Those little lessons you really wish you had

I can't tell you the number of times I have seen posts on social media ranting about how important life skills are not being taught.  We could begin a debate that could go on for eternity but pointing fingers and placing blame is not going to change opportunities people have missed out on in the past.  Luckily there is a solution, its FREE, easy and at your finger tips!  I have discovered GFC Learn Free, a fantastic website that has easy to follow lessons on everyday life skills. The only thing you need is the ability to read and internet access and if you don't already have those you can get those FREE too simply meet one of my Literacy Volunteers at any public library.

The GCF Learn Free website is a product of Goodwill Community Foundation and for ten years they have been providing content online to help people better their lives.  They offer lessons in easy to follow tutorials on topics that matter most in the 21st Century.  The needs of education have changed drastically over the last few decades and nearly everyone could benefit from gaining new skills.  If you are curious about how their website works poke around the lessons or take one of their technology classes,  who couldn't use some extra information about Internet Safety or Windows 8?

I plan on incorporating some of these lessons into my adult literacy program here in Schuyler County.  I think some people hesitate to join Literacy Volunteers as learners because they did not have a good experience in traditional school and aren't enthusiastic about repeating that experience but learning as an adult is much different.  My tutors meet with learners 100 hours in year, only 2 hours a week.  That is certainly not enough time for us to tie you to a chair and force you to learn to read Moby Dick or War and Peace.  We really just want to help adults gain literacy skills that are needed in their life. That is EXACTLY what this website is offering.

Classes are divided into five catagories:
Living in the Online World
Technology Basics
Microsoft Office
Essential Skills
Work and Career

I enthusiastically encourage you to check out these FREE classes if you are a life long learner, parent, educator or a home schooling family.  Its often said that you get what you pay for but with this site what you get is priceless!

The History of Literacy Volunteers: Yet another New York Story

Like many amazing accomplishments such as the Kodak Camera, Potato Chips, Jell-O, and Women's Rights, Literacy Volunteers of America was conceived in the great state of New York.

After reading an article in Syracuse Post-Standard in 1961, Ruth J. Colvin was shocked to hear that 11,000 people in Syracuse, NY could not read or write well.  She began connecting with service agencies, churches, and community leaders to find a solution to the problem of illiteracy plaguing her community.  She began developing materials, with the help of reading experts, to train volunteers to help adult learners improve their literacy skills.  In true Grass Roots fashion, Literacy Volunteers of America was born in her basement in 1962.  Ms. Colvin has been honored by two US Presidents, in 1987 she received the President's Volunteer Action Award and in 2006 with the Presidential Medal of Freedom, the nation's highest civilian honor.  She was also inducted into the National Women's Hall of Fame in 1993, which you can also visit in Seneca Falls, NY.

In 2002, after collaborating on many projects and initiatives together Literacy Volunteers of America merged with Laubach Literacy International to form ProLiteracy.  The merger expanded the national network of literacy programs and created new international initiatives to increase educational opportunities for adult learners all over the globe. To learn more about ProLiteracy visit their website www.proliteracy.org.

Laubach Literacy International has deep and meaningful roots that touch New York history as well.  Dr. Frank C. Laubach was a missionary serving in the Philippines in 1930.  He recognized that their poor living conditions could be improved if they gained the ability to read and write.  His message was clear, "Each One, Teach One,"  meaning that one adult would teach one adult on an individual basis and the chain would continue if each learner then became the teacher.  He continued to travel to 105 countries addressing their literacy needs and developed reading lessons in 315 languages.  He officially founded Laubauch Literacy International in 1955.

His son, Dr. Robert Laubach followed in his father's footsteps and expanded the reach of the "Each One, Teach One" method.  While he was a high school student in the Philippines he learned to set type and run the printing press that produced the reading material for the learners in Laubach Literacy programs.  Not long after enrolling in Syracuse University, Dr. Bob developed a course there, "Writing for New Literates" and began teaching in the School of Journalism there.  This lead to him founding the Syracuse University Literacy Communications program which taught hundreds of educators from all over the world to prepare literacy materials.  In 1959, he began publishing News for You, which is a high interest, low level news source for adult literacy learners.  Check out this YouTube video to see how News for You has evolved with technology to become a unique and interactive experience for learners. News For You Online.  He also founded New Readers Press, located in Syracuse as well, which we use for a good majority of our adult literacy curriculum.  Today New Readers Press is the leading resource for adult literacy, publishing over 150,000 instructional titles.

Literacy Volunteers of Chemung and Schuyler Counties is part of a gigantic global mission to improve lives through increased literacy skills.  I am honored be part of something so tangible and meaningful and in awe of the big picture I am helping to paint from my little community here in Schuyler County, New York.  I invite anyone reading this to join me on this mission, if you are not in my community, contact me anyway and I will help you connect with your own!