In May of this year, Juela School began the borrowing of books process.  Teachers implemented the library management method that our volunteer team shared with them last year.  Step by step, it is integrated into the school’s administrative system.  Prior to this, the school did not have a borrowing system, students arbitrarily took books placed on the bookshelves for reading.  The teacher mentioned that it was not good for management.We had trained the school on how to use the borrowing register as well as numbered the donated books with the hope that school can carry out the work more easily. Teachers said that after they have officially announced the start of the borrowing process, they were glad to see that the workflow went smoothly and the students were very active in borrowing.

In addition to the development of book lending, the weekly ” Happy Reading Group” was led by five teachers. They took this reading project very seriously and attentively.  After eight months of encouragement and companionship, teachers mentioned that participating children become more and more conscious of reading and have gradually developed the habit of reading.  The teacher said, “As long as there is free time, many children would go and read extracurricular books on their own, and there is no need for the teacher to remind.”

Not only that, the teachers also observed that children’s ability to write and speak has gradually improved also.  In terms of writing ability, the teachers noticed that the children’s composition is more descriptive, because the vocabulary used is much richer than before.  And, in terms of speaking, the children who participated in the reading club used to be shy and not good at expressing.  And after few months of practicing in the ” Happy Reading Group”, now the children can express their thoughts and opinions fluently. During the sharing section, the children can also read and share their books more actively to their friends.

There was a first grader who is focused on sharing his favorite story.

Over the past few months, the school teachers shared the reading progress of the children.  From the beginning, the children were shy to now they have the ability to stand on the stage and express their experience and opinions, this made us more determined that this project can help children grow.  Reading can bring children more than just literacy ability, it can also inspire them to express and understand.  This bit of accumulation is helping child to become a spontaneous learner with an independent mind.

We often say that ” the journey of a thousand miles begins with one step.”  Although we understand that education is a hard and long process, we are still very happy to see the small seeds gradually sprouting.  We hope more children will have the opportunity to take the first step. And slowly they will find themselves in a more profound future through the world of reading.