Thank You, Volunteers!

Thank You, Volunteers!

Teaching ESOL students at Live Oaks has its successes and challenges. Before starting the inspiring process of instructing foreign speakers, it's necessary to take stock of what resources we have to assist us. We have awesome books, monthly newspaper subscriptions, sharp boards with cool software, and a cart full of laptops for student use. All of these things are very beneficial in our mission to help our students improve their language skills. However, our most valued resources come in a completely different form. We are blessed to have the help of a top notch set of volunteers. Their assistance has enabled us to do so much more with our program, and we are so grateful. On behalf of our students and us, we want to tell everybody how valuable each one of them is.
Rod has been a volunteer at Live Oaks for more than 15 years, serving the class 4 days a week. He began as a GED tutor and then filled a need in a new ESOL class. He is extremely resourceful and has a vast wealth of knowledge from his prior work as a civil engineer. He’s quick to help by looking up something or by giving a synonym for a vocabulary word. While he has been valuable a valuable assistant to us as teachers, his most enduring impact is on our students. Rod is known for his jokes. The students always genuinely laugh, even if they are clueless about the meaning of his teasing. He brings out merriment in everyone. He has given countless hours of his time in tutoring sessions to improve reading, pronunciation, or to help a student fill out an application. He has a heart of pure gold and he seeks nothing in return, except maybe the satisfaction of knowing he has helped someone. Thank you, Rod! We could never compensate you for all you're worth, but realize, "Volunteers are not paid.... not because they are worthless, but because they are priceless" (Quote by Sherry Anderson).
Frank, a treasured volunteer, reminds us not to take life so seriously. He is a classic "go with the flow" kind of guy. He always arrives on time, ready to help out wherever needed, but usually has to wait patiently for a targeted tutoring student who is inevitably coming late. He's very gentle with the students, yet he challenges them to think outside the box. His area of expertise is assisting students to revise their Ohio Writers' Conference stories. As a former technical writer, he takes a lot of time with students, one by one, not giving them the solutions, but leading them to discover better use of language on their own. He is an excellent small group facilitator, leading lively small group speaking practice. He is generous with his time helping students to complete government applications such as for green card lottery or for ACA healthcare. Thank you, Frank, for your compassion to these immigrants who need some support. You are there for them, and that makes their lives more livable!

As a former teacher, principal, and superintendent, Bob certainly has the most educational credentials of all our volunteers.He uses the skills that he has acquired over the years to assist each of our students on an individual basis. He’s an expert on learning styles and helps our students understand their unique approach to learning based on their strengths and weaknesses. Students enjoy talking to Bob because he’s empathetic, a good listener, and makes them feel comfortable. He leads our students to think about realistic goals while grasping a mindset for the future. Bob’s knowledge and expertise are not only appreciated by our students but by the instructors as well. He’s a valuable resource that does not go unnoticed. Thank you, Bob! We are better teachers and students because you are a part of our ESOL program.

Our students can see that Cheryl, a 9-year veteran volunteer and former special education teacher, has their best interest at heart as soon as she steps into the classroom. Cheryl is so warm and sincere in her desire to understand our students, and they’re very comfortable sharing their life stories and goals with her. She’s always thinking of ways to help them achieve those “a-ha” moments in their learning. Not only is she fantastic at working one-on-one with students, but she spends her own time searching for books, puzzles, flashcards, and other manipulatives that she feels will be particularly useful as learning resources for them. Cheryl is adept working with the full spectrum of student ability levels, from one-on-one beginner-level to facilitation of an advanced discussion group. So, she is a terrific asset to all of our classes; therefore, it’s not unusual on any given day to hear a teacher ask, “Hey, is Cheryl available to work with….?”. Thank you, Cheryl! That’s a testament to how special you are to our ESOL program!

Amy has already made a huge impact as a new tutor this year, drawing on her Bachelor’s degree in speech pathology and experience as a homeschool teacher to build our students’ abilities and self-esteem. Amy has a particularly strong passion for helping our students meet their speaking goals. Working one-on-one with lowerlevel students, Amy is very encouraging as she helps them with foundational English skills and focuses on their specific pronunciation needs. Her efforts have already made a dramatic difference to one intermediate student, who has struggled with pronunciation despite her hard work and was continually apologizing for not speaking English well. After just a few focused sessions with Amy, this student now beams with confidence in her vastly improved speaking skills and readily volunteers for class reading activities.Thank you, Amy! We’re very excited for more of our students to experience similarsuccess!

Although Chris is a new volunteer this year, she recently retired after 12 years of teaching level 2 ESOL students and is beyond valuable to our lower-level classes! Chris immediately connects with each student, even the most insecure individuals who come to class for the first time. Her love of teaching clearly comes across in the way she works with students, showing such compassion and empathy as she patiently helps them with vocabulary and pronunciation. Students smile and nod as soon as Chris starts talking to the class or working one-on-one, showing how quickly she makes them feel comfortable. Chris also sprinkles a great sense of humor into her conversations with students by creating fun concept connections that “stick” in their minds. Chris’s vast experience with our beginner curriculum and online exercises, coupled with her nurturing approach, make her a real “natural”. Thank you, Chris, for assuring that our students are getting the best support possible!

Her smile is contagious, her wit is unmatchable, and her love for ESOL students is never ending. Jacqui has been our volunteer and substitute ESOL teacher for many years. We are uniquely blessed to have such a talented and energetic person that we can call on at the last minute for just about anything. When she is subbing for us, we don’t worry. We know she will be on time, conduct an excellent lesson, and give each student the attention they deserve. Jacqui studied social work and Spanish at Syracuse University. The reason people study social work is so that they can impact people’s lives. Indeed, Jacquiinfluences our students’ lives every time she steps foot in the classroom. Teaching grammar, translating Spanish/English, encouraging students to be the best they can be, are only a few of Jacqui’s valuable traits.Thank you, Jacqui! We are very grateful to have you on our team.

Jennifer is a breath of fresh air in our ESOL classrooms. A young lady in her twenties, she has a millennial perspective on thingscombined with a welcoming smile. We are glad to have her helping us in the evening with her boundless energy. She gives one-on-one tutoring to ESOL students at all levels. She has been very helpful with technology when the students use the laptops. She has even created a Kahoot game! With her special skills as an artist, she brings a lot of creativity into English speaking practice when she facilitates a small group. Jennifer is planning a trip to Haiti this summer to lead children in a camp focusing on crafts and language exchange. She is a true “neighbor” to everyone, even in foreign lands. Thank you, Jennifer! The world is a better place because of your kindness!