For the last two years I have been cooking breakfast for pre-teens before school on Wednesdays. It’s not much of a volunteer outreach but it helps kids who feel forgotten a little and since there are over 200 children at this school it has allowed me to meet and interact with so many of them. It’s nice to send them off to class after a good breakfast with a reciprocal smile. Many of them say ‘thank you’ but I usually feel like I’m the one who should be thanking them! It’s a pleasure to be a part of their day.
This is all part of the food for learning program (not sure if that’s the exact name) in Ontario Canada.
Lately however I’ve been feeling ‘called’ to the local high school. I understand there are many teens there who can’t read past a grade 2 level. Since reading and writing are so near and dear to me, it distresses me that any of us (parents, teachers, as well as the community at large) could allow children to get to Grades 9 and up without having the ability to read and write!
I’m not sure what’s involved in teaching teens to read. Perhaps it’s nothing more than just spending time listening to them practice reading, but I’m going to switch my focus from food to books next year.
These kids are the future of our countries. It serves us well to serve them now. I do wish I’d learned that earlier in life when I had more time and energy.
