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Help a Neighbor Learn to Read: An Informational Home Page |
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The following information was excerpted from a Literacy Memphis Brochure titled “How Do I Become a Tutor?”
Each month, we have what we call our “General Meeting” for everyone interested in becoming a tutor. These take place on the first Monday of the month, at our headquarters on Orangewood. At that meeting, we explain the training and tutoring program in detail, and then let you ask questions of several experienced tutors.
After the meeting, if you’re still interested in volunteering, we ask that you attend one of our training workshops, which are usually scheduled for the weekend directly following each month’s General Meeting. These workshops meet at our headquarters, from 9-5 on Saturday and 9-3 on Sunday. At the workshop, we give you hands-on experience in tutoring and cover a variety of topics—from the methods and techniques you’ll need in teaching adults how to read, to helping ESL learners, to helping parents improve their children’s study habits.
Most of our volunteers find their training workshop extremely interesting, helpful, and satisfying. We’ve used the suggestions of experienced tutors to make the workshop as effective as possible.
After the training workshop, we ask that you observe at least FIVE different tutoring sessions (led by experienced tutors) before we assign you to a student of your own. We also ask that you pledge to tutor for Literacy Memphis for at least six months.
Finally, after you’ve gone through the training program, and after you’ve observed the required number of tutorials, we pair you with a student. We’ll brief you extensively on the student’s situation and needs. We try our best to match our students’ needs to our tutors’ strengths!
You and your student will meet once a week (on average). At the end of each month, you’ll file a brief report to our office on both your student’s progress and your own development as a tutor. After your first month, you’ll meet with one of our executive advisers, just to check in andaddress any particular questions or concerns you might have.
Q. Who should become a tutor?
A. People who care! Patient people who want to make a difference and contribute to their community. Many literacy students are embarrassed by their lack of reading skills. Your patience and understanding will help put students at ease and provide an environment where learning can take place. More specifically, we require all tutors to:
Q. Do tutors only teach people how to read?
A. No! Many of our tutors specialize in teaching ESL students to improve their listening, understanding, speaking, reading, and writing skills. Others specialize in working with parents who want to improve their own ability to help their children.
Some of our tutors choose not to work in one-on-one sessions. Instead, they teach small classes and/or serve as proctors in our computer lab.
You can talk with Nellie Hardaway, the Director of Tutoring Services, about the range of tutoring services we provide.
Q. How will I know what to do as a tutor?
A. In our tutor training program, you’ll learn a range of methods and techniques for working with students. You’ll also be able to confer with our staff of advisers, all of whom work closely with students and tutors.
Q. Who are your students?
A. People you work with and see everyday. Most live in poverty despite working full-time. A majority are parents of school-aged children.
Q. Do I have to speak another language to teach ESL?
A. No. You don’t have to speak the student’s language to be effective.
Q. What about cultural differences?
A. Good question. Both ESL and non-ESL students need plenty of encouragement. Your training will prepare you not only to teach the mechanics of the English language, but also to address some of the common cultural differences that often influence literacy instruction.
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