Helping Kids Become Lifelong Learners

Helping Kids to Become Lifelong Learners

Noah Rallo, K-3 Reading Corps Interventionist

I was recently starting my intervention time with one of my second graders by telling him that we were going to be reading a passage called “All About Penguins”. As soon as I said this, the student let me know that it was very important to remember that penguins don’t fly, and have flippers for swimming instead. We started reading, and one of the very first sentences in this passage described how penguins are the only birds that don’t fly and rely entirely on their feet and flippers to get around. The student was visibly excited to find something he had already learned in this Reading Corps activity. For me, this moment highlighted the importance of personal relevance in education. When students are given a reason to care about what they learn in school, they’ll want to learn more and more! Creating an environment where students’ interests are encouraged and celebrated can help turn apathetic kids into lifelong learners, because learning can and should be a joyful experience! I hope that, as I continue working with students in the Reading Corps program, I can play a small part in helping them become lifelong learners.


Help share the joy of reading to kids in your community. Apply to serve with Michigan Education Corps today!