Volunteer Literacy Tutoring Opportunity

The Hillel Volunteer Committee is making our listserve aware of a wonderful volunteer opportunity - the TOV Literacy Project that is a one-on-one reading program that connects volunteers with elementary school children from a variety of backgrounds who need assistance in developing and enhancing their reading skills.  The program runs from October to May, and no experience is necessary - just a desire to help a young student learn to read.  There are two options - face-to-face tutoring or working together online with a unique program called Innovations for Learning.  Your assistance can open a child's eyes to a whole new world.

The only requirement is that your commit to do this for the entire year, October -May.  The face-to-face tutoring is one hour/week; the online tutoring is 30 minutes/week.  You set up the day and times that are convenient for you in either setting.

TOV (the Hebrew word meaning "good") is the Volunteer Organization of the Jewish United Fund, and many of Hillel's volunteer programs are coordinated through TOV.  Volunteers do not have to be Jewish, and those that are served are not necessarily Jewish.  You can check a more detailed description of the tutoring program online at www.juf.org/tov and click on Literacy Project.

Following are the basics:

FACE-TO-FACE TUTORING

All tutoring takes place at the elementary school during regular hours.  Tutors help in many ways including working one-on-one with a single student, working with a reading group, working one-on-one with a number of different students or acting as a teacher's assistant.  Tutor roles vary by school.

The closest school to Loyola is Gale Academy - 1631 W. Jonquil, Chicago.  It is off of Howard a few blocks west of Sheridan Road.

However, there are also suburban schools in Evanston, Skokie, Northbrook as well as other schools in Chicago.  These schools are listed on the website.

Every face-to-face tutor is required to come to one training session to fill out paperwork, a background form, etc.  An optional session will follow led by a teacher about how to be a successful tutor.

There are two orienation sessions next MONDAY, OCTOBER 1 -

Noon-1 PM at the Jewish Federation Building - 30 S. Wells, Chicago 60606.  (At the northwest corner of Wells and Monroe.  Take the Red Line to Washington street and walk west several blocks to Wells, turn left and walk 1/2 block.)

6-7 PM - Bernard Weinger Jewish Community Center - 300 Revere Drive, Northbrook 60062.  (Take the Edens to Lake Cook Road West, go to the second street - Revere Drive.  Turn left.  Revere Drive ends at the Weinger JCC.)

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE FACE-TO-FACE TUTORING PROGRAM, AND NEITHER OF THESE ORIENTATION OPTIONS WORK FOR YOU - PLEASE SEE IF ANOTHER TIME CAN BE ARRANGED BY CONTACTING TOV AT

TOV@juf.org or call the TOV Hotline at 312-357-4762



ON-LINE TUTORING

The on-line tutoring program works with 1st grade students at George Manierre School, a Chicago public school.  The sessions are about 30 minutes long and occur on the same day and time each week.  You pick that day and time.  Each student and tutor also receives an alternate tutoring time, in case either one cannot make the regular time.  All on-line time slots are scheduled during the regular school day.

Tutoring is conducted via the internet using WebEx, an online meeting software system.  You must be able to download and save the software onto a computer.  This can be your own computer, or we can download the software onto one of the Hillel computers.  "Innovations for Learning," the company coordinating the on-line tutoring, will provide each tutor with a special headset to speak to their students, an online resource with stories to work through with the students, and a manual with a tutoring guide and instructions for games and activities to do with their students online.

All online tutors are required to attend an orientation session to be introduced to WebEx and WebEx AIM Prog, the computer software used for the online tutoring.  Each online tutor must attend an orientation session to receive a headset as well as participate in a personalized training call to go through a mock tutoring session, so you are familiar with the system when you begin tutoring on-line.  There will be an opportunity in the course of the year to actually meet your student.

There is an Orientation Session this TUESDAY, OCTOBER 2 from 6-7:30 PM at the Jewish Federation Building - 30 S. Wells, Chicago 60606 . (At the corner of Wells and Monroe.  Take the Red Line to Washington street and walk west several blocks to Wells, turn left and walk 1/2 block.)

IF YOU ARE INTERESTED IN THE ON-LINE TUTORING PROGRAM, AND NEITHER OF THESE ORIENTATION OPTIONS WORK FOR YOU - PLEASE SEE IF ANOTHER TIME CAN BE ARRANGED BY CONTACTING TOV AT

TOV@juf.org or call the TOV Hotline at 312-357-4762


We hope you will take advantage of this outstanding volunteer opportunity.