Tucson Oasis is offering a new tutoring program to develop reading skills among elementary school students at El Rio Public Library.The Oasis Reading Club is a free program that works on building these skills through the power of writing.
During each hour-long tutoring session, students are in charge of writing a journal. According to Carlinda Dirks, stand-in coordinator for the Oasis intergenerational tutoring program, the tutoring model was derived from the saying, “If you can think it you can say it, if you can say it you can write it, if you can write it you can read it.”
The philosophy behind the nine-week Reading Club program is to increase reading skills through the interests of the child versus the standard school model of completing a certain amount of material in a given period.
“It’s not a homework situation where the child has to perform. It’s a way for the tutor to work with the child and first of all, increase his love of reading and understanding what he is reading,” Dirks said.
Representatives of Tucson oasis are enthusiastic about the after-school program because the family is being utilized as an essential tool for child’s reading success. Students are not being taken from the classroom, and are not singled out for additional assistance.
Judy Raetzman, volunteer tutor for Tucson Oasis, said she feels confident about the program, and thinks it has been well received by the students. She said they are enthusiastic about learning and their parents are excited about their progress, and the interest in reading they have gained.
Wanda Poindexter, El Rio Public Library branch manager, said the reading program has a powerful way of improving children’s interest in reading through writing a journal. She is responsible for coordinating the three-way partnership between Tucson Oasis, Pima County Public Libraries and El Rio Neighborhood Center, which houses the El Rio Public Library, 1390 W. Speedway Blvd.
Poindexter said she heard about the possibility of starting the program at her library, knew there was a need in the community, and decided to take on the responsibility. By accepting the program into the library, Poindexter is responsible for pairing tutors and students. Without the enthusiasm of a librarian, says Dirks, the free service isn’t possible.
Oasis representatives are currently working toward expanding the Reading Club into six public libraries in Pima County, including Quincie Douglas Public Library, 1585 E. 36th St. and Valencia Public Library, 202 W. Valencia Road.
To learn more about the program, how to enroll a student, and find out more of the new locations, visit their Web site or call Tucson oasis at 322-5627.
