Carteret Partnership for Children recently received a $3,000.00 grant from International Paper to fund our Read Men Read Initiative. Real Men Read is a volunteer-driven program that will bring gentlemen or "MENtors" from the community into Pre-K and kindergarten classrooms to read. Four different books will be selected to be read over the course of the year, with students receiving a copy of the book to take home and share with their families as well as to begin building their own home libraries.
The intangible benefits of the program are even greater. Since men tend to be seen as less involved in early education, spending time sharing books with a male role model allows children to connect with the world of reading in a new and special way.
Preschool and kindergarten are great access points for the introduction of early literacy skills.....skills that are needed for school readiness.
For children who do not come from literacy-rich homes, it may be their first substantial exposure to the building blocks of reading. But no matter their background, all children benefit from following along with an interactive reader, and they enjoy spending time with a fun, caring, consistent classroom visitor.