Minnesota Reading Corps at Work

Claudia teaches Basic Skills to 66 students each week, with 8 or 9 students coming into her classroom every half hour for class. In the past, Title I funding was used to hire educational assistants to work with Claudia and her high-need students. With a drop in the free and reduced lunch count at her school last year, the school lost Title I funding and the educational assistants. Claudia knew that an AmeriCorps Reading Corps member could help to fill this huge gap for her students if she could work intensively with that individual to teach them how to work in the classroom and be available to them to guide and provide feedback.

Sarah, a college graduate with a teaching degree, decided to dedicate a year of her life to national service through AmeriCorps. With on-site training from Claudia, Sarah quickly was able to apply her knowledge and training as a Reading Corps member directly into the classroom. Sarah works in the classroom, tutoring two students every half hour using the Reading Corps methods and assessment tools. “It’s like the students are getting a private tutor every single day,” reports Claudia. When asked if Reading Corps students are making noticeable progress three months into the school year, Claudia says, “Absolutely!” And Sarah knows that her efforts are benefiting the community she grew up in. As a matter of fact, Claudia and Sarah discovered that their family homes are on the same block and Claudia knows Sarah’s parents.

Claudia, who will retire from teaching after this school year, has much to offer Sarah, and knows that her investment of time and training is paying off for her students. “I’ve worked long enough to know what works with students” offers Claudia “and Minnesota Reading Corps works optimally when the members have a staff person that they can work closely with.”

~ Sarah, 2006-07