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Total Volunteer Hours in August
521
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Volunteer Hours in 2019-20 School Year
1019
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Hello all, and welcome back to fall quarter. We hope everyone had a fantastic summer. Next week (September 22-28) is Adult Education and Family Literacy Week, where individuals across the country recognize the value of adult education by supporting it in their communities and advocating for it to policymakers. The National Coalition for Literacy is focusing their observance of this week on the 2020 Census. Check out these resources they have curated on their website to learn more.
Similarly, our center-wide theme in classes this fall quarter is civics, US history, and government. With the census approaching, classes will also integrate census education into their curricula.
We are also excited to welcome three new AmeriCorps members to our team: Cheryl Mineer, Audrey Bradshaw, and Ruby Hoglund. Cheryl will be teaching GED and Learning Lab classes, Audrey will teach ESOL 1 classes, and Ruby will teach our Citizenship classes. Please give them a warm welcome next time you are at the center!
Lastly, a tutor matching update: This summer we were not able to match many students with tutors due to lower numbers of students taking summer classes and multiple staff changes. We also had 3 weeks of break as we re-adjusted our term schedule to align with the college quarter system. We will start matching students with tutors around the fourth week of class. Thank you for your patience as we onboard our students and new instructors for the start of the year. Please feel free to check in anytime for an update by emailing Caroline. We look forward to working with you this year! |
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| Back to School Fundraiser! |
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A new school year means that it's time to stock up on books and school supplies for the coming year!
Each year, friends and supporters make it possible for us to purchase books for our students to keep. For example, all citizenship students receive a copy of a book to help them study for the citizenship test.
Please join us in reaching our goal of raising $5,000 for books and school supplies for the year. You can also support us by sharing this link with your friends and family members. And if you're interested in purchasing a specific item from our online wish list, you can do so here. Thank you all for the many ways you contribute to our community at Literacy Source. |
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New: Volunteer Language Assistants
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Over the past year, Literacy Source has further committed itself to reflecting on and strategizing around culturally responsive and sustaining teaching practices, such as first language (L1) inclusion. Our student population's language diversity continues to grow and is a valuable tool that students, teachers, and tutors can leverage for learning. With this in mind, Literacy Source is excited to announce a new program to support students' language development in tutoring: Volunteer Language Assistants. In this program, high-level ESOL students will serve as a language support for same-language peers (ESOL 1-3) in tutoring sessions. Student, tutor, and language assistant will work together to determine how often and what types of L1 support will be most beneficial. If you are interested in learning more or participating in a pilot program, please reach out to Cat.
In Spring 2018, our volunteer newsletter featured a series of articles on the culturally responsive teaching practice of leveraging home languages in ESOL classes and tutoring. The first article asked volunteers to reflect on questions related to linguistic identity and teaching, such as: What/how many language(s) does your student speak? To what extent does your student read/write in those language(s)? What languages are spoken at home? How, if at all, do you incorporate this language knowledge into your lessons? The article went on to quote Elsa Roberts Auerbach's 1993 publication in TESOL Quarterly, in which Auerbach writes: "Use of the L1 (first language)...is not only effective but necessary for adult ESL students with limited L1 literacy or schooling and use of students' linguistic resources (i.e. L1 knowledge) can be beneficial at all levels of ESL."
If you are interested in attending a workshop on the above topic, the upcoming
Community Volunteer Training on September 21 features a session called "Taking Advantage of the Bilingual Brain: Evidence-Based Strategies Using the Native Language to Support English Development."
Register today!
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| Community Volunteer Training |
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| Join us at the next Community Volunteer Training, which will take place on Saturday, September 21 from 8:30 am-1 pm at the Seattle Central Library. All are welcome to attend a morning of free classes, workshops, and conversations to support ESOL and ABE students in the greater King County area. This biannual event is free and open to everyone. Registration is required. Light breakfast will be provided.
Registration closes on Friday, Sept 20!
Click
here
to register.
Workshops include:
- Keynote: Census 2020
- Working with Adult Learners (Literacy Source foundational training)
- ESOL Teaching Techniques (Toolkit, Literacy Source foundational training)
- Local Civic Engagement Basics for English Language Learners
- How do I know what my student needs to learn? Initial and On-going Needs Assessment in Tutoring
- Teaching with Technology: Google and Mobile
- Challenging Tutoring Sessions
- Taking advantage of the bilingual brain: Evidence-based strategies using the native language to support English development
This event is sponsored by King County Goodwill, The Seattle Public Library, King County Library System, Literacy Source, and OneAmerica.
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We're hiring! Currently we are looking for an Adult Basic Skills Instructional Advisor, an ESOL Instructional Advisor, and a Talk Time Program Lead to join our team. Please help us spread the word and forward our job postings to anyone who might be interested.
Individuals can apply by sending a resume and cover letter to Eileen.
We strongly encourage applications from people of color, immigrants, refugees, women, people with disabilities, members of the LGBTQIA community, and other underrepresented and historically marginalized groups. |
| Recipes Needed for Cookbook! |
Thank you to the many volunteers who helped out at our end-of-quarter cooking event on August 29! Over 150 people attended, including students, staff, volunteers, and family members. During the event, students cooked dishes after having written recipes in their classes throughout summer quarter. Their hard work will result in the creation of a Literacy Source cookbook, which will be available for purchase in time for the holiday season!
We have so many amazing student recipes to put in the cookbook, but we need more! We would appreciate submissions from our volunteers as well - If you would like to submit a recipe, please fill out this recipe template and email it to Maddi. Thank you!
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Literary Mixer at Optimism Brewing Company
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Thank you to everyone who joined us at our Literary Mixer book social on Wednesday! The list of books volunteers brought to the event is available
here. For those of you who missed it (or just can't get enough), there will be another one taking place at
Optimism Brewing Company next week on Tuesday, September 24 from 6-9 pm. Better yet,
Optimism will donate $1 per pint to Literacy Source to help promote adult literacy in our community.
Check out the Facebook event page here.
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| Unlike the Literary Mixers at Literacy Source that are only open to our volunteers, this one (hosted by Movable Type) will be open to the broader community. Bring your book of choice to discuss in pleasant company, knowing that proceeds from drink sales will go to Literacy Source. Please help us spread the word - we hope to see you there! |
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Rocio shortly after passing her citizenship test.
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Congratulations to our newest U.S. citizens, including Rocio Mendoza (pictured above). This summer alone, 12 Literacy Source participants passed their citizenship tests!
Thank you to all who support our citizenship program at Literacy Source.
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Volunteers Needed for Transportation Fair (One Bus Away Table)
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Participants at our last transportation fair in 2018.
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We are organizing a Transportation Fair which will take place on
Wednesday, October 9 from 12-2 pm. Organizations like
Hopelink and
Trailhead Direct will offer information about their services to our students.
We'd also like to have a table where students can learn about the
One Bus Away app. Do you know how to use this app? Are you willing to spend a couple of hours patiently explaining it to others during the fair? If so, please contact
Maddi.
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Celebrating a Year of Service
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| We'd like to extend a special thanks to Amanda Chin, Andres Savransky, Carolyn Cohen, Kathy Kereluck, and Rakeb Million for reaching one year of service at Literacy Source. Thanks so much for your time and commitment! |
| Staff Reads features books that Literacy Source staff are currently reading or would recommend. Read along with us and let us know what you think! |
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Current Volunteer Needs and Upcoming Trainings
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SOUTH KING COUNTY:
ESOL Classroom Assistant
Monday or Wednesday from 9 am-12 pm (9/23-12/12)
Angle Lake Family Resource Center
4040 S. 188th St.
SeaTac, WA 98188
LAKE CITY CENTER:
Outreach Helpers
Table at events in the Seattle area to help spread the word about Literacy Source services. As needed basis for 1-2 hrs each time. Weekend availability and multilingual a plus!
One-on-One Tutors: ESOL, ABE, GED Prep, Citizenship, & Work Skills
Daytime, 2 x 1.5 hrs per week (6 month commitment, flexible times)
Tech Tutors
Daytime or evening, 1 hr. per week (
1 term commitment, flexible times)
Basic skills on a variety of devices - email, internet, smartphones, etc.
Student Assessment Proctors
2-5 hr shifts every 7-10 weeks (daytime or evening)
Sight Words and Phonics Testers
1-3 hr shifts, 2 times every 7-10 weeks (daytime or evening)
Training and ongoing support provided for all positions. For more information, please
contact our Volunteer Program Manager,
Caroline.
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Community Volunteer Training (CVT)
Saturday, September 21
8:30 am-1 pm
Suggested sessions:
ESOL Teaching Techniques
Working with Adult Learners (Literacy Source foundational training)
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Tutor Orientation
Saturday, October 19
9 am-12 pm
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Seattle Tutoring Coalition All City Tutor Training
Saturday, October 19
8:45 am-1:30 pm
Location: Seattle Central Library
Register here.
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Citizenship Toolkit
Tuesday, November 26
5-7:30 pm
Location: Literacy Source
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New Volunteer Orientation
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Please help us spread the word!
Our upcoming New Volunteer Orientation will be on Wednesday, October 2, at Literacy Source. Sessions will take place at 1 and 7 pm.
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Important Dates and Center Closures
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Literacy Source is open:
Mon and Wed, 8:30 am-8:30 pm
Tues and Thurs, 8:30 am-7:30 pm
Fridays, appointment only
Upcoming important dates and office closures:
September 23: First day of fall quarter classes
October 14: Closed for Indigenous Peoples Day
November 11: Closed for Veterans Day
November 27-28: Closed for Thanksgiving
December 19: Last day of fall quarter classes
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Miss any of our past volunteer newsletters? Check out our last one here for
additional tips and resources. You can also access the newsletters at the bottom
of the
Volunteer Resources page of our website.
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Literacy Source is on the traditional lands of the Duwamish people,
and we pay our respect to elders both past and present. To support the revival of Duwamish culture and the vitality of the Duwamish Tribe, please consider
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Literacy Source recognizes the inherent dignity, equality, and value of every person and strives to create and maintain a learning community that is respectful and welcoming. To foster and maintain a safe and inclusive community of respect, openness, understanding, and civility, it is crucial that students, volunteers, and staff are aware of their rights and options when confronting a discriminatory or bias-related incident. To read more, click here.
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Copyright © 2019. All Rights Reserved.
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