Every Friday my wife and I are privileged to have two children each (third graders) to work with on reading. These are great kids that just need a little boost from time to time. It can be to bolster their egos, to help with a difficult word, sometimes just to have someone to talk to at their level. Now I can't speak for my wife, but believe me when I am there they have someone to talk to that is at their level.
I have discovered they ask better questions than some of the older folks I associate with. I am not sure whether this is because I am not up the level I should be, or those people I associate with have reached a point of immaturity and they don't understand the normal things going on around us all today.
One thing is certain and that is that each Friday offers a new challenge. Our four students are not rowdy. They are very loving and affectionate, very inquisitive, and have a lot of trouble with focusing on the task at hand. They squirm, speak to anyone who enters the room, and frequently just get up and walk across the room to pick up a stuffed animal, a snack or sometimes, to do nothing at all.
If you have never been a "reading buddy" you should try it. You will find that these children have a lot to teach you about kids. It requires patience, endurance, understanding, an ability to explain things you thought you would never have to explain, and above all, love.
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