Volunteer Resources

External Resources

These external resources provide volunteers with suggestions for engaging and supporting young readers. 

• Academy of American Poets provides online resources to help introduce poetry to the classroom. You can find poetry lessons, poems for kids, poetry terms, and many more resources.  

• Boston Public Schools offers resources such as book lists by grade level as well as articles on the importance of reading aloud. Specific suggestions can be found on these pages: Book Reading Lists | Family Reading Resources

• Cambridge School Volunteers is a non-profit organization that supports the scholastic and personal success of Cambridge Public School Students. Cambridge School Volunteers provide free after-school tutoring, as well as volunteer opportunities inside the classroom, and even college career mentoring.  

• Florida Center for Reading Research Resources offers information and resources related to literacy instruction for children in Pre-K through fifth grade. This includes a number of classroom activities developed by teachers that can empower volunteers with the skills and knowledge for effective tutoring.  

• Literacy Holiday Calendar Throughout the year, there are holidays like Poem In Your Pocket Day and Read Across America Day celebrating Dr. Seuss’ birthday. This calendar offers varying ideas of themes for reading throughout the year.

• Wondermore believes that literacy changes lives. They are an organization focused solely on promoting a love for reading throughout students in underserved Boston Public Schools. Wonder more brings authors and illustrators into elementary classrooms for read aloud and presentations to further propel children’s creativity.  

GBJCL Tips and Tidbits

Below you will find an array of volunteer tips and tidbits ranging from how to develop a successful relationship with students to how to navigate our social media platforms. Included in this section is a New Team Leader Manual that can be used as a guide for Team Leaders. A Closure Template is included as an activity tutors can work on with students to close out their year together. 

• New Team Leader Manual
• End of Year Closure Preparation
• End of Year Closure Activity
  
• How to Access GBJCL’s Pinterest page 
• Reading Aloud
• Relationship Building Volunteer Training Activity