daughters and got to see our grandson in Texas! I sure miss doing more social activities and volunteering with my student and at your office! Be well and thanks for your uplifting comments. Elyse Frumkin
I enjoyed reading your message, and look forward to returning to school soon.
Thanks Vicki – a stellar success at “Vilogging.”
How interesting and entertaining, Vicki! I loved the music, hearing your voice and seeing your smiling face! My student was so excited about his upcoming 8th birthday, on May 1st! I contacted his teacher who provided his for me to mail him a card and some Oasis materials!
I look forward to the time we can start up again! Thank you for caring so much and reaching out to us!
Peace,
Clayta Campbell