Continued support and training for volunteers help us all improve our game! We know training and experience make better tutors and classroom helpers but volunteers come to us with a variety of experiences and backgrounds–much like our students! BPEF School Volunteers is working to offer workshops and training to our new and continuing volunteers to both support them in current positions and in transitions to new and unfamiliar placements. BPEF School Volunteers is partnering with community groups and Berkeley Unified School District teachers and staff to lead volunteer trainings or professional development workshops to teach tips for communicating with students and staff, and strategies for working with all our students. We welcome your questions, resources, and suggestions for training!

BUSD Library Volunteer Training: November 16th at 11am, John Muir Library

Love libraries?

Want to help Berkeley students?

An hour a week is all you need to volunteer!

Join Berkeley Unified School District and BPEF School Volunteers for a…

  Library Volunteer Training

  and a special 30 minute BPEF School Volunteer Orientation

  Wednesday, November 16th

  11:00 -12:00 noon Library Training

  12:00 -12:30 pm BSV New Volunteer Orientation (optional)

  Location: John Muir Elementary School Library 2955 Claremont Ave. near Ashby Ave.

Our district librarian, Becca Todd, will lead a training that covers all the basics for supporting students, teachers and library staff in our school libraries, from using computers for online research to organizing books and displays and more. Immediately following her one-hour training at 11 am, Berkeley School Volunteers will lead a special 1/2 hour volunteer orientation for all folks who are new to BSV. (Returning BSV volunteers do not need to repeat the BSV orientation.) For more information about the library training, contact: Becca Todd, District Library Coordinator: beccatodd@berkeley.net or call 644-4895.

Please RSVP to BPEF School Volunteers for this event:  bsv@berkeley.net

Please click here to download and print the flyer.

How to differentiate your tutoring strategies to reach all students!

On March 16th 2011, BSV hosted a workshop to share how to use a variety of  tutoring strategies to reach students of all learning styles and levels. Skilled BUSD staff Jane Kaer, an Educational Specialist working with special education staff and students, and Sharon Friedman, the district coordinator of professional development for teachers, and the BPEF School Volunteers office joined forces for the first time to share our collection of tips, techniques and sage advice on how to help students access information in classrooms and one-on-one sessions –regardless of skill level or learning differences. If you missed this event and would like more information, please see our Volunteer and Coordinator Resources page or contact us!

Cal Corp UC Berkeley Tutor Trainings

In February and March, Cal Corp, the student service organization at UC Berkeley, is hosting several trainings for their BUILD tutors placed in Berkeley schools. We hope to bring these trainings to all Berkeley school volunteers again this year. Please check back to learn more, or contact us for notification when the dates are set. Below are examples of past trainings held in collaboration with BUSD, UC Berkeley and community organizations:

Literacy Tutoring Techniques with Jamie Carlson, BUSD Literacy Coach

One way you can help your tutees improve their reading skills quickly is to make sure they are reading books that are just right for them.  Find out what you should look for in book selection, how you can assess book fit, and strategies for building comprehension skills and word identification.  This workshop is led by a BUSD literacy coach but will also be useful to OUSD tutors.

Effective Tutoring Techniques with Laura Kaneko and Julie Goshe, Super Stars Literacy Program Coordinators

If you will be working with Super Stars Literacy at Think College Now/International Community School or Hoover Elementary next semester, you are highly encouraged to attend this training.  Two experienced educators will outline how Super Stars is responding to the need for early literacy intervention in under-served communities so that BUILD tutors have a better idea of how their role fits into the mission and vision of the organization.  They will also present two effective tutoring techniques– “Weeding the Helpless Handraisers” and “I Do-We Do-You Do.”  You will leave the training more informed and better prepared to work in a Super Stars classroom. 

Tutoring English Language Learners, Joan Green, Jewish Coalition for Literacy Reading Specialist

Are you interested in working with immigrant students to improve their English language skills? Did you know that students in Berkeley Unified School District alone speak more than 40 languages and one out of every four K-12 students in California is an English Language Learner? If you work with local youth, chances are, this workshop is for you! Come find out how to assess the needs of English Language Learners and create tailored activities and lesson plans that are not only fun and engaging, but will help your students develop the language skills necessary for success in life!

UC Berkeley, Issue Workshops: Exploring Educational Inequities

Cal Corps Public Service Center is sponsoring a series of workshops to explore inequities in public education, with a focus on the experiences of low-income youth and youth of color.  The series is free and open to anyone.  If you are interested in this series, contact Damali Burton at damali-burton@berkeley.edu

Introduction to Educational Inequities

This workshop will introduce a 4-part exploration of inequities in public education and educational opportunities that result in the achievement gap.

High School Perspectives

Local teens will share their firsthand experiences with local schools, and what worked and didn’t work for their learning. 

Educational Policy for Equity: Local, State, and Federal Policies

Hear from representatives who have worked on education policy at the district, state, and federal level as they illustrate how policies at these different levels impact classrooms, teachers, and students.

Formative Years: Elementary & Middle School

Hear from local teachers and principals on the inequities they’ve seen in the classroom and their approaches to addressing them daily.

Educational Inequities: Final Reflection

Participants will review what has been covered over the series and reflect on what they can do next to address educational inequities in their chosen fields.