“Real Men Read” at Savannah Grove Savannah Grove Elementary School’s “Real Men Read” Progra m is a childhood literacy enhancement program. “Real Men Read,” now in year two, encourages professional men through out the school and F1S community to read to students attending Savannah Grove. Fraternities and school personnel, including administrators, teachers, and custodial staff, along with fathers and other relatives of students also volunteer to read. The “Real Men Read” Program continually serves as a foundational initiator of business partnerships. The idea for this program came from a nationwide, nonprofit reading program, “Real Men Read,” for the purpose of assisting elementary school-aged children in developing their reading/literacy skills. Research shows that spotlighting men reading encourages reluctant readers, especially boys, and confirms that men read all the time. Once a month, professional men from our community and surrounding areas serve as readers to classes in grades K6. Our Literacy Coach personally contacts and assigns a male reader to each of our 33 classrooms to ensure that each of our students experiences the reading and collaborative conversations led by our male readers. Upon their arrival to read, RMR volunteer readers are served a light breakfast prior to being escorted to their assigned reading posts by a Savannah Grove Elementary School student safety patrol member. Readers then select their book or books from an array of displayed books. These fiction and non-fiction genres range from children’s literature, comics, picture books, mystery, fantasy, and fairy tales, to biographies, self -reflective prints and memoirs. Providing a wealth of orally shared genres is strategic in portraying reading as a privilege versus a punitive action. This program provides positive reading role models and emphasizes to students that adults value reading. Several of our RMR volunteer readers also serve as mentors for Savannah Grove Elementary School’s male students. These men graciously give of their time and resources to male students, serving as advocates for successful student growth and development. Savannah Grove Elementary School has modified its “Real Men Read” Program to include SGE’s 6th grade boys also voluntarily reading to classes. In keeping with South Carolina ELA/Reading & Writing Standards, “Real Men Read” seeks to develop student’s oral presentation skills and to provide positive reading attitudes and habits that lend to comprehensive, selfmotivated reading. Students complete and submit a RMR Student Volunteer Reader Form to SGE’s Literacy Coach. Books for student readers to select from are provided well in advance of RMR events, giving students the opportunity to be well acquainted with their book choices. These students also conduct follow-up collaborative conversations with classes to include Question & Answer time at the end of their shared reading. Savannah Grove Elementary School will host its next “Real Men Read” event Friday, March 22, 2019 beginning at 7:30am. For further information or to volunteer to serve as a reader, please contact SGE’s Literacy Coach, Carrie Simmons at 843-2692575, 843-664-8463 or carrie.simmons@fsd1.org.
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