What do you think of when you see the word volunteer? Do you think of a nice, retiree who now has some spare time on her hands? Do you think of a busy college student trying to fit in some extra service-learning hours? Or maybe you thought of a busy professional who is trying to make a difference in the world. But, did you think of a former student?

Hylton Dacre is that volunteer. A student turned volunteer. Hylton started as a citizenship student at Open Door Learning Center- Lake St. in November of 2012. After passing his citizenship exam he decided to come back and volunteer in the same class. For the last year and a half Hylton has been volunteering every Friday with Lake Street’s citizenship class helping others pass their exam. Hylton works with students one-on-one to practice the 100 civics questions that related to United States history. He also helps students with spelling in preparation for the writing portion of the test.

Jessica Horning, Lake Street’s citizenship teacher, says, “Hylton has helped several students pass their citizenship interview in the last 1 ½ years. Since he started volunteering, 23 students have passed their interviews! The one-on-one attention that he gives them is so critical. When students come back to share the happy news that they’ve passed, they often thank Hylton personally for his role in helping them achieve their goal of citizenship. Becoming a citizen is a huge accomplishment and opens new doors for students, so Hylton’s work is so important!”

Thank you for your dedication, Hylton and thank you for being a literacy leader!

After retiring from an active career in the business world, Monica St. Germain found herself taking a suggestion from her husband and toured Learning In Style, an ESL program on 22^nd and Nicollet Avenue in Minneapolis. After her tour, Monica began volunteering one morning and one afternoon a week. Quickly, after seeing that the need of the learners and school was so great, she began coming in three mornings and one afternoon.

Monica is a jack of all trades. Before she starts her volunteer shift, she checks in with the lead teacher to develop a plan for that day’s one-on-one tutoring session. She works on anything ranging from review concepts from the CASAS test to citizenship questions. Recently she opened two new classes for students who were on a waiting list. “Monica will help students at any level, sometimes without notice. She will go wherever needed very graciously, and do an excellent job. Her fine coaching has empowered students to try, speak, write, or do whatever was the task. Monica has great respect for each student and their needs,” says Connie Gleason, a teacher at Learning In Style.

“I have learned so much about different cultures and countries and [my student’s] struggles and desires.  I have learned that all people throughout the world have the same desires – the best for their children, to live in safety, to have a better life than the one in their home country,” said Monica about her time at Learning In Style. Finding that commonality between all of us is what makes Monica a literacy leader. Thank you!

*Monica is now a teacher at Learning In Style

Because Thanksgiving is upon us, we'd like to give thanks to the thousands of volunteers who dedicate their time and passion to Adult Basic Education students all over the state. 

The following is a story selected from Journeys: An Anthology of Student Writing. The authors of Journeys are adult literacy students enrolled in ESL, GED, and basic skills classes across the state. They highlight their personal ups and downs; their very own journey. 

About Kelsie...

I am serving as a VISTA in Winona and Lacrescent, Minnesota as a part of adult literacy programs in both cities. Winona has a small but strong program, with 4-5 different classes being offered. I am working to improve the orientation process for students by extending the length of it and making it more useful for each student. We are also looking to introduce navigator services to our program, as well as potentially expanding our class offerings with the help of teachers and volunteers. In Lacrescent, there isn’t really a program yet. Come January, I will be helping to get a program up and running, focusing on distance learning as a main project.  The biggest success I have had so far is simply getting to know the students. I feel that a lot of the time, it is easy to focus on numbers, rather than the individuals being helped. Because I can recognize the students and ask them how classes are going, I feel that we can do a better job of making our programs helpful for them.

What’s your number one suggestion for a fun activity that’s VISTA-budget friendly?

Get outside! Hiking is free, healthy, and can lead to some awesome photo opportunities.

What’s your favorite tip for making the most out of being a VISTA?

Try everything. If an opportunity comes up and you are uncertain about it, give it a shot! The worst that can happen is it won’t be a good fit for you. No matter what, it will give you confidence and experience!

What’s your favorite cheap restaurant?

I’m a sucker for Perkins’ late night menu ( half off apps!)

What’s your favorite thing to cook?

PASTA! ( I LOVE to splurge and add garlic, kale, mushrooms, and shallots to pasta dishes)

What’s your favorite book?

The Book Thief by Markus Zusak

If you could have any job in the world (other than a VISTA member), what would it be?

I would want to be a school counselor. Or a professional Netflix watcher. Either one would be fine.

My favorite article of clothing is…

My footie pajamas! They’re so cozy!

If I could live in any fictional universe I would choose…because…

The Who-niverse. I’m a huge Doctor Who fan! I also love the Walking Dead, but I’m not a fast runner so that wouldn’t end well for me.

My favorite joke/comedian is…

Any lame puns or jokes. The punnier, the better!

Mohamed Mohamed has been volunteering at Open Door Learning Center- Lake St. for quite some time. 1,212 hours to be exact. That is equal to 50.5 days of around the clock volunteering. Mohamed was originally a student at Open Door- Lake St. but gradually started volunteering while he attended class. After enrolling in college, Mohamed wanted to stay connected to Open Door so he began volunteering in the College and Career Preparation class. “I wanted to learn new skills like how to help people with computers, because I like using computers and I plan on majoring in software development,” says Mohamed. Recently, Nikki Carson-Padilla, an ESL/Civics teacher at Lake St., asked Mohamed to teach her Medical Careers class for her. Mohamed prepped the lesson on Home Visits and taught and reviewed the material with the students. “I felt confident and it was really a lot of fun,” Mohamed tells us. Currently his favorite unit is the job search unit from College and Career Preparation class where Mohamed helps students with preparing their resumes and prepping for interviews. 

Thank you for being a literacy leader, Mohamed! We hope to see you at Open Door- Lake St. for many more hours! 

Evelyn Browne began volunteering at the International Education Center (IEC) when she moved to Minneapolis several years ago. She teaches English Conversation twice a week for an hour over lunch, a time when students learn about each other’s and U.S. culture in a fun, relaxed atmosphere. The class is very popular and at times overfills the small room where students from as many as 19 countries and 24 language groups gain confidence in speaking English.

As part of her class, Evelyn plans field trips several times a year to places such as the Macy’s Flower Show, Como Park, or the Minneapolis Institute of Art, giving her students an interesting way to learn about American culture and practice conversation skills. One of her favorite moments is sharing Thanksgiving with students.

Evelyn clearly enjoys teaching the English Conversation class. She and her students all learn from each other -- with support, with respect, with laughter, and with sharing. As she says,

“I can honestly say I love my experience volunteering at IEC. The cliché about getting more than you give when you volunteer is completely true for me! I am a clinical psychologist (retired) and can’t help but use those skills when teaching. I tell my students that they are not in this class to learn English, as they have great English teachers during their normal three-hour school day. I tell them that they are in conversation class to learn to relax and to forget they “can’t” speak English. So we talk together about anything and everything, at whatever level of fluency the student brings with him or herself. My emphasis is on building trust in themselves and with their peers. I rarely make language corrections, but focus instead on facilitating conversation that flows naturally among friends. I often share stories from my daily life to model being imperfect and open… I always emphasize the unique experience we share in our classroom – so many countries, cultures, religions, races, ethnicities, and individuals – with no agenda except to talk, listen, and share with each other. The specific students attending my class change over time, but the feeling of respect, friendship and trust among us lasts.”

Such a positive sense of connection and empowerment is sure to extend beyond the classroom. Thank you, Evelyn, for being a Literacy Leader!

Phyllis Klapwyk volunteers three days a week with English (ESL) classes at the West ABE (Adult Basic Education) program in Big Lake, Minnesota. She also tutors students who are preparing to pass the GED math test. We asked her how she got involved and why she volunteers. Here’s her story:

This is my fourth school year volunteering in the adult ESL class in Big Lake.  After retiring and moving to Minnesota I wanted to find a volunteer job to fill part of my time.  When I saw an ad in a school bulletin for volunteers in adult education, I applied, attended the required class for new volunteers, and began work in the fall of 2012. 

Tuesday and Thursday mornings and Wednesday afternoons usually finds me in the classroom. I’m a math tutor for those working toward their GED and/or students learning English grammar and conversation skills. My previous experience in speech therapy helps in tutoring enunciation of sounds and words.  I use modelling the sounds, writing the sounds phonetically on paper, and sometimes using a mirror for them to see how they are moving their articulators.  This gives them aural and visual cues in their efforts.  One small example of writing phonetically is the word “Culture.”  I wrote the word both as culture and as “culchure underlining the “t” and “ch.”  The “v” sound can be difficult, so looking in a mirror helps. Practicing conversational English helps the students deepen their ability in English and it enriches my life with learning more of other cultures.  Math has always been a love of mine and I know it takes patience and perseverance for students to accomplish their goals in math.  They struggle with many of the concepts, working with fractions, applying the Pythagorean theorem, and understanding and remembering how to add, subtract, etc., negative numbers in algebra. I try to break down processes as simply as necessary for understanding and give the students many worksheets because it often takes a lot of practice to really understand and remember the processes.  They need lots of encouragement that with practice they WILL get it. 

This volunteer activity is very rewarding. The focus of the students on their lessons and their dedication to the learning process is wonderful to see.  After every session they show their appreciation by saying “thanks.”  They also show their appreciation in other ways.  After learning good enunciation a student will come back the next time, say the word, and tell me that they practiced at home in front of a mirror.  When students “get it” in math and understand a concept, it is truly an “aha” moment for both of us.  Literacy is so important for anyone to function well in society and I am happy to participate in these goals.

Encouraging, Patient, and Pragmatic. Those three words describe Phyllis’ work with adult students and her outstanding commitment to helping them reach their goals. Thank you, Phyllis, for being a leader in the literacy community!

Julie Johnson is a Lead Computer Skills Tutor at Open Door Learning Center - Midway, located inside the Ramsey County WorkForce Center in St. Paul, where she’s been volunteering for two years. With a background in Software Engineering and years of experience working in corporate IT, she shares her knowledge and skills with the community. For two days a week, she assists adult learners, many of whom are unemployed, gain skills to apply for jobs online, send and receive email, safely search the Internet, and learn Microsoft Office products. In addition, she helps coordinate and supervise the computer lab, schedules one-to-one tutoring appointments between learners and tutors, and provides guidance to other volunteer tutors.

We asked Julie a few questions about her experience as a volunteer - here’s what she told us!

What keeps you coming back?

I enjoy meeting and working with learners and other tutors from a wide range of cultures, levels of education, and life experiences. I don’t necessarily ask my learners directly about their background, but by getting to know them a bit through tutoring, I automatically gain new perspective and appreciation of others’ life experiences.

Tell us about your best volunteer moment!

One of my favorite stories (and this occurs frequently) is when learners come to us for the first time, saying that they know very little about computers or are afraid to use them. So then we typically give them an online Northstar assessment to measure their current computer skills in order to know where to start them in the Learner Web lessons. Many times the learners are pleasantly surprised and their confidence is greatly boosted after easily passing the initial Northstar assessment. After that, we supplement their learning with focused, hands-on, one-on-one tutoring to fill in the areas they are lacking. As a result, learners often leave the Open Door Learning Center on the first day looking forward to coming back for more lessons and tutoring. Once learners conquer the fear factor, they are eager to learn, and to me, that is my reward.

When I am exhausted (in a good way) after a day of volunteering, I try to remind myself of this quote: ‘The quality of your life will be determined by the quality of your contribution. When you work to improve the lives of others, your life improves automatically.’ It’s true!

JennaRose Bondeson, the Distance Learning and Digital Literacy Coordinator at Open Door Learning Center - Midway, says that Julie “has the perfect balance of professionalism and friendliness, making her an incredibly popular tutor.” She helps learners feel welcome and comfortable when they come to the computer lab, whether for the first time, or after several weeks of tutoring.

Thanks, Julie, for being a Literacy Leader!

Susan began volunteering with literacy eight years ago after reading about it in a Minneapolis Community Education catalog. Since that time, she has supported students of varying ages and abilities as they improve their math skills and reach their educational goals.

She helps adult learners enrolled in basic math classes at Minneapolis Adult Education and works with third graders at Folwell School once a week. In addition, she tutors a blind student in math at Minneapolis Community and Technical College. They do homework and practice tests together on the phone for about 3 hours a week.

When asked why she volunteers, Susan said, “I love to see students go from ‘huh?’ and frustration to getting the concept. This is true for adults and third graders alike. The adults often express thanks for my help; the third graders not so many thank you’s, but they are very enthusiastic about getting the attention and enjoy getting the worksheets correct. And they make me laugh.

“Some adults, particularly women, tell me that they aren’t good at math, didn’t do well when they were in school, don’t think they can pass the GED tests, etc. If they have been in class for a while, I ask them if they know more than they did the first day of class, and they always say yes. So, I hope to encourage them to keep at it, to keep the goals of getting the GED in mind.”

One of Susan’s most memorable volunteer moments came when she was tutoring a blind student at Minneapolis Adult Education. He invited her to his graduation ceremony, where he was a featured speaker. She said, “It was a touching and thrilling event to see adults of all ages and all ethnicities so excited about their achievements. It was a huge party with hundreds of people, with flowers and balloons and music… I thought that the event should be recorded to show students considering starting a GED course the many successful students who achieved the goals.”

With a professional background in teaching, adult education, and software engineering, Susan has been a great fit for math tutoring. Her patience, humor and ability to work with learners at a slow and steady pace make her an exceptionally valuable volunteer. Ellen Lipschultz, who coordinates volunteers at Minneapolis Adult Education, adds that, “Susan is also a super person. Everyone, including me, likes working with her.”

Thank you, Susan, for supporting students as they develop their knowledge, skills and enthusiasm for math!

Journeys season is underway, and we received over 600 submissions from adult literacy programs all over the state! Our dedicated intern team is editing and designing the book. Thanks, teachers and coordinators, for helping learners write and prepare their submissions.

The number of authors in the printed Journeys 2016 has increased in the last several years. In 2014 and 2015 we included over 400 authors. In this year's edition we have 600 authors!

The 26th edition is our best Journeys yet. Javier Alcaide Garcia, one of the featured authors working with a writing mentor, in his story, "My Friend Teo," recounts his childhood relationship in Spain that influenced who he is today. Read an excerpt from, "My Friend Teo," below: 

"We woke up early in the morning and walked around the neighborhoods picking some stuff up: wheels, tubes, wood, pieces of old broken TVs. Everything was interesting for Teo. My grandma was very angry when we came back with our treasures of trash. But then, Teo worked hard to convert the trash into useful things: a table for our garden, shelves, frames... Other times, he couldn't build anything useful, but he tried to make funny sculptures for my grandma. Tep had a brilliant, crazy mind and a huge heart."

Don't miss out on this year's wonderful Journeys! If you are interested in attending the student reading event, you can register here. Space is limited, so reserve your spot today! 

Dick Anderson brings levity to the Adult ESL classrooms at Vietnamese Social Services. When asked to describe himself in three words, he responds with “aging, hipster, doofus”. But students and staff at Vietnamese Social Services might describe him this way: “attentive, dedicated and appreciated.”

Dick began volunteering at Vietnamese Social Services (VSS) in 2012, and helps out three days a week. “It is probably the best volunteering experience I have had in this country,” he says. His duties vary from day to day. You’re equally likely to find Dick in the classroom, on the phone helping students navigate housing issues, or in the car picking up supplies for the school. A teacher at VSS reflects: “Dick is attentive to whatever needs to be done at any moment. He seems to know what needs to happen, sometimes before you do!  He jumps in wherever he is needed and takes seriously your priorities and goals for the program.”

Indeed, Dick excels at doing whatever needs to be done. He shares that his favorite volunteer moment actually had nothing to do with teaching or tutoring: last year, he helped an elderly student make dozens of telephone calls to landlords, eventually helping her secure a one-bedroom apartment. With Dick’s help, the learner was able to end her struggle with homelessness. “I felt pretty good about that one,” he recalls.

Dick is also a valued member of the classroom. Another VSS teacher shares how he has supported her class: “Dick makes students feel important and cared for. Because I have upwards of 17 students in my class, I can't give them each the attention they deserve, but Dick has been a huge support and provides that when I cannot. He is always there to make the students feel more supported and more confident about themselves and their learning.”

When asked what keeps him coming back, he has an easy answer: “Number one, the students. Number two, the staff.” And the feeling is mutual for the teachers at VSS. A teacher sums it up: “Dick is a tremendous part of VSS and an important piece in the students’ lives.”

Thank you, Dick Anderson, for your generous spirit and for your contributions to the Vietnamese Social Services community!

Editor's note: Blog contributor Henry Hietala volunteered as a community outreach intern with the Minnesota Literacy Council in the summer of 2016. As part of his internship, we asked him to visit our programs and classrooms and capture the stories of the people he met. His work culminated in a three-part series we're calling Summer Snapshots. Now a senior at Macalester College, Henry is pursuing a degree in English and Creative Writing and writes fiction and non-fiction for The Spark and The Words.

Summer Snapshot #1: A VISTA at Park Avenue

by Henry Hietala

Melissa Feinman is spending the summer as a Summer Reads VISTA. In June, the literacy council helped set her up with the Park Avenue Freedom School in Midtown, where she assists the main teacher with reading programing. The classes are capped at 10, which gives Feinman “a lot of one-on-one time” with the students. Her students are young—in the fall, they will be 1st and 2nd-graders—but neither Feinman nor the other teachers shy away from sensitive topics.

A Freedom School is not a typical summer reading program. African-American activists created the first of these schools during the Civil Rights Era as a means of combatting racial disparities in education. Freedom Schools have persisted to this day, where they serve many other marginalized groups nationwide. After undergoing training with the literacy council, Feinman attended additional training at Park Avenue, which better prepared her for teaching in the Freedom School mold.

In class, Feinman says they study history directly in their readings, which feature famous African-Americans (Martin Luther King Jr.) and more obscure figures (Olympian Wilma Rudolph). For a predominately African-American classroom, the advantages of reading about historical people of color are immense. She concedes, “Talking about it in the present is...really difficult.”  

This summer, the Twin Cities have witnessed the death of Philando Castile and the subsequent protests within the community. Feinman says that discussing these events has been “the most challenging part of this summer.” In response to these tumultuous two months, the Freedom School classes organized a protest in the Park Avenue neighborhood. In fitting with the original intention of Freedom Schools, the kids created their own signs and learned about peaceful protesting.

Feinman smiles when talking about some of the other lessons from class. In one about women’s suffragist Elizabeth Cady Stanton, she describes leading the students in a familiar activity, but with a twist: “At one point, the boys had to sit out while the girls played musical chairs...they were so upset! Then we switched.” Afterwards, the class regrouped and discussed how it felt to be excluded. Feinman adds that they keep these discussion “on a kid-friendly level,” and still include plenty of games and other reading activities to round out the curriculum.

Minnesota Literacy Council VISTAs have worked with other Freedom Schools in the past, including Osseo Area and Academia Cesar Chavez. The importance of literacy and advocacy education is undiminished, and one hopes that these schools—along with the teachers like Feinman—can continue their important work.

“It’s learning for my heart.” This is how LaRue Unglaube describes her experience as a math tutor at English Learning Center in Minneapolis. LaRue’s philosophy is reflected in her creative, encouraging and patient ways as a teacher.  

LaRue began volunteering with English Learning Center (ELC) in 2009, shortly after she moved to Minneapolis from the Chicago area. She teaches beginning math to adult ESL learners one afternoon per week. In her math group, LaRue’s students work on a wide variety of math objectives, including basic addition and subtraction, basic number sense, number naming and handling money.

LaRue began her career as an elementary education teacher before spending 20 years in the field of Information Technology. When asked if she draws on her teaching background in her volunteer work, she says: “once you learn teaching skills, you always draw on them—even as an IT person!” Indeed, LaRue shows that she has always been a teacher at heart. Of her job as a systems analyst, she reflects: “you have to ask the right questions, and see what’s needed for individuals.”
 

That knack for discovering what individuals need is just one characteristic that helps LaRue excel as a volunteer. But her creativity also comes through in her approach to her multi-level group of students. She relies on manipulatives and kinesthetic activities to engage her students in their progress, and is often heard asking students to stand up and try things on the white board.

Michelle Short, the volunteer coordinator at ELC, reflects:

LaRue is continuously creative with teaching math and helping [her students] understand the relationships between numbers. She often uses multiple manipulatives to explain concepts. Recently, she created a multi-level warm-up regarding number families. She explained that numbers have families and relationships with each other, just as the students have families. The idea of families is something that the students can relate to.

Although multi-level classes can be a challenge even for veteran teachers, it was the multi-level nature of LaRue’s class that led to what she describes as her best volunteer moment. She recalls:

One of our students was having great difficulty grasping subtraction.  She was stuck in level two.  This year, several new students joined the level one class.  She helped them understand the basics.  One day, she was working with someone doing basic subtraction – she knew it!  [Later] she said she didn't know how.  I reminded her that she helped another student.  Now, she's willing to try again.  By helping others she helped herself.

LaRue recently celebrated 100 hours of service to ELC. When asked what keeps her coming back, she says: “I am so impressed by the students’ desire to learn skills that will help them in this new environment.  It is a privilege to be a small

For our third annual Volunteer Appreciation Picnic, we collected thank you notes from Open Door Learning Center students and created a board to display their words (pictured right). We wanted to be sure to share these words of gratitude with volunteers who could not make the picnic. Below are transcribed messages from the original student notes.  We hope you feel appreciated!

 “I would like to say thank you for all for coming to spend your time teaching and helping us. The best gift you could give someone else is your time because you could be doing many different things, but you prefer to come teach us. Thank you so much for this wonderful gift”

“Thank you for helping. Volunteers helped me learn English. Sometimes I don’t understand the words, Volunteers explain, than I understand more.”

“The volunteer teachers are very helpful and very understanding. They take their time with helping me understand things I didn’t know. Like math, grammar, punctuation, science. I’m glad to be here because of all the teachers helping me reach my goal.”

“It makes a huge different to have the volunteer teachers help me one on one. I really appreciate their time. Thanks so much.”

“Thank you for being the best volunteers I ever met. I am so happy to meet people like because you are all wonderful people/ OI really learn a lot from all of you. You help teach me that in life we can help others without expecting anything in return and I think only people with big hearts do this. God bless you and thank you for everything”

“Thank you for your teaching. Volunteers help my learning by teaching, helping and giving me your time. I will never forget your kindness all my life. Thank you so much.”

 “Thank you for coming. Volunteers helped my learning by helping me. Thank you for giving me your time.”

 “Thank you for coming to school. A volunteer teacher helped me learn English. You’re very important for us. Sometimes it’s to understand, but a volunteer teacher helps me and I get more information. Thank you for giving, you’re wonderful.”

“Thank you for helping us. Volunteers helped me learn and improve me education and I am thankful for them.”

“It’s very hard to teach immigrants who are learning a second language. I like it and I make my routine with you all. Volunteers helped my learning by working in small groups. Thank you for your teaching, helping social service and kindness. I’m always thankful for you all.”

“I really enjoy working with all of the volunteers that come and help out at the Open Door Learning Center. They have all been very helpful and really great at explaining things. I could have never made it as far without them. Thanks for all that you do. It is greatly appreciated.”

“I am really happy to have all the teachers help me all the time when I have some questions. It is really helpful for me to learn with their help. It is really important for all of the students. Thank you! :)”

“Thank you for coming to volunteer every week. We have enjoyed working with you every week. You’re very nice to help students improve English. I am thankful that you come every week. Thank you again for your help.”

“Thank you for volunteering to help us. Volunteers help my learning by reading, writing and speaking. We are very happy with you. We love you. Thanks!”

“I would like to say thank you for all of all of the volunteers. They are amazing by helping us. I feel great because they are spending time with us. They are considerate for helping us get a good education. I love to study in Open Door Learning Center. Volunteers are so important for us. Thank you for coming to teach us.”

“The students at Katie’s table are always heard laughing—even when the content isn’t all that exciting,” according to Forest Lake Adult Basic Education (ABE) volunteer coordinator Kara Rotramel. This fall, Katie celebrates 10 years as an adult literacy volunteer with the program. She has contributed more than 1,600 hours of service to the program, volunteering two mornings per week. A retired school social worker, Katie first heard of the need for volunteers in 2006 through the Community Education bulletin, and she has been tutoring ever since.

What has kept her coming back for year after year? Katie responds, “There is so much positive energy, determination, kindness and strength. [The students] are amazing with true grit. It is just a joy to be in class.”

Forest Lake ABE is one of a handful of one-room schoolhouse ABE programs in Minnesota. As a volunteer in this setting, Katie works with learners of all levels and abilities. While she can do it all, her coordinator likes to call on Katie for low-level ESL instruction, because of her calm and welcoming approach. And one of Katie’s personal favorites is basic math: “I enjoy working with students who have some math anxieties. I love going through the basics step by step and giving lots of encouragement.”

Indeed, Katie proves that encouragement is more important than knowing all the answers and that her students can also be teachers. Kara reflects, “Katie is always willing to take a group, even if she tells the learners that they’ll figure out the answer together.”

When asked about her favorite volunteer moment, she says she can’t choose just one. “The best moments for me are when students feel proud and successful, like passing citizenship tests, earning their GED, ‘getting’ fractions, or getting a job,” Katie says.

These days, Katie is tutoring high-level learners, helping them read and analyze novels. This group has quickly grown attached to her, claiming her as “our tutor”. And what exactly are the students at her table laughing about? She admits, “Lately we have been laughing a lot about presidential candidates and the upcoming election.”

Thank you, Katie McAvoy, for your ten years of service to Forest Lake Adult Basic Education and for your kind, welcoming and encouraging presence!

Editor's note: Blog contributor Henry Hietala volunteered as a community outreach intern with the Minnesota Literacy Council in the summer of 2016. As part of his internship, we asked him to visit our programs and classrooms and capture the stories of the people he met. His work culminated in a three-part series we're calling Summer Snapshots. Now a senior at Macalester College, Henry is pursuing a degree in English and Creative Writing and writes fiction and non-fiction for The Spark and The Words.

Summer Snapshot #2: 7 Years on Lake Street

by Henry Hietala

Literacy means different things for different people. For Sheila Enerson and Hasen Mohamud, a tutor/learner pair at the Open Door Learning Center on Lake Street, literacy is a two-way street. 

“He’s a teacher,” Sheila says about Hasen. Technically, she has been his tutor since 2010, but as they recall their time spent working together, the reciprocity of their relationship is obvious. They listen and answer my questions without interrupting each other.

Hasen attends the advanced English class. There are usually 20-30 students in the room, so Hasen prefers the one-on-one time with Sheila. “I like to come here and ask her a lot of questions,” he says. She nods in agreement.

Hasen and Sheila are both blind. Hasen started learning braille as an adult in 2001, while Sheila has known it since her youth. There have been other blind learners at Lake Street in the past, and she “hopes they come back!” In tutoring sessions, Hasen and Sheila study from the McDuffy Reader (an adult braille textbook) and Braille Book Review (a catalogue of literature available to the blind).

Sheila is quick to point out that they also do a lot of listening and speaking practice, particularly with grammar. “Some of it (grammar) is spoken, some written, some read.” Hasen brightens at the mention of grammar, which is one of his favorite subject areas. He also mentions, “I like to read history books.”

Hasen’s first language was Somali, which he says can be represented in English braille characters. He gives me a five-minute crash course in Somali consonants: “Ah! ha! huah!” His excitement for the intricacies of language is apparent. After I try to teach him pronunciations in my broken French, he replies generously, “You understand!”

With his magnetic personality, it is unsurprising that Hasen is a leader in the classroom. Sheila cites the transition from the intermediate to advanced class, and how Hasen improved the class dynamic and helped everyone get to know each other better. She is no slouch in the classroom either: she is hoping to apply to the University of Minnesota to take education classes and receive a teaching certification. 

Sheila closes the interview with a story about the weather. Before one of their sessions, she heard a weather alert over the radio about a looming thunderstorm. When she showed up to Lake Street, Hasen could tell she was shaken up from the storm warning, so he told her not to be afraid of the thunder. She said he helped her “calm down.” They both smile at the recounting of this memory. I am reminded of something Sheila said earlier in the interview about working with Hasen: “He already knows what to do...I need to listen.”

More from this series: Read Summer Snapshot #1: A VISTA at Park Avenue.

At Franklin Learning Center in Minneapolis, Thursday afternoons are brightened by the enthusiasm of Mary Drew. Her genuine interest in the students she’s tutored over the past year and a half instills confidence in them. Mary is a retired teacher who heard about adult literacy work through the Hennepin County Library. Having experience travelling abroad and a love for new knowledge of cultures, it was Franklin Learning Center (FLC) that was the right fit for her. FLC has served the Phillips neighborhood of Minneapolis for over 27 years and continues to be a very popular adult literacy program, in part because of its one-to-one tutoring model.

 “I frequently work with students I’ve worked with before and they seem glad to spend some time with me. These students are inspired to learn and clearly appreciate whatever help I can provide”, she reflects. Her favorite subject to tutor is math. In regards to reading Mary jokes, “English is enjoyable too, though some of those complex verbs make me roll my eyes!”

Her program coordinator, Nancy Thornbury, says that Mary is a good sport about transitioning with fluidity between ESL and math tutoring. “Mary is very patient.  I have watched her teach multiplication facts, complex word problems and GED math.  It is exciting when she makes a breakthrough with a student”, Nancy shares. 

New volunteers can gain much wisdom from following Mary’s practices as a tutor. Her gentle way of guiding students in the learning process builds their confidence and independence. Her advice for new volunteers is to admit when they are unsure about or do not know something. “It provides the opportunity to work through a problem together. This gives the student the skill of checking their work and makes them more self-sufficient in working through things on their own, which is a life-long skill,” says Mary.

Mary describes herself as curious, optimistic, and determined. Those characteristics drive her to keep coming back. She says, “I like the one-to-one nature of the setting.  What I learn from the students about their lives teaches me things about our country that are quite amazing.  I feel like I am providing something of value, including friendship, to people who have made great sacrifices to come here to a strange place that is often confusing.” She says that there are many great moments in volunteering, but one of her favorites is when a student’s frustration turns into laughter.

We thank you, Mary for your ongoing service and positive impact! It is inspiring to have such a genuine and authentic volunteer who takes the time to build strong relationships with students. 

This month’s Literacy Leader is Andrew Lauwagie, a volunteer at Cedar Riverside Adult Education Collaborative (CRAEC). Since May 2016, Andrew has been volunteering each Tuesday morning in a Level 1 ESL class. He gained an interest in teaching English while he was working in a family practice clinic in Minneapolis. Andrew reflects, “I saw how [individuals] were struggling to find jobs and support their families due to their lack of proficiency in English, so I did some online research and came across the Minnesota Literacy Council.” His supervising teacher, Janet Curiel, says, “Andrew has a natural talent for teaching and took on an active role in the classroom.”

Why does Andrew continue to volunteer? He says, “I am always so excited to come back every week, as I can truly see the passion and effort each and every student puts into learning English. Each student seems to have their own motivations for attending class, whether it be finding a job, helping their children with schoolwork, or simply being able to return an item at a department store. No matter the reason for being there, I consistently see the same faces returning to class week in and week out, always eager and ready to learn. Assisting in this learning process in whatever way I can is just that much more rewarding when I know my students are passionate about improving their literacy skills.“

On his way to class, Andrew gears up by spending a few moments reflecting on his personal experience learning a new language. He explains, “It can be easy sometimes to forget how difficult and frustrating the process of learning a new language can be. I actually took Spanish back when I was in high school, and I have certainly not forgotten how frustrated I got when struggling through difficult material. So on my drive to volunteering in the morning, I try to put myself into the shoes of my students, and imagine myself sitting in my Spanish class, as they will soon be sitting in front of me. This technique has helped me empathize with my students, so that I might be able to alleviate some of the frustration that comes with learning a new language.”

Andrew’s best volunteer moments are working with passionate students who never stop working, even during break times. “During break, one learner will request that I sit with her to do some individual one-on-one reading or pronunciation practice. In one of those sessions, we came across a traditional food dish from Somalia called Samosa.” Andrew was unfamiliar with the dish so the learner insisted he try it. The next week, a fresh batch of Samosa was sitting there in class, waiting for him to eat! “It tasted amazing, and even more amazing was realizing how grateful my students are for having me there,” he says.

Andrew describes himself as empathetic, motivated, and determined – qualities that make a stellar volunteer. We thank him for his six months of service!

This month’s Literacy Leader, Pat Teskey, believes that helping newcomers is part of her civic duty as a Minnesotan. “I think it is the responsibility of our community to help immigrants and refugees feel welcomed,” she says. For five years, Pat has been volunteering in adult ESL classrooms at SouthWest Metro Intermediate District ABE program in Shakopee. She had previously worked with K-12 ESL students within public schools and wanted to work with adults after she retired. Pat says, “When I went back to teaching, one of the reasons I chose to get licensed to teach ELL was that when I retired I could also help adults who were learning English.”

Jean Neitzel, an ELL instructor at the site says, “One student was especially shy about using his oral English skills even though he is quite talented, but also a perfectionist. Pat would patiently encourage him and he often sought her out after class to talk and ask questions. He has now moved to Level 2, thanks in part to her help and encouragement.” Jean also describes Pat as one who teaches for mastery. Recently, Pat led a lesson about community buildings and locations. She took the initiative to expand the lesson to involve more than just the given worksheet for more discussion and oral practice.

Pat describes herself as kind, helpful, and patient. She demonstrates these qualities by touching base with [students] during breaks and getting to know each one of them. Pat says, “My best volunteer moments are when the light bulbs go on and the students understand how English works. I also like it when they know enough English to have a conversation and I can hear their story about their family, about living in their country, and about their journey to America.”

Ultimately, it is the work ethic of the students that Pat says she admires most and it is really what keeps her coming back. Pat reflects, “I think about a young woman who works a night shift and overtime, and then comes to class in the morning because she wants to learn English, or the students who didn’t have the opportunity for an education in their country who are now eager to learn. It takes a long time and a lot of perseverance to become fluent in English.”

Pat, we thank you for dedicating over 300 volunteer hours to the SouthWest Metro Intermediate District! It is a gift to have such a caring volunteer help students reach their goals.

At Goodwill’s FATHER (Fostering Actions To Help Earnings and Responsibility) Project, Wednesday morning math lessons are filled with fun thanks to this month’s Literacy Leader, Anoop Mathur. What’s his secret to getting learners to enjoy math as much as he does? Anoop says it’s helping students understand how math affects their lives. “Many students are afraid of math. So I try not to just teach the fundamentals without any context, but make mathematics fun and necessary,” shares Anoop, who adds that he tries to get students to, “see the value of math in their everyday life.”

The classroom teacher who supervises Anoop, Kathy Dobovsky, says, “He cares for the whole student. He is willing to take students from where they are, not only academically but also with their attitudes.” Learning can be emotional, and great tutors empathize with their students to push through trepidation. Dobovsky continues, “Anoop knows that many students have had really negative experiences in learning math, so he works with the student until they ‘come around’ and realize that they can learn math.  Anoop frequently shows a student a fun math ‘trick’ to break up the tension of concentrating so hard.”

Anoop first heard about the need for volunteers from his wife, Preeti, who had been a volunteer and board member with the Minnesota Literacy Council. Preeti thought he might enjoy tutoring math and encouraged him to give it a try. He says, “I couldn’t have asked for a better opportunity to use my available time.”

Patient and adaptable, Anoop embodies what coordinators hope for in a volunteer.  He treasures his time at the FATHER Project. When asked about a day that stood out for him as a volunteer, he recounts this story: “The best day was when a student who had a phobia of math – and that was the only subject that was holding her from getting her GED – announced that she was beginning to enjoy math so much that perhaps she might even take advanced courses at MCTC. It required patience to get her to see the value of what she was doing. She finally did graduate and wrote a very nice and touching letter, which I cherish.”

Anoop gladly reserves his Wednesdays for volunteering. “Preeti knows not to schedule anything on my volunteer day and I keep that time slot marked as busy on my calendar.”  We appreciate Anoop and his passion for education. Thank you, Anoop, for dedicating your Wednesdays to the FATHER Project!