Volunteer Tutors

I am Rosa Mumbiela, a Spanish teacher living here in MA for her second year although I was living in Texas for 3 more. I’m one of the new tutors of LVGW. I decided to join you because I perfectly understand what it means to be in a foreign speaking country and I wanted to help to anyone who needs it. Thank you for giving me such a great opportunity.

My name is Faith. I visited Worcester in 2005 and I never left. Worcester is a pretty city and there are people from all over the world here which is exciting. I had worked with other ESOL programs in NC, CA and NY, so I decided to visit Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester to see if I could volunteer.  The staff was very friendly and inviting and I felt very comfortable. I joined as a tutor because it is important to me to help others. I also knew from experience that coming to live in another country and not knowing the language was not easy and I needed all the help I could find. Tutoring someone means helping them learn a new language, learn about other resources available for them, and sharing my own experiences. Many times I became friends with my students and we invited each other to our homes, sometimes shopped together, learned about each other’s cultures and changed each others lives. I love tutoring and being part of the family of Literacy Volunteers because it’s one of the best things in my life.

My name is Gary Tuthill and I’ve been working with Bijan Mohammadi since completing my tutor training in the Winter of 2013. I’m retired from computer programming and this is my first tutoring effort. Bijan is a pleasure to work with, and we’ve become good friends. Much of our time together has been conversation, including job application discussions, house buying evaluation and the history, culture and geography of Iran. While already able to handle the basics of life in Massachusetts, Bijan has become much more comfortable and skilled in communication in English.

The staff at Literacy Volunteers is enthusiastic, helpful and professional. My tutor training was thorough, and I feel well-prepared and supported in my work with Bijan. The organization’s efforts are so important in helping immigrants better cope with our language and culture.

My name is Darrelyn and I have been a tutor for almost a year and a half.  I have always wanted to be a Literacy Volunteer and a few years ago, I finally had the time to devote to it.  I did not have any teaching experience before this, but the training program and the support that is available gave me the confidence to become a tutor.  I meet with Ban, my student, every week and we work on speaking, reading and comprehension, listening skills using different strategies.  Ban has made great progress and she is a motivated and enthusiastic learner.

This experience has been so meaningful and rewarding for me.  Ban is my student but also has become a friend.  She has taught me many things about her culture and country.  She is a wonderful cook and has spoiled me and my family with many delicious dishes!

My name is John Matraia and I have been volunteer with Literacy Volunteers for two years. I am currently working with my third student, Kwabena Boakye. He has been in the United States for five years. We have been working together weekly for several months and Kwabena is making excellent progress, as he is very diligent about his class work.

In addition to working full time, Kwabena also works part time whenever he is needed. Being a member of his Church is a very important part of his life and has helped him to develop a network of friends. His long‐ term goal is to bring his children to America at some point in the future. They are currently in school in Ghana.

My name is Jean Bowker. My student’s name is Janaq Rungollari. I became a literacy tutor almost 2 years ago. As a former teacher of reading and language, I enjoy working and seeing the gains my student has made. I was proud to attend the ceremony and see Janaq become a U.S. Citizen as I tutored him in this area also. Janaq has been a wonderful student and I have learned so much from him.

Literacy Volunteers provides a valuable service to immigrants to give them the skills to become productive and literate citizens. It also provides tutors with a greater understanding of the hardships many of our immigrants face. As tutors we make a difference in more ways than learning, and serve as mentors when there are problems faced by students new in this country.

My name is Bob Laperriere. I tutor 2 students, Durga Khawas from Bhutan, and Tha Shi Wah, from Burma. Both are refugee immigrants with remarkable life stories. I became a tutor last summer. I retired from the postal service in 2012 as a letter carrier and was looking for some interesting things to do so, among other things, I ended up as a tutor with Literacy Volunteers.

I had no idea how much fun it would be to meet these fascinating, gracious, gentle people that I have come to respect and love. I think I get more out of these relationships of learning than they do. I grew up in a poor French-Canadian family surrounded by others from Quebec who had immigrated to Lowell, Lawrence and Haverhill to work in the mills and shoe shops. I remember the struggles I saw my grandparents and my parents made to improve their lives and can really empathize with these new visitors to America.

On Christmas Eve I received the amazing news that Durga Khawas had passed the US Citizenship test. That truly astounded me as I knew the language disabilities he struggles with. His positive, very hardworking spirit and his clever methods for memorizing language were rewarded. I have learned a lot from both of my students.

Register today!

Olivia and Joan speaking at the Meet & Greet at Redemption Rock Brewing Co.

Who we are:

Olivia: I’ve lived in Worcester for about one year. I am from China and I came here for school many years ago. I am thirty years old and I signed up for tutoring to improve my English speaking skills. I have been with my tutor, Joan, for about six months.

Joan: I am a retired lawyer and I became a Literacy Volunteer a few years ago. I wanted to work with people trying to find their place in a new country and community. Because that is a huge challenge, I thought students would be very motivated, positive and interesting individuals. And I was right!

What we have learned from tutoring:

Olivia: As I learned more cultural things and as my English has improved I have more confidence. I’m not afraid to talk with anyone now. I went to yoga class last week and introduced myself to a few people before class. When I went skiing I talked with people next to me in line and on the lift. I think understanding the culture is very important.

Things we have enjoyed doing together:

• Reading aloud and discussing books written for children or young people. These books have easier vocabulary, plot lines, are shorter than adult books and are fun.
• Reading and discussing newspaper articles about China and about American politics. This is difficult but rewarding.
• Finding and discussing unfamiliar vocabulary and idioms as we read and talk together.
• Talking about the similarities and the differences between China and America.
• Sharing some details about our respective cultures.
• Meeting in different places for weekly lessons. This gives us new topics of conversation and the chance for Olivia to practice conversation with other people. We have been to different coffee shops and the Courthouse where Joan used to work. We even spent one lesson talking about the American judicial system.
• Olivia was invited to speak at a Library Foundation event. She practiced her talk several times with Joan as the “audience”. We attended the event and Olivia did exceptionally well!

Favorite moments:

Both: When we have a conversation and are able to share our experiences in our families, our upbringing, and our different cultures with each other.

Olivia: Knowing I have the support of my tutor makes me happier.

Joan: Getting to know Olivia is a pleasure and having the opportunity to help her grow in her conversation skills and confidence is very rewarding.

My name is Susan and I completed the tutor training in May, 2015.  I was interested in becoming more involved in helping new immigrants to succeed in our community.  I heard about Literacy Volunteers by word of mouth and have enjoyed my experience in every way.  I meet with my student every week – we play games, work with flash cards and mainly, I encourage my student, Melba, to speak English!  We even talk on the phone twice a week because Melba is afraid to talk on the phone.  I also volunteer in the Literacy Volunteers’ main office once a week.  This experience is so meaningful for me and I’m not sure who gets more out of it.