Tutoring is vital to those who need it within La Porte County. The READ LaPorte County program is looking for volunteers who are interested in getting involved with the community, helping individuals pursue educational goals and bettering the community.
“The file for applying for help is thick. However, the file of willing tutors is thin right now. There are currently 24 tutors working outside of the schools and seven tutors who work at the schools. Some tutors work with several students, and others concentrate their efforts on individual students. The need is growing especially in the Hispanic community,” Penelope Lower, tutor coordinator of READ LaPorte, said.
Interested students who are committed and trustworthy are encouraged to sign up to participate in at least one hour a week of tutoring. Any high school student is able to apply, but if a student is under 18, then his or her parents must sign a consent form on their website. There is the opportunity to tutor in English, reading, mathematics, digital literacy, and English as a new language.
Tutoring is not limited to only children. Students have the ability to teach adults and individuals with special needs. There is a growing need for individuals tutoring adults because many need help with learning English; however, the task is not as daunting as one may believe.
READ LaPorte provides a program that allows someone being tutored in English to learn at their pace. A tutor is there to help their own student when they do not understand a certain word or concept. There is no language requirement, but it would be helpful if a student is familiar with Spanish.
Although the Main Library is under construction, tutors can meet at the temporary location, another branch of the library, or a different public location.
“Having been an educator for over 30 years, I know that helping and teaching another person has been the most rewarding, valuable experience of my life. I have been aware of READ La Porte County for many years and realize that through its volunteers, it provides an incredibly important service in our community,” Judy Ridley, Board Member for READ LaPorte, said.
This program is just as fulfilling for the tutor. They obtain valuable skills that might help them if they want to go into teaching. Additionally, leadership, problem solving, and communication skills are obtainable if a student is interested in becoming involved. Not to mention, it is a straightforward way to achieve volunteer hours for National Honor Society, GR, and or Student Council, and it looks professional on a college application.
“Teaching people to read is a very fulfilling opportunity. Children want to know what the story book says, adults want to be able to know what is happening around them in their community and their lives. Anyone who tutors people receives the reward and satisfaction of knowing they have helped someone to make their lives easier and more enjoyable,” Lower said.
If a student is interested in applying to the program, the application can be found on www.readlaporte.com. The application can be turned into the temporary main branch of the library on 1020 Lincolnway, or may be scanned and e-mailed to readlaportecounty@gmail.com.