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Looking for mentors! Awaken the joy of reading together in the Bamberg district
The new school year starts in the Bamberg district with a focus on reading promotion through the MENTOR association. Volunteer mentors support children in their reading skills.
Looking for mentors! Awaken the joy of reading together in the Bamberg district
Nowadays, the reading skills of children and young people in Germany are heavily criticized. In her editorial, Birgit Müller-Bardorff points out a worrying problem: around one in four primary school children cannot read sensually at the end of fourth grade, and this also applies to the Bamberg region. A worrying situation that requires action. This is exactly where the association “MENTOR – The Reading Learning Helpers District of Bamberg e.V.” which recently celebrated its fifth anniversary.
With over 150 committed volunteers, the association specifically supports children and young people in the district. The concept is simple but effective: a mentor accompanies a child once a week for at least a year. The focus is on the joy of reading, without any pressure to perform. This is particularly important because many children have had negative experiences at school.
Individual support and personal bonds
The personal relationship between mentor and child is crucial for motivation and reading pleasure. Mentors help children read at their own pace and select texts together. This individual support is particularly important because many students often do not have a place to retreat to study undisturbed. As the Mentor Bundesverband also states, there is a lack of sufficient individual support, while teachers at schools often have no capacity for it.
The importance of promoting reading in schools cannot be overestimated. Current PISA studies show that many children suffer from serious reading and language deficits. One in five 15-year-olds in Germany can barely read at primary school level. MENTOR not only improves children's reading skills, but also provides valuable support for schools. Through cooperation with primary and secondary schools in the Bamberg district, children who could benefit from the program are suggested, and the schools provide suitable rooms for reading hours.
Commitment to the future
The association is constantly looking for new volunteers who enjoy working with children and reading. No previous knowledge of pedagogy is necessary; All that matters is the desire to help. For anyone who is interested in becoming a reading mentor, all information and materials can be found on the website bildungsregion-bamberg.de/mentor.
In summary, it can be said that a combined commitment of volunteers, schools and society is necessary to sustainably increase the reading skills of the young generation. The way to get there is through individual support, positive reading experiences and, above all, through discovering the joy of reading together.