Volunteer: Inspire Bed-Stuy Kids to Love Reading

Behind_the_Book

Behind the Book is a non-profit children's literacy organization that inspires New York City public school students to love reading. We bring accomplished authors into pre-K-12th grade classrooms in high-needs communities, where they guide students in creating their own writing and art projects based on the theme of the author's book. Our innovative programs, which are part of the class curricula and meet Common Core Learning Standards, have a successful record of improving literacy skills and creating engaged readers at schools around the city.

You need no experience or training to volunteer as a writing or research coach, art assistant, or in other active roles to engage and encourage students as they work. Classroom sessions run less than 2 hours on a school day. Creativity and fun are part of every session!

To volunteer for one or both of these sessions at a Bed-Stuy school, or for more information, please reply to [email protected]: 

Program EAZE606

Book/Author: Bird by Zetta Elliott

Volunteer Role: Writing Coach

Date/Time: Friday, June 3rd from 12:10 – 1:40 PM

Overview: Students read this story about a boy who struggles to understand the death of  his beloved grandfather and his older brother’s dying from drug addiction. The seventh-graders wrote short fictionalized accounts of a real-life experience with loss of their own. Volunteers will work with them to produce second drafts of their stories.

Program EAJF531

Author/Book A Song for Bijou by Josh Farrar

Volunteer Role: Writing Coach

Date/Time: Tuesday, June 7th from 11:20 AM – 12:50 PM

Overview: A sixth-grade class at this all-boys school read a romance about a Brooklyn kid who also attends an all-boys school, and meets a girl recently arrived from Haiti. The students wrote short stories based on people they know in real life, using character profiles they created with the author. Volunteers will assist them in developing second drafts of their work.

To join our volunteer team and receive announcements of new volunteer opportunities, please complete our brief questionnaire. You can also find more volunteer opportunities on our site.