Volunteer as a writing coach in Brooklyn public schools

Behind_the_Book

Join the volunteer team at Behind the Book, a non-profit literacy organization that inspires New York City public school students to love reading.

We bring accomplished authors into high-needs pre-K-12 classrooms, where they guide students in creating their own writing and art projects based on the theme of the author's book. Our rich, innovative programs, which are part of the class curricula and meet Common Core Learning Standards, have a successful record of building literacy skills and motivating engaged readers at schools throughout the city, including three neighborhoods in Brooklyn.

You need no experience or training to volunteer as a writing, research or art coach to support students in the classroom. Working with small groups, you might guide them as they edit a short story or essay; research a topic such as an animal or historical event; or create artwork to illustrate their writing. You might also accompany a class on a field trip to a museum or urban garden.

Individual workshops run one to two hours on a school day, usually in the morning. You can volunteer for any number of dates in a program series, which are scheduled over a few weeks. With an impressive slate of authors leading creative, thought-provoking programs every year, you'll find many workshops you'll want to be a part of.

To join our team and receive announcements of new volunteer opportunities starting in the fall, please complete our brief questionnaire.