Reading Together USA: The Benefits of Cross-age Tutoring for the Tutor

The purpose of this study was to examine the attitudes and perceptions of students who participated as tutors in the Reading Together USA program. The subjects were selected as struggling reader in fifth grade to participate in the Reading Together USA program. They were trained as tutors and learned the specific program in order to teach second graders. The tutoring occurs in three stages, which are spaced out over the year. Each stage becomes a little more involved and forces more independence from the tutee. The tutors benefited in many ways through their participation in Reading Together USA. They became more responsible students who learned the importance of being a dependable role model. They were able to point out many of the areas of reading where they had progressed including fluency, comprehension and others. Most importantly, their self esteem increased. They were more confident as learners and readers

Positive emotions: an informational workshop

The purpose of this thesis was to design and evaluate an educational intervention focusing on the role of positive emotions in the workplace. An informational workshop was delivered to the full staff of 18 teachers and 2 directors at Circle of Children Preschool in Santa Monica, California, and emphasized positive emotions and their implications in the workplace in an effort to enhance awareness of emotions and inspire increased levels of positive emotions. A sample set of the staff evaluated the workshop and its effectiveness. The sample was surveyed and interviewed for levels of positive emotions prior to the workshop and, again, after the workshop for a comparison of possible change in levels of positive emotions. Findings were varied. Quantitative survey results showed a slight decline in levels of positive emotions, whereas qualitative interviews acknowledged positive effects in both understanding the value of positive emotions and inspiring a shift towards a more positive outlook in the workplace