The Basics: • Volunteers commit to tutoring one child for 45-minutes once a week throughout the school year (approximately 32 weeks) excluding school holidays. • The students are in first through third grade. • You can choose a session from a number of days and times. • After completing a background check, you’ll be matched with a student based on school and a date/time of your choice. • There is a required one-hour training orientation covering Werlin’s easy-to-follow reading program. • Tutoring sessions take place in school libraries or classrooms. • Your transportation to and from the school is your responsibility. • All learning materials and books are supplied by Werlin. • There is always a Werlin coordinator in the room to help. • There are generally 8-10 tutor/student pairs in each tutoring session. • All it takes to get started is a phone call to 253-571-3970. Some Additional Information: • There are no obligations or expectations beyond the 45-minute tutoring sessions. • Many local businesses support their employees becoming Werlin tutors. We encourage you to check with your human resources department for more information. • If you are worried about a 9-month time commitment, it is acceptable for volunteers to find a friend who is willing to share a child for the year. • We like to get started as close to the beginning of the school year as possible, but we do accept new volunteer tutors throughout the school year. • Schools in the program include: Birney, Boze, Browns Point, Geiger, Jefferson, McCarver, McKinley, Northeast Tacoma, Point Defiance, and Roosevelt elementary schools. All Werlin schools are located in the Tacoma school district. Answers To Some Common Questions Q. What kind of students am I dealing with? A. The majority of the students come from low-income families and single-parent homes. Some are recent immigrants who are just beginning to read English. You’ll find they are very excited to have a tutor and are eager to learn. While many of them face challenges in their lives and a few start out having trouble focusing, they are not unlike most children at this age who love attention, are easy to work with and learn quickly in one-on-one learning situations. Q. Do I need to have any teaching experience or experience with children? A. No teaching skills are required and as long as you are comfortable being around children, you will be fine. Tutoring students at this age is not unlike reading bedtime stories or playing card games. All that’s required is a little patience and lots of encouragement. The Werlin coordinator is there to support you and your student. Q. What happens if I just don’t click with the child I’m tutoring? A. This is a common fear. The reality is that our volunteers rarely run into this situation. When it does happen, all you have to do is talk to us. In most cases we can help you find a way to connect with the child, which is the best scenario for the child. But, if it’s just not working, we will do our best to match you with another student. Q. What if I can’t make a tutoring session? A. Tutoring is a big commitment and it is important to make as many as possible, but missing a session happens to many of us at some point. These students come to depend on your visit and are disappointed if you can’t make it. To avoid this, we encourage you to find a substitute. If unforeseen events make this difficult, we ask that you call the coordinator to give them as much prior notification as possible. The coordinator can make suggestions of possible substitutes. One of the reasons this program works so well is the added benefit these students get from having a consistent, adult role model in their lives. Q. What if a child brings up problems from home? A. This is certainly not usual, but in the event it does happen, there is always a Werlin coordinator in the room who can help. They will know how to handle the situation. In most cases it is as easy as redirecting the child’s focus back to the lesson and bringing it up with the coordinator after your tutoring session. Q. What if I can’t get time off from work? A. Many of our volunteers give up their lunch hour one day a week. But, we do suggest you check with your human resources department to see if arrangements can be made. Some businesses do offer time off for tutoring. Besides helping the children and the community, employers find it beneficial for you and the company. Q. Do I have to think up lessons or buy materials? A. No to both. Werlin has developed an easy-to-follow lesson plan that we will cover in your training. From that point, the staff person is always there to help you with how the child is progressing and to guide you if your student gets stuck. We also provide all the materials you will need. Ask a Tutor. If you have a question we haven’t answered, give us a call at 253-571-3970. All of our staff have been tutors and will be happy to answer any question you have. We also encourage you to check at your office, church or among your circle of friends. Chances are you’ll find someone who has been a Werlin tutor. They’re always happy to share their stories.