Taking Tutoring to Town by Sue Angell and Joshua Willis '03
Related Links: • Literacy in Action		left photo: Sharon Soucy (director of GED/ABLE program), Margaret Troyer '03, Stacey Gerson '03, Mara Brecht '04 (tutors) right photo: Mara Brecht '04 with a tutee at LCJVS JUNE 4, 2003--Under a new program devised by rhetoric and composition Professor Anne Trubek, five students spent their spring semester working as writing tutors at Oberlin High School and the Lorain County Joint Vocational School. The program, named Literacy in Action (LIA), expands the College's Peer Tutoring Program into the wider community. "I have always believed that it is important to be involved in the community in which you live," Trubek says. "For me, it just made sense to volunteer within my area of expertise; that is, to create a program that will give people the opportunity to receive one-on-one attention from a tutor who can show them how to improve their writing skills." The Literacy in Action program is grounded in Trubek's belief that the ability to write well controls access to both higher education and success within the workplace. "Writing well is critical to the success of any endeavor," says Trubek. "Whether you are filling out a job application, studying for the GED, or preparing an essay for a college application, writing plays a critical role." LIA tutors were assigned to Oberlin High School, where they helped students prepare college application essays and strengthen their basic writing skills. Tutors also worked with participants in the Adult Basic Literacy Education (ABLE) Program at the LCJVS. "What I did was help my tutee get more comfortable about writing and feel more confident putting a pen to paper," tutor Margaret Troyer '03 says. "It was intimidating to teach someone older than me, but I think we learned from each other." Stacey Gerson '03 helped a local poet with basic literacy skills. "Some of her poems are very personal, so she is embarrassed that she has to dictate to her husband. She wanted to learn to write and spell so that she can express herself more freely without an intermediary." Literacy in Action tutors were also enrolled in a one-credit course that taught them to be aware of community issues and other social perceptions. "I wanted my students to realize that how they approached this job was very important," says Trubek. "By being aware of different economic and social issues within the community, they'd have a better chance of cultivating a good relationship with their tutees."
		Please send comments, questions, and suggestions about Oberlin Online news and feature articles to online.news@oberlin.edu.