Friday morning, almost half past nine in Germany. A classroom, 24 beaming children, an impressive class teacher and incredibly inviting words such as "Georgia is back", "I want to read today". Were these the first thoughts that came to mind when I volunteered as a reading mentor at LeLaLu 2021? Probably not. One thing I can say in advance: my expectations were exceeded to a great extent.
Before I go into my individual story, a few words about LeLaLu.
LeLaLu - Learning Language in Ludwigshafen is a cooperation project between the Inner Wheel Club Ludwigshafen (IWC Ludwigshafen) and the Ludwigshafen University of Business and Society, which was launched in 2016. The project involves students who support pupils at an elementary school in the learning and reading process for one hour once a week. The aim of such a reading mentorship is to provide pupils with a pleasant and non-judgemental learning environment that focuses on the joy of reading, speaking and understanding.
This creates added value not only for the pupils, who receive 1:1 support during this time, but also for the students, who receive corresponding credit points and a certificate.
Contrary to LeLaLu 's original idea of getting involved as a reading mentor during my studies, things are a little different for me. I already felt the need for social commitment during my master's degree in business administration. After returning to work, moving house and "life itself", I put the topic aside for the time being. Almost three years later, between a job change, moving again and dealing with the question "What are my values in this short existence on earth and how do I want to live them?", I decided in 2021 to find a social commitment in my new home. A short web search later, I was already in contact with the organizers of the LeLaLu project and those responsible at the Grundschule an der Blies elementary school in Ludwigshafen. After clarifying the necessary administrative and legal requirements, I was ready to start as a reading mentor.
You're probably wondering how the whole thing actually works.
I currently accompany a first grade class once a week for one lesson. Every 15 minutes, I read a few lines from a book with a pupil and discuss the text or similar. Depending on the pupils' level of knowledge and mood and after consultation with the class teacher, I respond to their individual needs. In other words, sometimes we simply discuss pictures or impressions from the previous week or talk about their favorite animal.
To summarize, my conclusion is as follows: The time is always right! In addition, a reading sponsorship is not linked to any specific academic background. With (d)an investment of time, genuine interest and compassion towards the kids, (d)a return includes deep gratitude, a feeling of connection and appreciation and the knowledge of having made a valuable contribution.
For my part, I am very grateful to have the opportunity to accompany the students in their continuous development and to be able to experience their progress at first hand. Many thanks to ALL those who are part of LeLaLu and support this valuable commitment.
Georgia Gonsior
