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Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester

Providing English language proficiency for Economic Security

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Tutor Stories

As a volunteer tutor with Literacy Volunteers of Greater Worcester you have the opportunity to directly change the lives of our students. Our tutors come from all walks of life, but all share in the desire to help a fellow community member learn how to speak, read, and write in English.

Bob Laperriere

February 26, 2015 by Literacy Volunteers

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.

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    • Free ESOL Classes and Tutoring Service
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    • Support LVGW. Donate Today!