TUTOR SPOTLIGHT: After Nursing, Maria Found a New Way to Help Others
When Cleveland resident Maria Pelleschi retired, she found more time for the things she enjoyed: gardening with her husband (vegetables for him, flowers and herbs for her), racking up 3 to 4 miles a day on her pedometer, cooking, quilting — even teaching herself to crochet.
But something was still missing.
Maria had spent her entire career helping others. As a Registered Nurse, she worked 25 years in the ICU at the former St. Vincent Charity Medical Center, then transitioned to teaching — as a nursing instructor at local colleges and later as a clinical educator at St. Vincent’s.
So when she spotted a Seeds of Literacy postcard at her local library, something clicked.
“This would be a great way to give back to society,” she thought.
Jumping In
In June 2022, Maria signed up for a Virtual Tutor Training with Seeds.
“It was a great opportunity to listen to advice, understand the process, and ask questions,” she recalls. “I especially appreciated the chance to observe a seasoned tutor in action for about an hour.”
What she didn’t expect? Just minutes after her observation ended, staff invited her to jump in and tutor a late-arriving student.
“I just went for it — and I’m so glad I did!” she says.
Since then, Maria has tried to tutor two to three times a week, depending on her schedule. Like many Seeds volunteers, she appreciates the flexibility that allows both students and tutors to balance life’s demands.
That also means she often works with different students each session — and she loves hearing their stories.
“I am always so surprised and impressed with the challenges adult learners overcome to study,” Maria says. “Many have jobs, children, and families to care for — and still find time for tutoring. That takes real dedication and tenacity.”
Meeting Students Where They Are
Of course, virtual tutoring comes with its own challenges.
“Sometimes there are connectivity or camera issues, and often distractions — especially for students with babies or young children at home,” Maria explains.
She tries to build short 5-10 minute breaks into each session to help students stay focused.
When it comes to subjects, Maria is happy to tackle anything.
“Math is challenging, but also somewhat relaxing for me,” she says. “Science can be tough, too — it’s been a while since I took Chemistry or Physics!”
But she doesn’t let tricky topics slow her down.
“I learned a long time ago that it’s okay to admit when you don’t know something,” she says. “I use Google all the time for definitions, pronunciations, pictures, and even short videos to help explain concepts.”
Words of Encouragement
To anyone considering becoming a tutor, Maria has simple advice: “Just do it!”
“Seeds gives you all the support and training you need to be successful,” she says. “And I can’t say enough about the staff — they are so understanding, encouraging, and helpful, especially virtual coordinators Anne and Todd.”
Maria stays connected through “Zoomside Chats” — casual online meetups hosted by virtual coordinators where tutors can ask questions and share ideas — and has attended in-person workshops to continue growing her skills.
But more than anything, Maria believes in the power of literacy to change lives.
“Low literacy limits access to higher-paying jobs, and in today’s economy, it’s hard to make ends meet without adequate employment,” she says, noting that resources are shrinking everywhere. “Literacy gives people the ability to provide for themselves and their families.”
“I am grateful for Seeds — and for everyone working so hard to make this such a successful and worthwhile organization,” Maria says.
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KLK