Tutoring Question & Answer

1. Who are volunteer tutors?
2. Is teaching experience required?
3. What qualifications should volunteers have?
4. Do I have to know another language?
5. Where are volunteers needed?
6. Can I choose which age group I would like to tutor?
7. Will I have special materials to use?
8. What kind of training is required?
9. How much time will I be asked to commit?
10. What kind of support will I have when I finish training?
11. Where will I meet with my student?
12. What are the benefits of volunteering?
13. How do I get started?

1. Who are volunteer tutors?

• They are community members just like you. They are community-minded folks just like you.... men and women, college students, homemakers, retired citizens - people who wish to make a positive impact on the community.

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2. Is teaching experience required??

• No. You will receive FREE training provided by the Literacy Volunteers organization.

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3. What qualifications should volunteers have?

• Minimum requirements are a high school diploma or a GED.
• You do not need to have any previous tutoring experience. We will train you.
• Volunteers should have good reading and writing skills in English.
• Volunteers must be 18 years of age or older. Limited supervised opportunities are available for people under 18 years of age.
• A love for reading and helping people are good traits for a volunteer tutor to have.

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4. Do I have to know another language??

• No, but you might learn a bit of another language and culture if you are interested in working with an English-as-a-Second-Language learner or family.

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5. Where are volunteers needed? Are there students waiting for tutors right now?

• Volunteers are needed throughout Rensselaer County and in the gateway communities of Cohoes and Menands.
  
  There is always a waiting list of students needing tutors. You can get current information on volunteer opportunities by calling 274-8526 Monday - Thursday 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. or by sending an e-mail with your contact information to:
  Tutor Information: Jeanne Laiacona, Tutor Coordinator
  Non-tutor volunteer opportunities: Barb Wyman, Executive Director
  We look forward to hearing from you.

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6. Can I choose which age group I would like to tutor?

• Yes, we have programs for all ages. Our adult literacy programs are for people over the age of 16 who are not currently in school.
• We also have family literacy programs that include children of various ages.

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7. Will I have special materials to use?

• Our programs provide materials for you to use. These materials are specifically designed to meet the needs of the individuals being tutored.
• The Resource Center is open to tutors during office business hours AND during special evening open house events. Training materials can also be procured via inter-library loan and at the Troy and East Greenbush public libraries.

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8. What kind of training is required?

• The training required for literacy programs varies for each individual literacy program.
• Most of the family programs require 3 hours of training.
• The adult programs training require 24 hours of training for combined Basic Literacy and English as a Second Language certification. You can be assigned a student after completing 18 hours of training.
• Training length depends greatly on which population of learners you choose to tutor.

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9. How much time will I be asked to commit?

• Once you have completed training the time commitment required varies for each individual literacy program.
• Generally, for the adult programs there is a minimum time commitment of 12 months, tutoring an average of 2 hours per week.
• For the family programs it is usually a minimum time commitment of 6 months, meeting with the hosted family 1 to 2 hours per month.

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10. What kind of support will I have when I finish training? What if I need help or have questions about my tutoring assignment??

• Ongoing support and training is provided by the Literacy Volunteers staff. You can call the office at any time if you need help....help is also provided by experienced tutors during "sharing" sessions.

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11. Where will I meet with my student? Will I be required to provide transportation for my student??

• You will meet your student in public places....libraries are very popular spots.
• No, the student is expected to provide their own transportation.

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12. What are the benefits of volunteering?

• In the United States, one in seven people (more than 40 million people) can barely read a job offer or utility bill, which arguably makes them functionally illiterate in a developed country such as the US.
• In 2003, the National Assessment of Adult Literacy (NAAL), conducted by the US Department of Education, found that fourteen percent of American adults scored at the “below basic” level in prose literacy. More than 11,000 adults in Rensselaer read at or below a 4th grade level. By devoting just a few hours a week, you can help improve your community and build a stronger, more literate NY Capital District region.
• Tutoring a parent that has younger children makes an even larger impact by helping to stop the cycle of illiteracy. Research shows that parents who read are more likely to raise children who read.
• Volunteering gives a person the opportunity to become involved in the community and to interact with people.
• If you are a college student, volunteering is always a great asset to an application or resume.

 

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13. How do I get started?

• If you are interested in learning more about volunteer opportunities in the Eastern Capital District area, please fill out our easy online information form: Volunteer Information Request Form or call the office at 274-8526. The Volunteer Coordinator will contact you to provide information and answer your questions.
• Orientation Sessions are scheduled at libraries (and some other locations) throughout Rensselaer County and are usually less than an hour in length:   Current Orientation Schedule

 

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Page Updated: 3/17/08