Real Men Reader John’s Book Club
“It's absolutely rewarding, and from a different perspective, volunteering is enrichment for the soul,” said Real Men Reader John.
When John was growing up, the only thing to entertain you on a rainy day was your own imagination, whether playing with Lincoln Logs, an Erector Set, or leafing through comic and chapter books. But this never bothered him. While he may have physically been stuck inside, he could travel to different worlds just by turning the pages of a book.
His love of reading has stayed with him throughout his adulthood. As a chef, his job required him to read recipes, deciding what looked good and trying new things. But he especially loved getting to read series with his grandchildren: Diary of a Wimpy Kid, Michael Vey, Dog Man, The Swiss Family Robinson, and the works of Jules Verne. Every Christmas, they’d get a new book to read together, and every summer they’d journey to a universe full of adventure and expeditions, all from the comfort of home.
While working at the ACME Bar & Grill, John met a group of teachers who first planted the idea of Real Men Read in his mind. About to retire and have some more time on his hands, John decided to join. He had already been a volunteer reader through Gigi’s Playhouse, and soon he was officially a Real Men Reader at Lincoln and Forest Park Elementary Schools. Each year since first joining in 2022, he’s gotten more and more invested in his classrooms, and he most recently became a School Buddy!
“I just love the whole experience of Real Men Read. I like being in the classroom; I like being with the kids; I like sharing stories,” explained John.
The new reader started with the standard five readings per school year, which he did for a 2nd and 3rd-grade classroom, but he soon decided to take his volunteering beyond the program requirements. Hoping to form even “more continuity,” the Real Men Reader upped his visits from once a month to every other week, building solid camaraderie with the classrooms and the teachers. For the extra weeks he read, Half-Price Books provided good prices for Scholastic stories, and sometimes he’d borrow from the library.
“Reading one time, you may not feel it… By the time you're in there the third time, now you're comfortable, and now you're starting to connect,” he shared.
His relationship with the teachers and kids evolved throughout his time in the program. Now, John is a pro. He’s got all sorts of tips and tricks for keeping the kids engaged with the reading material.
First, some friends in the food industry gave him a box of lollipops for the kids who answer questions, encouraging them to pay attention. Second, he brings two books if he’s able, one for him to read and another for a helper student to show the pictures to their classmates. Finally, when the class definitely needs help refocusing, he starts a game of Simon Says to get everyone on their feet and reset.
John isn’t afraid to go a step further than expected of him, especially when it comes to helping kids. One Halloween, John transformed into Yogi Bear to pass out candy at the school. His newest idea let him step up again to engage youth in reading! Feeling inspired to do more, “Johnny’s Book Club” was formed. This collaboration between the reader and the teachers allows students in his Real Men Real classrooms to read chapter books, explain the plot to their teachers, and get recognized when John stops in. The student receives a tote bag as an incentive and to mark their initiation into the club.
In an age of technology, children now have many more “distractions” that can keep them from learning to love reading, according to this reader. There are lots of kids out there in need of a reading role model, which is why he wants more people to get involved. In fact, he believes one of the benefits of the program is that the readers come from all different walks of life, showing kids that it’s okay to be different from their peers. Reading is for everyone!
“Real Men Read shows kids that everybody loves to read, and it's okay to read,” said John.
He knows others may be nervous about joining the program. Trying new things and standing in front of a classroom of kids sounds daunting, but the example it sets for young people makes it all worth it.
He has some advice for men considering joining the program:
“The more they do it, the more relaxed and comfortable they are. They're gonna find themselves enjoying it so much that they want to do more.
That's the whole secret to it; you just got to start.”
To learn more about Real Men Read, contact Anne Casteen at anne.casteen@bbbsnei.org or (260) 573-4919!
