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Teen Leader Info

Reading Buddies Overview

Purpose: Our reading buddies program is meant to empower kids to read, encourage you to lead, and help form friendships. 
How it works: After setting up your picktime account and putting in when you are available, parents can book 30 min appointments with you. After a parent signs their kid up to be your buddy, you will need to communicate with them. Picktime will have their email and any information they give you about their child. Please reach out to your cohort leader if you need help at any time. You will be expected to email the parent the zoom code of the meeting you will schedule and the books you plan to read with your buddy (we recommend using overdrive or open library to check out ebooks). Don’t be afraid to talk with your buddy and bond beyond the reading, too! Make sure you communicate well with the parent and don’t hesitate to reach out to us for guidance!

Expectations

As teen leaders, we expect you to behave professionally and uphold basic moral principles. We expect you to…

  1. Communicate - Please email parents in a timely manner and always let them know what’s going on. Reach out to your cohort leader or our team at communications.leaders.readers@gmail.com with any questions or concerns.

  2. Be responsible - Show up to your meetings early. We ask that you start the meetings 5 minutes early and if your buddy doesn’t show up within 15 minutes of your reading session, feel free to leave. Be sure to email parents with zoom details at least a day before your session and give notice of cancellations at least 24 hours in advance.

  3. Be patient and supportive - Please be patient with your buddy, especially if they are struggling to read. Help them as best you can without taking over and be supportive when they make mistakes. 

  4. Refrain from inappropriate behavior - Conduct yourself professionally. Do not insult or put down others. Your buddies look up to you as a role model, so please do not use inappropriate language, aggressive behavior, discriminatory jokes/language, etc. This should go without saying.

  5. Have fun! Talk with your buddy, enjoy the sessions! Feel free to do other activities besides reading if it helps you strengthen your bond with your buddy, just remember that helping them read is our primary goal.

If for some reason you fail to comply with the above expectations or if we get a complaint, we reserve the right to remove you from our program.

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