Tutor Xavier Montes, Adult Literacy Coordinator Wendy Batstone and Olivia Castillo, program assistant, are hoping potential tutors will come and learn more at an open house Monday at Blanchard Community Library.

Potential tutors for Adult Literacy Program invited to Monday celebration

May 13, 2016
Santa Paula News

Potential tutors are invited to Blanchard Community Library Monday evening where they can learn more about Adult Literacy from those that know it best.

The May 16 celebration of literacy will be held at the library (119 N. 8th St.) starting at 6 p.m. 

A longtime FLAIR Tutor, Xavier “Big X” Montes will be on hand to help those interested in learning more about the program he has been involved with for 22 years.

“Aside from the reward I get from helping out those that need to learn to read is the young kids here at the library,” said Montes. 

“With the kids there’s always action here,” with the computers and books being used, activity noted Montes, “that keeps me alive and going. And it’s a good example for literacy students, they learn in a quiet area but when they come in and out they appreciate knowledge.”

Adult Literacy Coordinator Wendy Batstone said Monday’s event, which she refers to as “Fishing for tutors!” will include a potluck for guests.

“We’re inviting our present tutors to come to be celebrated by their students while those interested in becoming tutors will see the rewards. We want more tutors, we need more tutors. We would like to get interest from the general public to be one of those that have a heart for helping other adults to get ahead.”

Presently the program, formerly referred to as FLAIR, has 50 students and 30 to 35 tutors. 

“A tutor can have one or as many as they would like,” to help them learn to read.

Batstone said, “We are not a school, we’re a tutoring program…you don’t have to be a PhD in English, we provide training and we’re always there to help. Even K-12 teachers need to be ‘sensitized’ to the fact that adult learners do not learn in the same way as children. And they have very full lives. It’s a different learning curve.”

Tutors are required to devote a maximum of two hours per week per student.  

“Some people keep it right on the hour,” per weekly session while others break their tutoring into 45-minute sessions. 

Facilitators are also being sought to lead small discussion groups centering on books, writing, or just conversation, “Groups,” said Batstone, “where people get to talk to each other, not just the ‘teacher.’ ” 

Tutors and other volunteers are needed as soon as possible: “We have a waiting list, we’ve got a lineup of students that would love to have a tutor. We also want facilitators — teachers — for our small groups.”

More employers are requiring job seekers to have a GED, the high school equivalency diploma.

“We have a computer guru that can take four students at a time,” teach them English and help prepare students for the GED exam.

“We’re exploring new ways to meet the needs of the adult learners in Santa Paula. Small groups seem to be our forte. We are not a school,” but rather said Batstone, “here for the people who maybe have struggled with traditional school and hopefully we’re a little more personalized.”

Batstone said Monday’s celebration will feature music by Montes, an acclaimed traditional harpist and artist, as well as short presentations by several tutors.





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