Join Librarian Devon Green for a Chat and Chew Online discussing Michelle Obama’s memoir Becoming this Wednesday April 8th at 2 pm.  Register at https://zoom.us/meeting/register/uJ0pc-2uqDMiUlD7nXkmIt4TQ3teiu5KoA

Both tutor and student are young women with dreams.

Tutor Julie Molnar is in the middle of a career change. A student at Oakland University, she is studying for a master’s degree in teaching with a focus on English Language Learning (ELL). Her degree focuses on K-12 education, but, through tutoring at Oakland Literacy Council, she has developed a love for teaching adults and “the authentic relationship” she develops with them.

Student Evelyn Ascencios immigrated to the United States from Peru, where she studied nutrition. Currently, she works at a gourmet grocery store but looks forward to enrolling in school to become a medical assistant.  Julie describes Evelyn as a motivated learner who “knows her stuff.”

Julie and Evelyn had been meeting every Friday at the West Bloomfield Township Library until libraries closed due to the pandemic.

However, the tutor-student team isn’t letting social distancing deter them from their dreams. Julie and Evelyn continue meeting each Friday using Zoom video conferencing. Julie notes that they actually have more learning time because no time is spent finding a room at the library and getting settled. “We can start right at the beginning,” she says.

Julie also believes that, for tutors who like a lot of structure, “this [remote meetings] actually helps you maintain more structure because they can see your screen and they can see the objectives.”

With Julie’s encouragement, Evelyn is also brushing up on her professional interviewing and conversation skills. Evelyn has joined a new Oakland Literacy Council conversation group (also virtual) focused on career readiness.

Remote learning is not without its challenges.  Julie finds that it can be harder to check if Evelyn understands the lesson because computer response can be slow at times. Evelyn misses the face-to-face contact. But Julie and Evelyn are working through the challenges together.

After the second virtual meeting, Julie felt “in two words – more confident.”

She has these words of advice for tutors who may be anxious about remote meetings:

“ The overarching lesson learned is to keep the end goal in mind. If you both talk explicitly about the challenges you may face technologically up front, when they do happen, neither of you feel bad/worried. You just problem solve together, and continue onward to both your goal of bettering the student’s English in a way that is meaningful to them.”

Evelyn describes Julie as “the best teacher ever” who “always solves my problems.” Together they are turning problems into opportunities.

The Covid-19 crisis hit close to home last week as we learned of the passing of Gladys “Gaby” Davis. Gaby, age 90, of West Bloomfield, died on March 21, 2020. She had what you might call a second career at Oakland Literacy Council, tutoring students for over 15 years.

Gaby was a champion for literacy throughout her life. As a elementary school teacher, she earned her master’s degree in reading and reading disabilities at a time when little was known about dyslexia and other learning disabilities. Gaby “thought teaching kids to read was the most important thing she could do as a teacher,” shared daughter Laurie Davis.

After retiring from the classroom, Gaby shared her talent and passion for reading with adult students at Oakland Literacy Council. Laurie remembers how her mother loved working with the different students she had over the years. Among her students were a young immigrant woman working as a nanny and a older student who never learned to read and wanted to help her kids with their school work.

“I think my mom’s long connection to the Oakland Literacy Council really reflects her deep commitment to people and her community.” 

Laurie has followed in her mother’s footsteps as a volunteer tutor in Washington, D.C.

OLC Board President Judy Lindstrom remembers the energy and spirit Gaby brought to the Council:

“Gaby was a tutor for many years. She was amazing. She filled a room with such joy. And, her claim to fame were her beautiful eyes. When we had mailings, Gaby was the first to volunteer but could only stay an hour. Once she left, it was like she sucked all the air out of the room.” 

Our sincerest condolences to Gaby’s friends and family. Our thanks to the family for honoring her legacy with tribute gifts to Oakland Literacy Council. We also thank Gaby’s family for allowing us to share the story of her life and her passing. Please help us honor Gaby by staying home and staying safe. 

The obituary for Gaby Davis can be found HERE. The Detroit Jewish News is also planning to feature her life in an upcoming issue.

Social distancing? Libraries closed? What would that mean for the 200 Oakland Literacy Council (OLC) volunteer tutors who are teaching adults throughout Oakland County?

For Turesa Lewis, it means doubling down on her commitment to her students. Turesa, recently retired from AT&T, has been a volunteer tutor with OLC since 2014. Normally she meets in person each week with her two students, one who is an advanced English language learner and the other who is an adult basic education student.

Without the option to meet face to face, Turesa is adapting and learning new technologies so her students can keep learning. Turesa was one of over 70 tutors who attended recent OLC training sessions to learn to use Zoom to meet virtually with students.

Turesa, who has a passion for writing, reflected on the challenge ahead:

“CRISIS: Danger and Opportunity” – This was shared on one of our training calls last week and really touched me. The crisis has presented an unknown danger that has led our leaders to direct us all to stay home. As a tutor with the Oakland Literacy Council, I find this is a great opportunity for me to serve others. In this time of uncertainty, face-to-face tutoring is no longer exercised. I miss meeting with both my students every day. Yes, I have two students that I have committed myself to each week. Yet I’m embracing this new opportunity to learn and expand my knowledge of using digital tools. The Zoom app is new to many of us and has lots of bells and whistles. This is overwhelming and exciting. Now that we are stuck in the house, why not take this opportunity to use the tools provided and connect with our students to continue to give them the same level of service as we once did when we met with them face to face? One day we will all look back at this time and remember how well we moved past this.”

Turesa knows firsthand that remote learning can also be challenging for students. One of her students goes to a neighbor’s house to work on the computer because she doesn’t have her own. Turesa explains, “Each time I send her an e-mail, I have to call her to be sure that she receives it.”

Turesa is fortunate to have solid technical skills she developed in her professional life.
She encourages those who are less comfortable with technology to look for tutorials. “In most cases, the tutorials are designed to get you through it.”

She has some extra advice for her peers: “Baby boomers, don’t be afraid to reach out to those millennials who can whip through this technology!”

Click HERE to learn more about Turesa, one of our “35 Faces of Literacy.”

Listening audio files

Track 5

Track 6

Track 11