Reading has been my favorite pastime since I was a child.  It is hard for me to imagine life without it.  I became a tutor at Literacy NJ Monmouth to help others master the pleasure and utility of reading. 

Literacy NJ is a fantastic organization. Its dedicated volunteers and professional support staff provide initial training for tutors.  In addition, Literacy NJ sponsors conferences at least once a year to provide additional training on specific topics.  This is especially helpful for tutors like me who have never been teachers.  During the pandemic, Literacy NJ adapted by providing Zoom and other remote learning capabilities.  These tools continue to be valuable, as they enable participation by students with complicated lives who find it difficult to travel for classes.

I was lucky to work with an amazing basic literacy student who progressed from barely reading the simplest texts to being able to work his way through newspaper articles. I’ve also been lucky to support an ESL conversation class led by Susan O’Connor, another volunteer.  Through it, I’ve met some of the inspiring immigrants who enrich the United States. Our students understand how important speaking English and reading  are for getting ahead in life, and we celebrate their determination and progress.  

Literacy NJ provides these literacy instruction services at no cost to residents of NJ.  Please consider donating today so that Literacy NJ can continue changing lives through literacy.  Your donation will help us train and match volunteer tutors with students, as well as supporting the costs of materials like books, workbooks and online resources.