The Tufts Literacy Corps

September, 2016

Dear Prospective TLC Member:

Thanks for your interest in the Tufts Literacy Corps! We will be doing truly exciting work with the children of Medford and Somerville this year,and we need great tutors, mentors, and homework assistants.

Before you apply, please remember that joining the TLC involves a one-year commitment! In the fall, all tutors and mentors join one of our on-campus supervisory programs, visit their tutoring sites and meet their “tutees.” We aim to get you started as soon as possible. The longest stretch of tutoring, however, starts right after you return for the spring semester and continues through the end of April.

It is also important to know that paid tutoring requires a Federal Work Study (FWS) award. Federal Work Study is different from Tufts Work Study, which is often awarded to international students. If you do not have Federal Work Study, you are very welcome to volunteer your time!

This attachment includesa program descriptionand an application. Please fill out the application and bring it with you to your interview. All interviews will be held in Miller Hall (Miller Hall is located between Packard Avenue and Winthrop Street, across from the Granoff Hillel Center).

I’m looking forward to meeting you!

Sincerely,

Dr. Cindy Krug

The Tufts Literacy Corps, 2016-2017

TheTufts Literacy Corps(TLC) was established in 1998, when the Federal government first authorized students to use their work study awards to tutor children in reading and mathematics. We began with 16 tutors and a director, and have grown to a membership of 75 to 100 students each year. TLC members work with children in six schools and four after school programs, as well as on the Tufts campus. They come from widely varied backgrounds and university majors. All, however, love children and have chosen to spend at least one academic year working closely with a child to help him or her succeed in school and gain a lifelong love of learning.

Relationships Are At the Heart of Learning: We believe that learning happens best in the context of warm, supportive teacher-child relationships. The profound relationship that develops between each tutor and child is pivotal to our success. All tutoring is one-on-one and continues from October to May.

The TLC Seminar: Research shows that one-on-one assistance can have a profound impact on children, but only when the tutors are equipped with high-quality training and supervision (Wasik,1998). This academic year, all TLC tutors will specialize in one tutoring area – reading, writingor mathematics – and will participate in a mandatory training/supervisory seminar that meets on the Tufts campus throughout the academic year. In addition to general instruction in teaching and learning, on-campus supervision involves a close assessment of each child in the program, so that the tutoring agenda can be tailored to their specific needs.

TLC Programs in 2016-2017:

Fostering Fluency: Eachreading tutor visits a local school twice a week and works individually with first, second and third-grade children who are struggling to decipher print and/or understand what they read. Reading tutors must be available to meet for training and supervision during the Wednesday “open block,” from 12:00 to 1:15 pm.

A unique feature of the TLC training program is its collaboration with the Center for Reading and Language Research, directed by Professor Maryanne Wolf. TLC reading tutors learn to use an adaptation of the Center’s innovative remedial reading program. Based on Professor Wolf’s research, “RAVE-O” is designed to foster fast, automatic word recognition and reading fluency.

The TLC Writing Project: Writing tutors visit local schools and community based sites once a week, to work with elementary and middle school children who need help putting their thoughts on paper. Writing tutors will be meeting for training/supervision on Wednesday mornings at 10:00 am.

The TLC Math Tutorshelp elementary and middle school students master mathematical concepts and computational skills. All math tutors will be meeting on Mondays, during the open block, from 12:00 to 1:15 pm (after the first meeting, we’ll split the group into elementary school tutors and those working with middle schoolers).

After-School Homework Help: T.L.C. tutors visit after-school programs to help children with reading, writing and math homework assignments. Weekly meetings for homework assistants are schedule for Fridays, from 9:30 to 11:00.

BookMatch! BookMatch is a novel reading competition that challenges 5th graders to form teams and read a list of 25 great children’s books. BookMatch culminates with a celebratory competition in which the teams go head-to-head to answer questions and find out which team has read the booklist most carefully. (BookMatch is led almost entirely by the Tufts students who run it. Joining the group, therefore, requires leadership skills and initiative. )

Tuft Literacy Corps Application

Name:______Tufts Student ID:______

Campus Address:______

Telephone:______

Email:______

Permanent Address:______

Telephone:______

___Undergraduate___Graduate StudentProgram/Major______

Expected Date of Graduation:______TLC Program(s) you are interested in: ______

Do you have a car? ____yes_____no

How many hours do you want to work? ____3-4_____6-10

______

Please answer the following questions thoroughly. (Feel free to use more than the space provided.)

  1. Why are you applying for work with the Tufts Literacy Corps? What do you hope to gain and learn from your participation in the program?
  1. Have you worked with children in the past? If so, in what capacity?
  1. What are your special interests? What might you like to share with children?
  1. What do you hope children will gain from your work together?
  1. What skills or areas of expertise would you bring to your work with the TLC? Is there something you are especially interested in contributing to the program?
  1. What hours are you available to visit tutoring sites/meet with children?

__Weekday mornings: M T W Th F
__Weekday afternoons between 12:00 and 2:00M T W Th F

__Weekday afternoons between 2:30 and 5:00M T W Th F

__Weekday afternoons between 2:30 and 6:00M T W Th F
__Weekends and evenings

Important: The TLC requires a full year commitment. You are welcome to change your schedule to accommodate second semester classes IF you can work it out with teachers and/or parents. However, it is very important to sustain the commitment you make to children and teachers through April.

  1. Please write down the name and email address of one reference (a previous supervisor or employer).