This week, our 1st and 3rd grade students had READING BUDDIES lessons in the garden in their English lessons. In this lesson older students were paired with younger students to read to each other. In other words, 1 A will have a lesson together with 3 A, 1 B will have a lesson with 3 B, etc. The little readers benefitted from hearing or reading stories to improve fluency, having conversations with an older student about stories with 1 :1 assistance and had a positive experience with "a big kid" who was now recognizable in the school community. The Third Graders further developed their own literacy skills, became a leader, improved self-confidence, felt responsible because he/she taught a younger kid.