Tutoring Employees in English as a Second Language is Rewarding for both Student and Teacher

By Robert Doherty

The people living at Brooksby fill their days in many different ways—some work full-time, others spend the day enjoying the world-class amenities, while many more volunteer their time at local schools, community organizations, and area hospitals.  While most of the volunteer work is off campus, recently, Brooksby volunteers got to work a little closer to home.

Through a grant from the North Shore Community Action Program, state certified teachers are educating Brooksby employees while Brooksby residents serve as tutors inside and outside the classroom. “Every student is assessed by state certified teachers to determine levels. Some are taking English; some are taking Adult Basic Education which includes Math, Science, and Social Studies,” says Regina Currid, the Human Resources Manager.

Residents Make Time to Volunteer

One of the tutor volunteers is Teddy Barnes, a former Mathematics teacher now living at Brooksby. “I’ve been volunteering over a year,” says Teddy. Teddy’s first assignment was to speak with a woman who was learning English as a second language and had no one to speak English with. For one hour a week, Teddy would meet with her student. “We would talk about anything and everything; just a regular conversation and I would encourage and help her. It was a wonderful experience for both of us.”

Now Teddy is a one-on-one counselor working with students outside the classroom. “We go over lessons with the students, speaking with them, finding ways to encourage them to both read and write English.”

A Rewarding Experience