ROC Reading Partners

Offered through the Warner School of Education in partnership with the Center for Community Engagement at the University of Rochester, St. John Fisher University and Spiritus Christi Church, ROC Reading Partners is a novel literacy initiative that builds on the strong foundation of the Buddy Readers Program, offered for many years to Rochester families for free. ROC Reading Partners, led by Warner School faculty, is a remote evening reading program that brings together adult volunteers with Rochester city school students in grades K-6 to engage the young readers in quality literacy instruction and activities from their homes for an hour each week.

Volunteers lead the interactive sessions, running Monday through Thursday evenings throughout the school year, to enhance students’ literacy skills and boost their confidence and reading potential.  Warner School faculty and graduate students, who are studying to become elementary teachers and literacy specialists, develop an innovative, culturally responsive curriculum for volunteers to use during literacy sessions with students driven by their interests. Engaging in small groups of two to three children allows the volunteers to build strong connections with students and empower young readers.

ROC Reading Partners also includes a robust research component that looks more closely at family engagement and curriculum development tied to the literacy initiative. For more information, email RocReading@warner.rochester.edu