On Saturday, November 7th, nearly 50 Reading Seed coaches filled the rooms at Literacy Connects for Super Saturday, a day devoted to professional development for our volunteers. Coaches spent the morning attending sessions, experiencing some new strategies, meeting their peers, and getting some new ideas for coaching. The rooms were filled with laughter as staff and coaches engaged in learning from and with each other.
A variety of sessions were presented by current coaches, as well as a number of Literacy Connects staff from several different programs. Sessions included techniques for correcting readers, ideas for working with English language learners, different ways to use wordless books, ways for coaches to engage in The Big Read, and some Rock Star Read-Alouds. Nancy Siner, one of our Adult Basic Literacy Program Coordinators, presented a session on using wordless books. Coaches spoke highly of the sessions and how fun and enjoyable they were. Some took away new ideas for fun ways to read to their students. Others relished the atmosphere of fun and humor in all the sessions.
Adding to the fun, the perfect weather allowed us to use the courtyard for some sessions and a beautiful lunch donated by Chick-fil-A. As Jessica Dennes, Reading Seed Volunteer Manager and Trainer noted, it was wonderful to see Literacy Connects staff mingling with and getting to know our coaches. The day was best summed up by coach Marty Warner who said, “I never knew learning could be so much fun!” Super Saturday lived up to its name!
