Yishun Reading Stars
Introduction
The Yishun Reading Stars (YRS) Programme is conducted at Yishun Students Care Service Centre every Friday. It consists of 7 sessions of fun and laughter where volunteers seek to help children who have difficulties reading or communicating in English. These children, who range from 7-11 years old, are referred by the Educational Psychologists from the Student Centre and have limited exposure to English in their home environment. YRS helps equip the children with some basic life skills such as how to interact positively with their peers, manage their emotions, and why each and every one of them is unique in their own special ways.
How are the sessions conducted
YRS carries out 7 sessions every academic semester. Each session is tailored to themes with a primary focus on promoting social interaction. We devote the first half of every 90 minute session to social interaction, where the children are taught skills such as teamwork, interacting with peers, and correct behaviours that they should follow.
YRS Regular Sessions - Social Circle Activities
The next half of the session is spent on Guided Reading, where volunteers attach themselves to a child and read a story to, or if possible, along with the kid. The focus is on helping the kid to improve his/her oral and reading comprehension of the story, so that the ultimate goal of independent learning through a love for reading may be achieved!
YRS Regular Sessions-Guided Reading
But there's much more to YRS!
Besides the regular sessions, we also organise outings such as to Hort Park, Sentosa, Changi Airport etc to let children have great fun outside and learn interesting things that they do not get to learn in school! At the end of every year, we will hold a fun packed camp for the children and volunteers!
YRS Outing to Changi Airport (September, 2010)
Come Join Us!
Where:
Yishun Students Care Service Centre
Blk. 202, Yishun Street 22, #01-89.
(Near Yishun MRT Station, opposite Yishun Golden Village Cinema)
When:
Sessions are held every Friday, from 7.30pm to 9.30pm
Contact:
Volunteer’s thoughts:
- Tracy Zhang
- Martin Tan
- Yishun Outing to Hort Park
- Yishun Reading Stars Consolidation Party 2009
- Science Centre Outing 2008
- Yishun Reading Stars Session 2008
- Tan Hong Seng - Chairperson
- Tan Hwee Kheng - Vice Chairperson
- Ang Li Xin - Secretary
- Tan Wee Kiang - Treasurer
- Zhang YanXin Tracy - Welfare/Publicity
- Goh Jing Xuan Daniel - Programmes
Having only considered joining a CCA in Year 2, I decided to engage in volunteering as I feel that it can directly impact the beneficiaries and it is meaningful to be able to contribute in whatever small ways we can to benefit those whom are less fortunate or in need of help. In a way it would be a brand new experience for me as I’ve not engaged in volunteering activities in the past.
Even though I just joined YRS when almost half the sessions have passed, I found the experience enriching and widen my perspective of society as a whole. By helping these children improve their interpersonal and learning skills, in a way it has given me a sense of satisfaction even though I may not have done a lot to help them. Watching them enjoying themselves in the fun activities that my fellow volunteers have painstakingly planned for them, it was indeed a pleasant feeling for me as I feel that the children do benefit from what we’ve done after all, and they do appreciate the volunteers’ effort.
Now that I’ve joined the committee for YRS, I hope to contribute in every way I can and give my best in whatever I can, to benefit the children in the long run.
Children are the brightest and liveliest things on Earth. With their innocent sparkling eyes and animated chatter, they’re some of the people you can easily hang out with without a dull moment. I thought YRS would be a breeze when I first signed up–playing games with the children, reading with them and making an overall difference in their lives.
Well, no one told me how gregarious some of these kids could be. Initially, while it was challenging to adapt to each child’s individual quirks to correct or cajole them, it was even more heartening to see the children improve their behaviour and reading skills through the weekly sessions. It is one of the beautiful compensations of life, that no one can sincerely help another without helping himself. I was surprised at the personal growth I gained as well simply by being around them and learning with them. Their words of encouragement for their friends and their joy at discovering something new about what’s around them are reminders for some of the attitudes we take for granted in our own lives.
There are days we really feel like we’ve sprouted more grey hairs, but seeing the children complete their course at the end is a measure of how much you’ve helped them to grow. So bring an open heart and mind; come join us every Friday for an experience which is both eye-opening and enriching!