Meet Katherine & Jessie!
I get to read with a first grader named Jessie every Monday night. On my way from work to Vickery Meadow, I usually drive through a Starbucks to get myself an espresso because I know Jessie will demand every ounce of energy I have remaining in me. She is sharp as a tack and as energetic as a lemur with a sugar rush. She notices patterns, picks up on inconsistencies, and delights in trying to understand the “how” and the “why” of things. Her eyes analyze every detail of her surroundings even while she talks to me, searching hungrily for the next joke, question, or opportunity for spontaneous movement. She adores rainbows, unicorns, sparkles, and her light-up shoes. She thinks her older brother is the funniest person in the world, and is always trying out little tricks that he teaches her. Her favorite trick right now involves pretending to fall asleep then yelling “boo!” She is the most popular person that I know, and as she struts confidently through her sprawling apartment complex to the very back building where she lives, kids and adults alike call out her name to say hello. She picks up on complex social dynamics between all of the people in her life and loves telling me “how it is” in the world. Every Monday night, we work our way through books and reading comprehension exercises, and every time she sounds out a long word all by herself or makes a real-world connection she squeals with delight and makes me give her double high-fives through the plexiglass that separates us. She is enthusiastic about all things, and by the time 6:30 rolls around I am exhausted, but laughing loudly and proud of the progress we made.
As an elementary school art teacher, I am surrounded by the quirkiness, joy, and complexity of early childhood development every day at work. I see firsthand how literacy, or lack thereof, affects a child’s success and self-esteem as they move through their education. Teachers always talk about what the unattainable, ideal situation would be – if only we could give every single one of these kids the one-on-one attention they need. If only we could take more time to know them, encourage them, and work through their misunderstandings and struggles in a patient and methodical way. I wish I could make this happen for all of the kids at my school, but I absolutely love that I get to do this for Jessie. I love that this weekly Reading Circle does exactly this for kids that may need it most, all while showing the them what welcoming, action-based Christian love looks like.
I have fallen in love with the mission and method of this little Reading Circle, and my interactions and relationships with people who have sought refuge in this country have shown me the beauty and necessity of the gospel in ways that nothing else has. During the pandemic, it has been harder to be as personal and loving with the kids as we like to be. Communication is difficult, facial expressions are hard to read, and help is harder to give with plexiglass in the way. But I still know that this is good, and in this time when it feels like “good” is hard to come by, I have been looking forward to Mondays with Jessie, and how they exhaust and restore me, more than ever.
Written by: Katherine Booth