‘Oh, what fun it is!’ as Secret Santas are revealed in this conversation group

Spirits were bright in this Thursday conversation group! Students and facilitator Rebecca Moll joined together for a virtual holiday party.

The celebration actually started a few weeks ago. Each person in the group had a Secret Santa. They each filled out questionnaires so the Secret Santas would know more about their person. Instead of sending gifts, Secret Santas wrote letters and created something on the computer, such as a recipe or video.

At Thursday’s party, Secret Santas were revealed! Then students shared how they guessed (or not) their Secret Santas.  But the fun didn’t end there. They played online games, including Name that Tune, Charades, Catch Phrase, Scavenger Hunt, and Survey Says.  The group also shared holiday traditions.

Along with the joy of gathering together, the holiday party was a great opportunity for the students to practice reading, writing, speaking, and digital skills.

As of December, there were 15 conversation groups meeting weekly with trained Oakland Literacy Council facilitators. Group learning is an important supplement to one-on-one tutoring because it helps students gain skills more quickly and form friendships.