LVGS Tutor Blog

Announcements
Summer Opportunities
LVGS is collaborating with other local literacy organizations to provide as much support to adult learners in the community as possible. Over the summer LVGS will be looking for volunteers to help with GED, ESL, and Digital Literacy Classes at locations throughout Onondaga County. In addition LVGS will be offering a computer class in our office to students that are on the waiting list. This will provide an opportunity to bridge the gap for learners to provide instruction until they can be placed with a one-on-one tutor or in a small classroom. For more information or details on how you can become a tutor for a GED, ESL, Digital Literacy, or Waiting List class this summer, contact me at rsmith@lvgs.org.

Don’t forget to complete your June tutor reflection report. Take a few minutes and visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/JuneTutorReport to complete your June report.

Featured Students
Each month LVGS will provide information on “featured” students. Featured students will be chosen based on time on the waiting list, location, and number of inquiries to the office about status of a tutor. Currently LVGS has almost 100 students waiting for a tutor.

Lian
Lian is a low level ESOL student from Burma (Myanmar). Lian is available at the White Branch Library or the North East Community Center weekday mornings. Lian would like to speak better English to prepare for a job and he would like to be able to read the Bible. Lian also enjoys working on the computer. Lian has contacted the office several times checking on his status. He has been on the waitlist since February.

Contact the office if you are interested in working with the featured student.

Training Opportunities & Resources
LVGS and White Library offer English conversation groups on Fridays at 10:30 AM. Classes are open enrollment and students can attend any session.

Summer ESL classes are being offered through the Literacy Zone. Contact 435-6376 for more information.

OCM BOCES offers ESL classes at the DeWitt and Manlius libraries. Classes are open enrollment and students can attend any session. Contact 453-4967 for dates, times, and more information.

GED classes are being offered through the Syracuse Literacy Zones at the Beauchamp Library. For more information contact Jocelyn Bowen at 214-4248 or jbowen@scsd.us.

Summer tutoring is available at the Syracuse Educational Opportunity Center. For more information contact the SEOC at 472-0130.

Onondaga County Health Department will be offering lead testing on July 12 at Maxwell Library, Camillus, 4 PM – 6PM; July 19 at the Lafayette Public Library, 4 PM – 6 PM; and July 28 at the Liverpool Public Library, 4 PM – 6 PM. For more information call 435-3271.

WIC is offering a summer farm fresh mobile market every Wednesday beginning July 6 from 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM. Use your WIC farmers market coupons, EBT card, or cash to buy fresh fruits and vegetables. For more information and WIC qualification guidelines call 435-3280.

Beauchamp library will be offering a Staged Reading of “For Colored Girls who’ve Considered Suicide When the Rainbow Is Enuf,” written by Ntozake Shange, directed by Jackie Warren Moore.
Dates: Thursday June 30 and Friday July 1, at 5:30 p.m. and Saturday July 2 at 2:00 p.m.
PRPAC’s mission is to “provide the CNY community with high-quality theater performances coming out of the African-American tradition, while providing opportunities for artists (youth and adults) from the local minority community and the University student population to develop and display their skills and talents.” The public is invited to the reading of this highly acclaimed play, under the professional direction of Jackie Warren Moore, local poet, playwright and activist. The cast includes local middle (Liverpool) and high school (Corcoran) students, as well as actresses from the local community. Admission is free.


Learning Disabilities information: Tutor 8 has a complete chapter dedicated to working with students and potential learning disabilities. If you do not have a copy of Tutor 8, contact the office and we will provide you with the information on how you can order the publication through New Readers Press using the LVGS member discount.

LVGS has been selected to be in the TOPS Car Giveaway Charity!
Help LVGS win a new vehicle and vote daily on TOPS Friendly Markets Facebook page or Website.
Voting only takes a few minutes.
To vote follow the instructions below:
Round 1: The voting period for Round 1 began on June 21, 2011 and ends July 7, 2011. During that time, participants who allow "Access" and "Like" the TOPS Great American Charity Car Giveaway application on the Facebook platform http://www.facebook.com/topsfriendlymarkets#!/topsfriendlymarkets?sk=app_169951363064430 or visit the TOPS website and use the TOPS Great American Charity Car Giveaway application http://www.topsmarkets.com/promotions/charitycargiveaway may vote.
Limit one (1) vote per day per person or email address with a total of seventeen (17) votes per person or email address during Round 1.

Looking for a fun summer lesson plan? Onondaga County Parks is sponsoring Get Moving CNY. Get moving and feel better – visit www.onondagacountyparks.com/getmoving, download the activity calendar, do 30-60 minutes of physical activity every day, and record the activity on the calendar. After completion mail, fax, or drop off your calendar for the opportunity to win prizes. Questions? Call 453-6712.

Professional Development opportunities: ProLiteracy and World Education offer several free online trainings for professional development. Full course information is available at http://207.10.202.20/home.

National Center for Family Literacy (NCFL) released a suite of resources designed to help Hispanic families realize their high aspirations for their children's pursuit of higher education. Research shows parents are not receiving the information they need to help their children successfully navigate postsecondary education.
This suite of resources includes:
En Camino: Educational Toolkit for Families offers five online modules with activities for Spanish-speaking families to help increase their investment in and pursuit of educational opportunities. These modules are available in both English and Spanish.
On Our Way: Program Instructional Guide includes instructional activities that intergenerational literacy programs can implement with families and adults in their programs.
Turning Points: A Case Study of Family Literacy - Community College Partnerships offers descriptions of exemplary postsecondary educational transition partnerships between family literacy programs and community colleges, including successful programs in Lake City, Fla.; Louisville, Ky.; and Providence, R.I.
Promoting Postsecondary Educational Success for Adults and Families - A Practical Partnership Guide is an examination of what makes a literacy program-community college transition partnership work.
Family Literacy: A Valuable Gateway to Postsecondary Education examines the impediments to attaining a postsecondary education and how literacy programs can help with the transition and increase college graduation rates for nontraditional students.

Don’t forget LVGS has a tutor blog. The blog contains information on current trainings, events, best practices, and opportunities. Make sure to check daily at http://lvgstutorblog.blogspot.com

Student of the Year Nominations
It is not too late to nominate your student as the LVGS Student of the Year. In order to qualify, tutors must have completed their monthly tutor reflection reports, met with their student consistently (missed sessions due to vacations, illnesses, family emergencies, etc. will be accepted), and have a current student evaluation. Visit http://www.surveymonkey.com/s/StudentoftheYear and nominate your student today!

Upcoming In-service Opportunities for Tutors
10 AM – 12 Noon Snacks are provided!

August (Date TBD)
Topic: Preparing Your Student for the College Admission Process and Entrance Exams
Invited Speaker: Gabriela Lozanova, Admissions Counselor, OCC
Location: Central Library, 447 S. Salina Street
Syracuse, NY 13202

Saturday September 10, 17, & 24
Topic: What You Need to Know to Help Your Student Prepare for Citizenship
Presenters: Hope Wallis, Martha Bonney, Lora McCooey, Amy Thorna, and LVGS Staff
Location: Central Library, 447 S. Salina Street
Syracuse, NY 13202