Literacy students always welcome

Laubach students are especially welcomed to attend the Conference. Students may attend all sessions for a reduced cost of $20.

TREE (Teamwork to Raise Education and Equality) is a national initiative of Laubach Literacy of Canada which has the goal of increasing student involvement, participation and dedication to political action and public awarness about literacy in Canada. National TREE Coordinator Pennyann Tibbitts will be at the conference to talk about TREE and to build partnerships for literacy students in British Columbia.

For more information contact Pennyann Tibbitts, National TREE Coordinator, toll free: 1-877-872-8685, Email: tibbitts@csolve.net

Fieldworkers’ reports

Jane Fitschen, BC Interior

Winter holidays are behind us and spring is not so far away. Councils throughout the BC Interior have begun shaking off the winter and making plans for spring workshops and fresh new projects. I admit to doing something similar myself.

Great things have been happening. While Jan Seedhouse was here she corresponded with folks in Bella Coola about starting a council. Late in November I traveled to Bella Coola with Fran O’Rourke to present their first Laubach workshop. The group was enthusiastic about the project and very welcoming. Due to the schedules, Fran and I did not see much of Bella Coola by daylight but loved the spectacular day flight from Williams Lake and back. I highly recommend the trip. We now welcome Bella Coola Valley Learning Society as BC’s newest council.

There were new reindeer and a pair of new elves in this years’ Santa Claus parade in Kamloops. Kamloops Laubach decorated a vehicle, offered the Snow Queen a ride, and invited elves and reindeer to follow along with candy and bookmarks for the kids. It was good fun, but I’d like to know how elves survive the Polar winter in those short suits.

We had a float at the Santa Claus Parade in Kamloops

In January, Prince George held a Literacy Tutor Workshop. Normally my knuckles would be as white as the snow driving north that early in the year, but there was no snow this year, and I am not complaining. The workshop turnout was excellent as it always has been there, and in March it is hoped that a Peer Youth Tutoring group will have its start in the city as well.

The last week in January was dedicated to Family Literacy. I was pleased to be invited to take part in the event in Lillooet. The center of activity was the story telling corner. Storytelling or reading went on in shifts throughout the day for a very rapt audience.

We will be headed north again in March and April with the Conference in between. I look forward to these opportunities to renew acquaintances and to make new ones.

I encourage all who can, to attend the conference and meet other volunteers, share your experiences and participate in the workshops. See you there!

Jerry Horne, BC Lower Mainland

Welcome to 17 new tutors who received their certificates after attending two tutor training workshops before Christmas. You’re joining the 200 plus Laubach tutors in the BC Lower Mainland.

For the new tutors, this will be your first issue of Alphabet Scoop, our twice-yearly snailmail contact with you from the Laubach BC organization.

If you prefer a high-tech means of communication, check our website at http://www3.telus.net/laubach/

There you’ll find links to a number of resources to help you with your tutoring activities.

We propose a third method of keeping you “in the loop” -- bi-monthly meetings and social evenings. Two of these meetings have been held since the fall and another is planned for March. We’ll be using snailmail and/or telephone to let you know about the time and place.

The Vancouver Council is alive Council is alive and well, but Councils in Surrey, North Vancouver and Richmond have folded. If you are a tutor in one of these communities, don’t worry, we will do our best to provide you with the support you need. A plan is underway to amalgamate the activities of all Lower Mainland Councils under one executive. As the only (part-time) paid representative of LLC, I’ll remain your main contact should you require Laubach books, or should you have an idea about taking the Laubach method to learners or groups in the Lower Mainland.

We’re always looking for volunteers who can take on some of the day-to-day duties of servicing our tutors and students. In particular, we need student/ tutor coordinators. If you’re interested, please contact me. You would require a car and about three hours per week in which to meet and assess students.

New tutor trainer trainee

I’d like to welcome Susan Downing, who has begun to study for her tutor trainer certificate. Having another trainer in the Lower Mainland will allow us to bring the Laubach method of tutoring to even more learners.

With staff cutbacks at most of the colleges and institutes offering adult basic education in the Lower Mainland, there is a growing need for Laubach to do what it does well. Having more trainers means we can train more tutors to expand and enhance the work of Laubach Literacy. Remember the Frank Laubach was a missionary. “Each one teach one” is the philosophy that motivates us to continue to bring the gift of literacy to more and more people.

Still searching for a meeting place

We need a permanent space in which to store and display all of our books. It would also be nice to use the same space for workshops and meetings, and perhaps even to meet with or tutor students. The space needs to be secure and available to us at least one night per week all year around.

At present, we’re renting a room at a Royal Canadian Legion branch on Kingsway in Vancouver, but the space is unsatisfactory for a number of reasons — mostly due to the fact that the Legion branch refuses to “buy in” to the importance of adult literacy. What we need is an organization with an appropriate room they are willing to loan us one evening per week for about $80 per month.

If you have an idea about an appropriate space, please contact me at (604)363-6606 anytime.