Mentoring Gifted Readers

My work as a learning support coordinator gives me the opportunity to encourage both struggling and gifted readers and writers.  The arc of my work keeps me on my toes and makes me reflect on what moves I can make to push my students forward.  What arrows or breadcrumbs am I laying down?  The first thing I do when working with students is to listen to them and give them space for them to tell me who they are. As Parker Palmer says, “Teaching is a daily exercise in vulnerability.”  Sharing my struggles and successes with students help them to take a risk and share what is easy and difficult for them.  Then, together we plan next steps to reach our goals.  This is true for students who have learning challenges and for students who find academics easy and are gifted learners.

Three years ago,  I worked with Lily, a  gifted girl who was in the 1^st grade and read at the 4th grade level.  We read two books in the Paddington series:  A Bear Called Paddington and Paddington Abroad.  She loved them!  It was hard to find books for a gifted 1^st grade reader that would support both her intellectual and emotional growth.  A Peruvian bear dressed in a funny hat who gets into all kinds of trouble was just the ticket.  After reading the books, Lily wrote a sequel.  She chose to write Paddington in China because she knew a lot about living in China.  She dictated the story to me as I typed.  Her choice of vocabulary was amazing, and her style of writing showed just how much attention she gave to author’s craft. Lily is a deep thinker.  I asked her to write a bit on her own when we were not meeting together.  When I looked at her work, I found this portion:

Lily’s first grade writing showed her incredible use of language and agility with dialogue.  What surprised me was her use of a semi-colon. I asked Lily who taught her how to use a semi-colon.  She said, “I read a lot, and I noticed authors using that mark when they had two sentences and wanted to put them together.  It can be used instead of and.”  I chuckled.  I told her that she was indeed correct.  Then she asked me what the mark was called. I told her it was a semi-colon.  I am in awe of not only how much Lily can retain, but of how much she can figure out all by herself. 

This spring, I found myself working with another precocious reader, Sarah. Sarah is a five-year-old PreK student reading at the 4^th grade level.  As she wrote answers to comprehension questions, I noticed she was left-handed. I asked her about that, and she said, “I am left-handed, but I write fancy with my right hand.”  Then she proceeded to write in cursive with her right hand.  I asked her who taught her cursive, and she said, “I saw it on a placemat in a restaurant, and so I copied it and remembered the letters.”  She did indeed!  This type of out-of-the-box thinking reminded me of my work with Lily three years before, and I wanted to find a way to get these curious readers together.

Lily is now in 4^th grade, and she continues to read and write far above her grade level.  She is still self-motivated and curious.  Last week, I asked Lily if she would like to read her Paddington story to Sarah.  I told Lily that Sarah was also a language lover who is curious about the world.  I thought it would help Sarah to meet Lily and see what she had written when she was in 1^st grade. 

I sat down with the girls on either side of me and I showed them Lily’s Paddington in China story, which was written as a slideshow. Lily started to read each slide and Sarah sat and listened attentively.  Then she asked if she could have a turn reading.  I let Sarah read the next slide.  Lily’s reaction was priceless.  She stared in amazement at Sarah and then looked at me with a surprised expression.  I laughed and nodded my head, “I told you that she was an amazing reader.”  And Sarah is an amazing reader.  She reads fluently and with expression.  She remembers what she reads and knows most vocabulary words.  I have not stumped her yet!  It is excited for me to see how she learns best.  I am always trying to figure out the next step to keep her going.  Sometimes, I have to remind myself that I don’t have to be in control, I can sit back and observe.

My plan was for Lily to finish her Paddington chapter book on her own.  And then we would meet in a few weeks to share again. In the meanwhile, Sarah would write a story for Lily with my typing help.  However, children often have their own plans. Lily stopped me in the hallway one day and asked if she could meet with Sarah every week.  She wanted to write the story with Hannah.  I told her I would find a way in our schedules to do that.  This is a mentorship I want to nourish and see bloom!