Part III C. Supporting Tutors

Tutors are at their best when they are not isolated. Encourage them to join literacy associations and attand meetings. These associations often become a source of continuing education in addition to networking and support.

Another way to keep tutors out of isolation is to listen to them. Ask them how they are doing and pay attention to their concerns. If several tutors express the same problem, examine it. Resolving problems will help them stay effective. Keeping the tutors supplied with needed resources is a part of this effort. If you can address problems before they ask, that is even better.

A third way to engage tutors is to recognize their efforts. This can be done with staff-only thank you gatherings, features in local newspapers or newsletters, class parties for the tutors and students, and other forms of public and private recognition.