Tutor Training (and Why You Should Go)

With the start of a New Year, many of us make resolutions about our goals or dreams for the following 12 months. For those who have difficulty reading, many times the number one goal is to receive the help he or she needs to achieve literacy. To serve this increasing influx of motivated students, the Franklin County Literacy Council needs dedicated volunteers who are willing to guide a student to personal success.

Therefore, there will be another round of tutor tranining sessions for the spring semester; the first is February 18th from 9-3:30 and the second is February 25th from 9-3:30. Like all tutor trainings, you must attend both Saturday sessions to be paired up with a student and begin tutoring at the council. During these sessions, the council provides lunches and snacks and it is completely free to register. Simply call the council at 717-504-4459 to reserve your spot.

In case you are visiting this blog for the first time and have not read about the countless intrinsic benefits and personal lessons I have learned through my volunteer work, allow me the space to reiterate how fulfilling it is to tutor at the literacy council. The council does not just benefit the students that learn here; they benefit the tutors and instructors just as much. I began my work as an Americorps VISTA Community Fellow in the late summer of 2011 and was paired with two students who were studying for their GED. I was pretty nervous about it at first, but I quickly gainined confidence as I saw my students gain confidence in their answers. To see a student go from shrugging off a wrong answer to really paying attention, using process of elimination, and arriving at the correct answer on practice questions made me realize I was a part of that process. Later, I learned about tutoring techniques through experimentation, trial and error, and first-hand experience. I learned how to use my students' strengths and weaknesses to help one another, and I learned that establishing confidence in an adult learner is the first step to real success. I also discovered that adult learners have a unique set of personal issues that may interfere with their instruction that other teachers and educators may not experience. But most of all, I've learned about the powerful nature of giving back, of selflessness, and of the personal high that volunteer work can give any person if one allows it into her life.

Volunteer hours at the council are flexible, so do not be afraid to volunteer simply because you think you won't be able to make it during business hours. A tutor has several options, including time of day and number of times he/she tutors during the week. Currently, the council needs tutors in reading instruction and literacy  more than any other classes. If you feel like you have the time, the patience, the motivation, and the passion for helping others, reserve your spot at the next tutor training event!