Discover 7 Advantages of Becoming a GED Tutor at Seeds
Recently, Seeds of Literacy had to do something it should never have to do – turn students away. We promise a one-to-one learning experience, but sometimes we have as many as 30 students for only 5 tutors during any given class. (This is especially true for our Virtual Classroom.)
Take a moment to envision the following scenario.
You are a student doing everything you can to make it to school.
- You may have taken 2 buses that you couldn’t afford, or perhaps you walked 10 blocks in the rain.
- You argued with your oldest son to watch the little ones just so you can go to class.
- Your boss isn’t happy about you not being as available to work double shifts now that you are in school.
- And quite frankly, it’s tempting to give up and avoid the hassle, even though you won’t.
Somehow, against all odds, you jump through the hoops, leap over the fire pits, and make it past all of the obstacles so you can improve your life with education.
But as you walk through the classroom door, THERE IS NO TEACHER.
What does that feel like?
Now think back to when you were in school. Think of elementary school, middle school, high school, and college. If your teacher didn’t show up every day, would you be as successful as you are now? How would your life be different?
Adult learners at Seeds already struggled with a traditional school system that couldn’t meet their needs. Coming to Seeds requires a great commitment, sacrifice, and bravery. They choose to come here but the frustration they feel when no one can help them is enough to make them give up.
We need your help making sure that they don’t.
TUTORING: WHAT’S IN IT FOR YOU
Like so many of our tutors, Ann is quick to say she gets as much, if not more, out of the program than the students do.
Here are 7 advantages to becoming a GED tutor at Seeds of Literacy.
(1) Making a positive impact:
Tutoring allows you to make a direct and meaningful impact on someone’s life and the lives of their family members.
For example, when you teach the parent, you reach the child. That’s because a mother’s reading level is the single biggest determinant of her child’s future academic success, above all other factors like economic status and neighborhood.
Financial prospects also improve. Adults can earn $1 million dollars more over the course of their lives….if they can complete their GED. This is because jobs with advancement opportunities require a diploma or high school equivalency.
(2) Personal growth and fulfillment:
Students aren’t the only ones impacted by tutoring. Tutors at Seeds gain great satisfaction from watching a student progress and celebrating even the smallest successes, especially at our annual graduation ceremony.
(3) Building empathy and understanding:
Students come from diverse backgrounds, providing alternate perspectives of the world. Each student you work with increases your cultural competence, and helps you appreciate the unique challenges individuals may face in their educational journey.
(4) Enhancing your own knowledge and skills:
Many people think they can’t be tutors because they don’t remember much from high school. But they are forgetting that they have the critical skill of learning how to find answers. At Seeds, it’s not unusual for both students and tutors to learn the material together, with the tutor guiding the problem-solving.
(5) Developing communication skills:
Tutoring requires effective communication and the ability to adapt to the needs of various students.
(6) Networking and connections:
You can meet other professionals and retirees, fellow volunteers who share similar interests.
(7) The coffee’s hot and the books are bountiful:
Seeds receives hundreds of new and gently used books from generous donors. Shelves of countless genres line our classrooms and lobbies, and books are free for anyone to enjoy. The coffee pots are always brewing at Seeds, to keep you and the students you work with alert.
NEXT STEPS
Becoming a tutor at Seeds of Literacy is a pretty simple process.
- Sign up for a Tutor Training: www.seedsofliteracy.org/tutor
- Attend a Tutor Training session. In-person sessions are about 5 hours and include a continental breakfast and full lunch. Virtual training sessions are 2-part – Each session 90 minutes, with a self study in between.
- Observe tutors in action.
- Start changing lives!
Learn more about the program at www.seedsofliteracy.org/volunteer
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