This month we are highlighting a former tutoring pair that will be the feature speakers at the November 18th Literacy Breakfast. Here is a sampling of what they have to say about their tutoring experience. I hope it will entice you to hear their whole story. I guarantee you are in for a treat!

Tutor - Judy Upham

WLC: What have been some of the most challenging and rewarding aspects about being a tutor?

Judy: I consider myself a novice in the tutoring realm. I'd say the challenge is figuring out the best approach to help your learner learn. It's very rewarding when you find a method that works, and of course, when a learner reaches one of their goals.
 

WLC: Why is the Literacy Council important to you and to the community?
Judy: I love the escape of a good book, but I couldn't do my job if I was unable to read and write. I can't imagine trying to make it in this world without those skills. I love it that we have a resource like the Literacy Council and I am happy to be associated. I think if somebody can improve their literacy skills, they improve the options available to them. Simply put, life is better
when you can read and write!
 

WLC: What advice would you give someone who is just starting the tutoring process?

Judy: Listen to your program coordinator and ask for help. There are a variety of resources available at the WLC library and on the internet. They are the experts and here to help us with our learners. Mine (thank you Jessica!) has given me great advice and has helped me to relax in
this process. I don't worry if I don't know what to do, because I have people to call and ask for
help!
 

Learner- Mason Saunders - 

these are Mason's written responses to our questions, unedited

WLC: What motivated you to contact us?
Mason: I wanted to improve my reading level so I could get my GED and I figured I needed all
the help I could get. My GED teacher at the community college told me that the literacy Council
could help match me with a tutor to help me study for my GED but that ended up only being
part of what the literacy Council help me with.
 

WLC: What are you currently working on with your tutor?
Mason: I have moved down to Seattle to go to the Diver's Institute of Technology were I am
doing great keeping my grade average in the 90 percentile

WLC: What goals have you accomplished and/or plan to accomplish in working with your tutor?
Mason: I accomplished the goal of getting my GED and the goal of getting accepted into the
divers Institute of technology. Now I am working towards the goal of graduating and finding
employment.
 

WLC: What do you want to be doing ten years from now?

Mason: I plan to have my own live aboard sailboat and to have sailed all over the world. to have
started a new small business may be in tourism charter diving fishing and kayaking in some nice corner of the world that I've found in my travels. I plan to make all this happen by having a very successful commercial diving career in the years to come. All thanks over to the people at the
literacy Council, community college, and instructors at the divers Institute. All these people have
made these goals attainable I'm thankful for that everyday.
 

WLC: Why is the Literacy Council important to you & the community?
Mason: The literacy Council is very important to me and to the community without them I might never reach my goals. They are a vital part of our community and the people involved with them
are some of the best people in our society they should never go without things or praise for all
the hard work they do especially the volunteers.
 

WLC: What advice would you give other adults seeking literacy support?
Mason: To never be too shy or too ashamed to accept help. And to never let anyone tell you
you can't do something achieve something or be someone because of your disability or lack of
literacy. I still have the lowest reading level in my school I'm sure! however I score higher than
over half of my class because I chose something I love to learn and a school that teaches in the
way I learn best hands-on and verbally everyone else has to take notes but all I have to do is
sit in the front of the class not get distracted pay attention and ask lots of questions. So find
something you love, something you can make money at and something you can learn to do in the way that you learn.