promote literacy

for the summer. Life in the wilderness goes outside for 90 days to enjoy life before the arctic blasts return.

With school starting again I am ready to get busy with my projects.

I decided that I was tired of focusing on my problems and needed to do something for someone else. As I was looking at the upcoming events for the wilderness I noticed that The Literacy Volunteers were having their semi annual tutor training the next Saturday. I made a note but didn’t take action.

The day before the training was especially bad for me…it was gray, snowing and my job search was futile. I was feeling really sorry for myself. Then I noticed the note I had written about the tutor training and called to see if I could attend. They happily said…”Sure! C’mon down!”

The next day I spent from 9-4 with 10 other people and the trainer learning how to tutor adults who do not know how to read. I was amazed at the lessons I learned that day about how it must feel for them. I was then told they would contact me for an interview later in the week.

My interview was this morning. I visited with the Director of the non-profit and we became fast friends. It seems they are involved in the local Food Banks, Recovery Houses, Juvenile Detention Center and ESL programs with the Library system. They have a full agenda plus helping individuals and families learn to read.

She asked where I might be interested in volunteering and we decided my strong suit is to be a life skills tutor for women in Recovery and working with children when their families go to the local Food Bank.

We visited for over an hour about the goals and projects of the organization. She asked if I would consider being on the Public Relations committee and I agreed. As I was leaving she asked if I was doing any other community work? I replied that right now I’d like to devote myself to a cause close to my heart and do that one commitment to the best of my ability. She smiled and said “Would you like to be on our Board?” I am very honored. :-)

each customer was asked if they would like to donate a book to the local Literacy Volunteers book drive for Christmas? Of course I said yes…I really need to get in touch with them and see what else I can do.

the TASS test standards, which has it’s pros and cons. Personally I am against this type of education because it is all by rote without much creativity thrown in the mix. Many people know what they have learned but freeze up on tests (myself included) so I truly do not believe it is any indication of literacy. But it is how the school systems in Texas get federal funding.

My son says they have a system that if the children fall behind and are labeled slow learners they put them in special classes and somehow are absolved of being poor teachers and still get the federal funding. He is very conservative in his beliefs so I tend to believe he has looked into this.

My granddaughter had fallen behind in her reading skills so my son and daughter-in-law took the bull by the horns read with her every day to get her to her grade level in reading comprehension. She passed the Tass test reading section with flying colors. Her teacher was amazed.

While they were concentrating on her reading skills her math skills dropped from a 93 to a 75…not sure why but they decided she should go to summer school for the month of June for math tutoring. Her teacher told them that wasn’t necessary. It wouldn’t do any good because her test scores were low. So they went to the principal of the school to get it approved.

He said he wished more parents took an interest in their children’s progress. My granddaughter has done well with her math class and is back up to her grade level.

My question is why are teachers allowed to label a child slow so they don’t have to take responsibility for illiteracy? Aren’t they being paid to encourage and teach our children?

the story of Dr. Ben Carson on TNT. It was insprational to say the least. Good television is rare. This was one of the best things I have seen in a very long time.

As a child he had learning disabilities and a mother who believed in him but who herself was illiterate (unable to read). What we tend to forget is that the ability to read is something we learn while our innate intelligence is a gift we are given at birth. Learning to read enables us to learn what others already know but also unleashes our own imaginations to discover new frontiers.

His mother knew this. She turned off the TV and challenged her sons to go to the library, read 2 books a week and write book reports for her.

This hit close to home for me yesterday. My son called and in our conversation he told me my grand-daughter was having trouble with reading comprehension. He has taken the bull by the horns and is reading with her every evening instead of watching TV.

We can solve our literacy problems one child at a time if each of us make a commitment just like Ben Carson’s mother and my son by opening up books and turning off the TV.

me an application to fill out to volunteer with the Literacy project. This will be fun.

I was once a Big Sister in the Big Brothers/Sister organization when my sons were toddlers. That was a wonderful experience so I know this will be too.

is essential when you are building your life. I have always been a volunteer and totally enjoy giving my time and effort to the community.

I have decided part of my sadness is not making a difference any more so this morning I called the Literacy Volunteers of Flathead County and left a message I want to volunteer with them.

Hopefully they will call me back soon.

about a 70 year old gentleman who has lived his entire life not being able to read. He was responsible for taking his grandson to school each day. One day he asked his grandson’s 1st grade teacher if he could join the class to learn to read. That took such courage!

It was a heartwarming story that brought tears to my eyes. We take for granted that in the land of public education everyone can at least basically read. Guess we have some work to do.

and the percentage of teenage pregnancies here this may become a very important project.

Frankly, today I am just in shock at the news…

and cannot find one. I’ve asked around and no one knows of one except a mentor program in the elementary school in a small town 35 miles away.

hmmm something to ponder.