What started as Rodeph
Sholom’s pilot program to serve the community in its battle against illiteracy
has grown to a sizable model for effective one-on-one tutoring in reading,
writing and oral expression.
The Adult Literacy
Program’s move to the Bridgeport Parent Center at 900 Boston Avenue has been a
fruitful one. The Parent Center has
given us private teaching rooms, access to their staff and teaching tools, as
well as having referred students to us.Of
course, we miss the Synagogue as the program’s original location but it is
important to be centrally located at the Center where adults with children come
and both can benefit from our literacy efforts.
Our ranks have increased
from two tutors and one student a year ago this month, to eight teachers
(including five members of our congregation) and eight students. Our original student, Vanessa, is still coming
for literacy assistance three days a week and she has experienced the joy of
being able to now read with her young children!
My special thanks to
Marcia Gershman, Bob Jacobson, Karen Rainville and David Stone for their tutoring
assistance.We continue to search for
tutors and focused students and hope more of our congregants will share with us
the joys of introducing literacy to those in need of our assistance.
Shalom!
Shelly Lawrence
Rodeph Sholom’s Social Action Committee Ellen Bedford
Shelly Lawrence
Karen Rainville
Barbara Srebnick
David Stone
Helen Wasserman
Edith Winick
12/03/2009
Adult Literacy Program Plea for Volunteers
The
Adult Literacy Program (ALP) is well underway with five active adult students onboard
striving to improve their reading skills.We are also pleased with Rodeph Sholom’s new collaboration with The Bridgeport
Parent Center.As we promote the
benefits of one-on-one training throughout the community, we have been
garnering the attention of the educational and non-profit networks throughout
Bridgeport.There is no doubt that ALP
is on the way to achieving its stated goal of helping to combat illiteracy.
HOWEVER…we are in need of volunteers!
Shockingly,
outside of the members of the Social Action Committee, we currently do not have
any tutoring volunteers from Rodeph Sholom.The responsibility thus far has fallen to a cadre of non-congregant
members.We need more people from Rodeph
Sholom to serve those in need of reading assistance.
For
new volunteers, or for those congregants who have previously passed on this
opportunity to join the ALP program, please note that it is now a more flexible
program than before as we have responded to some of the issues previously
raised by individuals:
ØTime required is roughly one hour per session with an
average of 2-3 sessions per week;
ØSessions may be conveniently arranged at The Bridgeport Parent
Center (900 Boston Avenue) or at the Shul if it is available and practical;
ØTraining for tutors is simplified to several one hour
sessions with an experienced ALP mentor before any start-up with your client;
ØSubstitute tutors will be available for any vacation
plans or absences.
Please
respond as soon as possible to our call for more volunteers!
Congregants
can help in three ways – 1) volunteer as a tutor, 2) find an adult who is
focused on learning and/or, best of all, 3) refer a parent who, once taught to
read, can then properly help their children at home to improve their
educational experience.
We
believe thoroughly in our program and what it can deliver.Consider what it would mean to an individual
having suffered a lifetime of literacy.
PLEASE!Get in touch with us today!Thank
you.
11/12/2009
Rodeph Sholom’s Adult Literacy Program (ALP)
Announces Collaboration Agreement with the Bridgeport Parent Center
Louise Thoman and I are proud and pleased to announce
that our Adult Training Program (ALP) will be joining hands as a partner with
the Bridgeport Parent Center that has served the area community since 1992 as a
“gateway gathering place and…supportive environment for self-enrichment (for
Bridgeport parents)”.
This joint effort will be a benefit to both our
volunteers and to our clients as we provide our one-on-one reading training to
clients at the Parent Center.It will enable
ALP to promote our program using the Center’s extensive contact with
parents.We will more easily be able to locate
adults looking to improve their reading skills as well as help their school age
children.The center’s recent move to
900 Boston Avenue (less than 4 miles from the Synagogue) makes it accessible to
our clients while still convenient for our volunteers and provides well-staffed
facilities designed to serve a larger number of learners.
This collaboration will enable us to complete our mission
of helping adults attain enhanced literacy levels.Rodeph Sholom will be known
as a Community Partner of the Bridgeport Parent Center and a city-wide
contributor to literacy in Bridgeport.
We appreciate all congregants and their friends who have
joined our volunteer program and/or have introduced us to other individuals or
organizations in need of our instructional services.We ask that the volunteers please contact me
(371-8887 or Shelly123@optonline.net)
to sign up for training dates and times.We look forward to reaching substantially higher levels of volunteers as
ALP/Bridgeport Parent Center becomes a city-wide endeavor.
Please contact us for further information on ALP and
thanks again for your continuing interest and involvement with ALP.
Social Action 
