I am very proud to be a part of the Anchorage Literacy Project, and believe I am making my community a better place by improving the lives of each individual. I believe all people in America want to improve their circumstances, and to do that, they must be armed with basic literacy skills to succeed. People come to ALP seeking assistance with basic skills many of us take for granted, such as reading, writing, performing basic math, and navigating tasks like writing checks, sending letters home to family, keeping diaries, and filling out job application forms.
 |
| Wanda and her student, Maurice |
 |
When I began tutoring, I wondered if I had the ability to help another person learn to read. I had no teaching experience. I wasn’t quite sure I had the needed skills to help someone who had never attended school.
But I found I had more skills than I ever thought to teach another adult. Mostly what was needed was dedication and persistence in working with my student. I had the ability to use the excellent materials provided and plan lessons my student could achieve. My confidence grew and I have learned much about myself now after two years of working with students.
The rewards of tutoring are many. There is a real sense of fulfillment when you hear your student tell you about the first time they wrote a check, made their own bank transactions, or read to their Bible study class. Sometimes I am teary-eyed and beam with pride knowing I helped my student achieve these daily tasks. This year my student, after living and working in the United States for thirteen years, received his U.S. Citizenship. I helped him study for the test and renewed my own knowledge of our government and history. I have also learned about a part of the world I have never visited but wish to do so now. I have built trust with another individual that I would not have routinely met otherwise.
|
 |
|
