Light the lamp of literacy
Redlands Daily Facts: Jan 16, 2007 by C. L. Lopez
Cesar Lara, a literacy specialist at the Highland Branch Library, pairs up tutors with students in the adult literacy program. Cesar Lara makes literacy a reality one person at a time. Lara is one of 11 literacy specialists in the county. At the Highland Branch Library, Lara pairs up tutors with students in the adult literacy program.
"I just want to help people with their goals of reading, writing and learning English," Lara said. "Even though I do not do the teaching, I still feel like I am helping them."
The volunteer tutors then help their students learn to read and write.
The program currently has seven students and five tutors, but Lara is optimistic those numbers will go up when the library moves to its new location in the
Sam Racadio Learning Center in a few months.
"Hopefully the new library will encourage a lot more people to come in," he said.
Lara was a tutor at the library for a few months before he became a page and then a literacy specialist.
He also is a tutor with the Yuciapa-Calimesa Joint Unified School District.
Once in the new library, there are plans to add English language improvement classes.
The library's literacy lab will have five computers for the students and their tutors to use. Once paired up students and tutors make their own schedules to meet in the library. Tutors must be at least 18 years old. Most of the tutors are former teachers.
"You just have to have the motivation to help somebody," Lara said.
Susan Ponce, a former elementary school teacher's assistant, has tutored at the library for four months.
"It is very rewarding," Ponce said. "The reward for me is when you see a light in someone's eyes because something is understood."
Three nights a week, Ponce meets with her student, Martha Villar.
"We started out with English comprehension and word knowledge," Ponce recalled. "There has been a change for the better with her vocabulary."
Ponce says Villar "wants to better herself so that she might acquire a better job or career than what she is doing at the present time."
"I want to advance myself," said Villar, an elementary school recreational aide. "I will keep going to tutoring until I am confident in myself."
Villar admits she struggled in college because of her English skills. Now, she says she wants to be able to help elementary school students.
"The work they have now is a lot harder than when I was in school," she said.
Villar encourages other adults to go to the library for tutoring.
"Don't be embarrassed to go to the library for help," she said. "It is better to learn than not know."
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