Zoom Drop In Reminder

The next drop in will be Wed, Dec 10 | 9–10am

Ask questions from your early weeks of session, get coaching tips and advice, and share ideas and challenges with other volunteers!

https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81899806046

Coach Observations

Continuing to Support Our Coaches

Literations observes coaches throughout the year so we can understand what’s working and where we may need to provide additional support and training for coaches. The stronger and more confident our coaches are in delivering our program, the stronger and more confident our students will become in their reading.

Our observations help make Literations an even better experience for both our coaches and students.

Team leaders and program staff will begin observing coaches (focusing on first-year volunteers first and returning volunteers next) in December and January. Please have a look at the observation form to see what team leaders will be observing and discussing with you. As you will see, the form follows our 30-minute structured session and provides opportunities for coaches to share what they need to feel confident and successful. 

Coach Observation Form

Upcoming Trainings

• Save the Date: Winter Workshop: — Fri Jan 9 | 10am
• A presentation on how to best support English Learners and how to respond to off-task student behavior and lack of engagement.
• Submit questions for presenters by this Friday (12/12) here

• Hub Office Hours — Every Friday | 1–2pm
• Got questions about logging in, session entry, or timesheets? Drop in for live support. Zoom info can be found under Timesheets and Session Entry on the Link!

• LC Zoom Drop-Ins: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/81899806046
• Ask questions from your early weeks of sessions
• Get coaching tips and advice
• Share ideas and challenges with other volunteers
• Dates:
• Wed, Dec 10 | 9–10am
• Tues, Jan 13 | 12–1pm

Online Resources

Remember — our Training Library is always open! As you get started, you might find this Sample Fluency Session video especially helpful for a quick refresher on running a 30-minute session. And for even more resources, visit the Literations Training Library anytime for videos, FAQs, and guides.

School Calendar Notices

Winter Recess: December 22 - January 2

Boston Public School Calendar

Chelsea Public School Calendar

Framingham Public School Calendar

And for ideas with what to do with your time off, check out this Holiday Fun & Food Resources! page on the Link!

Time Sheet Updates

We've made a few updates to how we're asking you to record your timesheets. This is more geared towards STLs and SOAs.

• Direct Time (for all Coaches, STLs, and SOAs) auto populated from session entry. No changes to submission process.
• Prep Time (for ONLY STLs and SOAs) should be recorded under this category which includes all service time outside of session time.
• NO Training Time needs to be submitted by anyone.

Gift Giving

While the holidays can be a time for gift-giving in many cultures, we ask that our volunteers refrain from giving gifts to their students. As an organization, we provide books throughout the year to our in-person students and have in past years provided end-of-year gift bags to all the students we serve. This ensures consistency across all our program sites and avoids creating any unintended inequities or misunderstandings.

We have a gift-giving policy in the Literations Volunteer Handbook (pg 32) you can refer to with your teams, site team leader, and program staff for discussion if your team is interested in potential gift-giving at the end of the program year.

That said, we know the holidays are a meaningful time to connect with students. If you’d like, you’re welcome to give them a card with a simple, general message like “Happy Holidays.” This keeps things inclusive, since students and their families may celebrate different holidays—or none at all—this time of year.

Coaching Quick Tips

Celebrating Small Wins

You already know that reading progress happens one small step at a time. Here are some tips to make the most of celebrating those wins:

Notice the Little Things 👀 Did your student sound out a tricky word? Remember a word from last week? Read with more expression? Point it out! "I noticed you figured that word out all by yourself!"

Be Specific 🎯 Instead of just "good job," try "You remembered that 'ch' makes the /ch/ sound—that's great!" Specific praise helps students understand what they're doing well.

Celebrate Effort, Not Just Accuracy ✨ "I love how you tried different strategies when you got stuck" is just as important as celebrating correct answers.

End on a High Note 📚 Before wrapping up, remind your student of something they did well that day. Send them off feeling proud!