It is a heartwarming partnership between senior citizens and elementary school students, a partnership where seniors from a local assisted living center are showing up and reading with kids in the library.

On this episode of the Supercast, we take you to Oquirrh Elementary School. That’s where we see first-hand how being book buddies is building connections and companionship between the students and seniors, and bridging a generation gap. But best of all, it is inspiring a love for literacy in young children who look forward to the monthly visits from their senior friends.

Audio Transcription

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Teacher:
One of my students came back in with a huge smile on her face. I asked her how Golden Hour was and she said that it was so much fun. She loves reading with the grandmas and grandpas. Oh, they get so excited.

Diana:
And then we had different kids this month and last month. And some of them said, “we have to go back. That was so fun.” They love it.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Anthony Godfrey:
Hello, and welcome to the Supercast. I'm your host, Superintendent Anthony Godfrey. It is a heartwarming partnership among senior citizens and elementary school students, a partnership where seniors from a local assisted living center are showing up and reading with kids in the school's media center. On this episode of the Supercast, we take you to Oquirrh Elementary School. That's where we see firsthand how being book buddies is building connections and companionship among students and seniors and bridging a generation gap. But best of all, it is inspiring a love of literacy in young children who look forward to the monthly visits from their senior friends.

[MUSIC PLAYING]

Anthony Godfrey:
We are here at Oquirrh Elementary School during Golden Hour Reading, where Sun Ridge Assisted Living residents are working with students to improve their reading skills. Let's listen in.

[INTERPOSING VOICES] You're going to read your book and show them how awesome you are.
Here, tell you what.
Wow.
Hey, have you ever seen--have you ever been driving with your parents and have you ever seen this before? Well, I have. That's a long you.
Called--
Good job. Good job.

Anthony Godfrey
I'm talking now with one of our visitors and one of the students here at Oquirrh Elementary. Tell me your name, what grade you're in.

Cooper:
Cooper and first grade.

Anthony Godfrey:
And Cooper, how's first grade going?

Cooper:
Good.

Anthony Godfrey:
And what did you guys read today?

Cooper:
Going Fishing.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, Going Fishing. So what did you like most about the book?

Cooper:
Like you have to get a special hook, like as a fish, but it's not actually a fish on it, but there's no splashing.

Anthony Godfrey:
And does this make you want to be a fisherman?

Cooper:
Yes. I really want to go fishing with my dad.

Anthony Godfrey:
So go home today and tell him, “Dad, I read about fishing and it's time we go fishing.”

Cooper:
OK.

Anthony Godfrey:
All right, nice to meet you. So how did it feel to be read to? First introduce yourself and how did you feel being read to today?

Dale Koth:
Felt great.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me your name.

Dale Koth:
I'm Dale Koth.

Anthony Godfrey:
And you're one of the early volunteers to come visit, but I understand there's something in your history that would make that not much of a surprise that you want to be at an elementary school.

Dale Koth:
I'm a retired teacher, elementary school teacher.

Anthony Godfrey:
And where did you teach?

Dale Koth:
I taught at Terra Linda for a while, and I also taught at Southland Elementary.

Anthony Godfrey:
How long did you teach? When did you start and when did you finish?

Dale Koth:
OK, I taught for about 29 years. I think it was in 1974.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow. Over 50 years ago.

Dale Koth:
That's right. That's right. Yeah, in a little town called Antimony, Utah.

Anthony Godfrey:
OK.

Dale Koth:
I had nine kids.

Anthony Godfrey:
Nine kids in your class?

Dale Koth:
Five in the third, five in the second, five in the first.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow.

Dale Koth:
No kindergarten because there were no kindergarten kids there.

Anthony Godfrey:
And from there you went to--

Dale Koth:
I went to-- I taught every year then I went to Blanding.

Anthony Godfrey:
Wow.

Dale Koth:
And I taught Blanding Elementary. I taught three years. Then we came to the Jordan School District and I started in Southland Elementary. Taught there for about, I don't know, three years. May have been longer, but I forget. And then I went to Quail Hollow and I taught at Quail Hollow for a long time.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, wow.

Dale Koth:
Yeah. Then I finished up at Terra Linda and that's where I retired.

Anthony Godfrey:
So did you retire in the early 2000s?

Dale Koth:
No. Kind of in the late-- oh, yes, it's the late 1990s.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, OK.

Dale Koth:
You might say, yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah. Wow. All right. Well, so you've been enjoying retirement. But is this an exciting addition to your retirement routine?

Dale Koth:
Yeah, I think it's great. You know, you have a good successful experience here for you and for the kids. And you know, you're doing something.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Dale Koth:
And I really like it.

Anthony Godfrey:
Good. How many times have you been?

Dale Koth:
This is my second time.

Anthony Godfrey:
What did you love most about teaching?

Dale Koth:
Just watching kids progress, learn something.

Anthony Godfrey:
In elementary, you get to see a lot of that.

Dale Koth:
Oh, yes. There was a lot of it.

Anthony Godfrey:
What grades did you teach most?

Dale Koth:
Third grade.

Anthony Godfrey:
Third grade. That's a big one.

Dale Koth:
Which was my favorite grade.

Anthony Godfrey:
Third was the favorite.

Dale Koth:
That was the age when they start cursive writing.

Anthony Godfrey:
Oh, yeah.

Dale Koth:
I don't know if they still-- do they still do cursive writing?

Anthony Godfrey:
It's more-- not like they used to. Let me put it that way. Not like they used to.

Dale Koth:
If you had your way.

Anthony Godfrey:
Not that weird Q that looks like a 2. No, we don't do that stuff anymore.

Dale Koth:
OK. Yeah. Also, they learn their multiplication facts.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Dale Koth:
And you could just get into reading, and like what somebody told me, the kids can be smart at that age without being a smart aleck.

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah, that's right. Absolutely. Well, I really appreciate your coming and just getting to watch you with the students. It's really fun to see how much you get their attention right away.

Dale Koth:
Yeah.

Anthony Godfrey:
And they stay focused when they're reading with you. So thank you for doing that.

Dale Koth:
That's great. What's your name?

Anthony Godfrey:
I'm Dr. Godfrey. I'm Anthony Godfrey. I'm the superintendent for Jordan School District.

Dale Koth:
You're the superintendent?

Anthony Godfrey:
Yeah.

Dale Koth:
I've worked here a long time, but I don't think I've ever met the superintendent.

Anthony Godfrey:
Well, it's very nice to meet you.

Dale Koth:
I forget names a lot.

Anthony Godfrey:
Barry Newbold?

Dale Koth:
Barry Newbold. I knew Barry Newbold, yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
It's very nice meeting you.

Dale Koth:
Well, nice meeting you

Anthony Godfrey:
And thanks for doing this. We look forward to seeing you back next month.

Volunteer:
Well, great. I'll be back. I'll be back.

Anthony Godfrey:
We're talking now with Principal Jennifer Ludlow about the program here at Oquirrh Elementary. I know it's new. What do you think so far?

Jennifer Ludlow:
I love it. It's like my favorite thing and I just grin from ear to ear the hour before they come and about two hours after. Awesome.

Anthony Godfrey:
There's a great immediate connect with the kids and these volunteers.

Jennifer Ludlow:
Yes.

Anthony Godfrey:
Tell me about how the kids have reacted to this.

Jennifer Ludlow:
Oh, they get so excited. And then we had different kids this month than last month and some of them were like, “we wanted to go back. That was so fun.” They love it and they just love opportunities to read with kids or read with somebody else and get some practice. So far, it's been really positive.

Anthony Godfrey:
Having a new audience when you're reading out loud, so I'm going to try to impress. It really puts you on the spot, but it also puts you at your best. It helps you really be focused.

Jennifer Ludlow:
So yeah. And we know kids learn to read through repetition and practice and so what a great opportunity for them to practice with somebody with a lot of wisdom and experience. And we love it. It's so great.

Anthony Godfrey:
Add some novelty to the day and another human connection, another adult rooting for them.

Jennifer Ludlow:
...

Episode 341: Senior Citizens Are “Book Buddies” with Elementary School Students