Reading College parent sees 180° change in son’s outlook

“My son has struggled a bit with reading even though we work on it at home. He comes home and is either tired or simply doesn’t want to work on more school stuff, but this program is based more on play and different ways of learning, and is a happier balance of all these methods,” believes Harach. “It’s building a deeper foundation in his mind, enabling him to retain more. Seeing him grow and what he’s learned in just 10 of the 20 days so far is incredible to see.”

Harach admits he too had a tough time with reading as a young boy, and would get frustrated.

“Seeing him excited to come here, waking him up and there’s no fuss to get going, it’s very emotionally moving,” he adds, noting Atlas can now be a reading role model for his younger siblings.

“Knowing he’ll have a greater chance at success because he has a stronger foundation to build upon, it means everything to me.”

Kristine Plastow, Foundation chair, says the link between literacy success at this age and when kids are older is clear.

“One of the things we know from research is if students leave Grade 2 not being able to read very well, their chances of success, as far as graduation, and life after high school, are decreased,” she says. “Students really love the way Reading College is structured, and the success we know they’ll more likely now have is huge.”

Reading College is free to families whose children are participating. Students are usually nominated by a teacher towards the end of the school year.

Plastow says the Foundation is looking into funding to conduct long-term research related to the impacts of Reading College, as its first participants have been graduating high school over the last couple years.

by Josh Hall (Twitter: @Vancan19)

Reading College parent sees 180° change in son’s outlook

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