Toni Hanson puts on a telephone headset and pages through a bag of books, choosing one to read over the phone to her mentor.
At the other end of the phone line, June Persons reaches for the same book and listens as 10-year-old Toni reads the story.
They spend about an hour together on the phone. And along the way they became friends. It is a relationship Paulette Buck wants to see re-created at least 10 times.
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'I just started last night and I had a good time. I'm waiting for her to call tonight.' -- Matt Woodman Baxter student
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Buck, Baxter Elementary School teacher, received a $2,839 classroom grant to help implement a telephone reading program that matches second-grade students with senior citizen mentors. The program, funded through the Education Minnesota Foundation for Excellence in Teaching and Learning, is designed to improve reading speed and word recognition for students as they read stories over the phone to volunteer mentors.
Now what Buck needs are volunteers willing to listen to a child read and be matched with students currently waiting to take part in the program.
The program matches students who are struggling with reading with mentors. Students are given the headsets and a bag of books. Using the phone connection, students read to mentors every night or several times a week.
"I really love it," Persons said of her volunteer efforts. "Toni is utterly delightful. We've become good friends."
Throughout the summer, Toni read to Persons four times a week.
Toni, a shy blonde with a contagious giggle and smile, said she looks forward to the reading calls.
"It's just fun," she said. Toni picks out the story to read.
"We like the animal ones," Persons said.
Mentors receive a sheet with advice on how to help their student readers through difficult spots. They listen to the entire sentence and if a word is missed they cue the student to try it one more time. If students have trouble with a new word, they are encouraged to look at the first three letters and try again. The idea is to gently help the second-graders, but to try to let the students get it themselves.
"She just needed confidence," Persons said of Toni. "I think she's unusual, but then I think I fell in love with her. ... I think the program is wonderful. I would recommend it to anyone."
Toni's mother, Valeri Hanson, agreed the program was a good one, especially for working parents.
"It gave Toni an opportunity to really further her reading through the summer," Hanson said, adding the benefits came with her daughter's confidence and reading in front of others.
Matt Woodman, 8, could fill in for Harry Potter in a pinch with his round glasses and serious expression. Matt started reading to his mentor -- for 20 minutes a day -- just last week.
"I think it will be better because I can do better at reading," he said. Stories with Wishbone the dog are a favorite. "I just started last night and I had a good time. I'm waiting for her to call tonight."
Last Wednesday, Persons stood outside the Baxter classroom waiting to meet her new reading partner -- Michael. They talked about their families for a few moments, his siblings and Persons' sons and started to get to know each other.
Buck handed Michael a headset and told him the bag of books would be ready by the end of the day.
"Anyway, Michael," Persons said, "it's going to be fun."
For more information about the reading program, call Baxter Elementary School at 829-9161.
