Practice what you learn

BUILD - Cruz

BUILD (Berkeley United in Literacy Development)

BUILD is one of the largest literacy tutoring programs in the East Bay, serving 900 youth at 22 school or community programs in Berkeley and Oakland. Support BUILD - Make a Gift

Tutor reads with elementary school studentBUILD provides one-to-one literacy tutoring after school with an emphasis on reading for fun. Our model emphasizes: 

Individualization: BUILD matches each child with a personal tutor. Tutor/tutee pairs meet at least twice a week for 30-45 minute long reading sessions that include word work, fluency practice, or reading comprehension, depending on the child's needs.

Tutor Training: Training is critical to BUILD’s success. All tutors are trained in partnership with district literacy specialists in a balanced literacy approach with an emphasis on “just right” reading.

Classroom Connections: Tutoring is closely coordinated with school day staff. Tutors communicate with their tutee’s teacher to make sure they provide the literacy support that is needed.

“Just Right” Reading: Tutors are trained to help children read “just right” books—books that are just at or slightly above their reading level. Research has shown that the more time students spend reading “just right” books, the faster they increase their reading skills.

Extra Reading: Instead of pulling students away from class time during the day, tutors work after school to supplement the amount of time students spend reading.

Commitment: Each BUILD tutor is matched with a child who they then tutor for the entire semester or academic year. This allows each tutor to develop a strong working relationship with their tutee.

 

BUILD Director holds a book in the BUILD libraryApply Now for:
Summer Tutors
Summer Site Directors
2013-2014 Site Directors 

 Email us to be on BUILD’s email list and we'll notify you of future openings.

Literacy Mentor Requirements

BUILD mentors must be dependable, professional, and able to serve as positive role models to youth. Prior tutoring or youth experience is helpful, although training is provided to for all tutors. All tutors must attend a mandatory 6-hour program orientation and three 1 ½ hour trainings each semester. BUILD tutors are trained in book selection, guided reading, literacy skills identification and skills building activities, and positive behavior support.

In order to be paid through BUILD, you must have Work Study as part of your financial aid package (or be able to convert a loan to Work Study), and must be able to work at least two days at a program site. All tutors must be free to attend a mandatory 6-hour program orientation and three 1 ½ hour trainings each semester. BUILD tutors are trained in book selection, guided reading, literacy skills identification and skills building activities, and positive behavior support.

BUILD Alumni - Tell us your story!

Are you a former BUILD tutor or director working in education, youth development, or a related field? If so, we'd love to hear from you! Also, if you have completed a teaching certification program or an alternative certificatio program like Teach for America, let us know. Current BUILD tutors thinking about applying hope to hear about your experience.

Support BUILD

BUILD's impact dependson donations. If you're in a position to give, all contributions are tax-deductible and will help pay for tutor salaries and supplies to serve 950 children in Oakland and Berkeley. If you graduated between 2008-2013, any donation you make will be doubled by the new alumni challenge. You give $20, BUILD receives $40 - it's that easy!

 

Impact on Literacy

Literacy Skills:

A recent evaluation found that children in BUILD are significantly more likely than their peers to become proficient in reading after a semester of tutoring. About 30% of Berkeley students tutored in fall 2011 became proficient in reading that winter. Read more about BUILD's impact on literacy skills.

BUILD motivation to read

Motivation:

BUILD emphasizes reading for pleasure, and BUILD tutors make reading fun! 100% of spring 2012 BUILD tutors reported that the children they tutored increased their enjoyment of reading and their confidence in their own reading abilities. Read more about BUILD's impact on motivation.

BUILD Impact on Tutors

Tutors:

BUILD has a track record of inspiring careers in education. Each year, dozens of graduating BUILD tutors and Directors begin teaching careers in K-12 classrooms. Former tutors are also working in education advocacy, research, and administration. Read more about BUILD's impact on tutors.

 

 

 

Tutor reads with elementary school student

Leadership Opportunities:
Each BUILD tutor team is managed by a BUILD Director, a Cal student with prior BUILD experience. BUILD Directors bridge communication between the school day and afterschool. They work with daytime Literacy Coaches to identify children for tutoring, and they organize tutoring schedules in collaboration with afterschool staff.

Paid Jobs that Make a Difference:
Most BUILD tutors are paid an hourly wage through Work Study. Our Work Study partnership allows Cal students with high financial need to earn money for their own education while supporting the learning of local youth. BUILD helps college student tutors reduce their collective loan debt by $400,000 each year. Students who do not qualify for Work Study can tutor with BUILD, earning Education field study units for their service.

Our Supporters:
BUILD is supported by the Chancellor’s Community Partnership Fund, the Irene S. Scully Family Foundation, the Clorox Company Foundation, the Rogers Family Foundation, the Bayer USA Foundation, the Rotary Club of Berkeley, and the City of Berkeley’s Youth Services.
BUILD is a partner of the Berkeley Alliance, the City of Berkeley, and Berkeley Unified School District on Berkeley’s 2020 Vision to end educational inequities. It is also a member of the Oakland Literacy Coalition.

Return to BUILD Website

SUMMER 2013 APPLICATION: TUTORS & DIRECTORS

Tutor Deadline: Rolling, apply as soon as possible. You will be contacted for an interview.
Orientation/Start: Friday, June 14th

Before submitting an application, read the Summer BUILD Mentor Job Description and/or the Summer BUILD Director Job Description. If you would like to be a Director, indicate that in your answer under "Job Information." For the short answers below, we recommend writing your responses in a Word document, and saving it before inputting, as answers will be lost if you view a prior page. If you have any questions, please contact buildliteracy@berkeley.edu.

*Note: If you are interested in applying to be a BUILD Director for the 2013-2014 school year, fill out our 13-14 Director Application.

APPLICANT'S CONTACT INFORMATION & BACKGROUND:

First Name Last Name
Email Phone
SID (if not a Cal student, leave blank): When is your birthday?

 
Address
Hometown: What is your residential status?
What is your major:
 What year are you in college (if you are a BCC or Wright Inst. student, select "Not a Cal Student"):
Expected Graduation Year: Are you a first-generation college student, meaning your parents, guardians, or grandparents did not attend college?

How did you hear about BUILD?
 Gender:
Racial or ethnic identity:

 

If you selected "other", or would like to provide details about your race/ethnicity, please do so:
What languages do you speak other than English? Would you like to subscribe to Cal Corps' weekly E-newsletter that lists community events, service and leadership opportunities, scholarships, and more?:

 

 

TUTORING JOB INFORMATION:

Please indicate whether you would like to be considered for a BUILD Tutor or Director position, or both.

What would be an ideal site for you, considering age group preferences and languages that you speak:

Before listing your site preferences below, go to the Cal2Action website to see the locations of sites and their hours. Please be sure you can make the available hours (if you are Work Study, you must be available at least 2 days/week)

First Position Site Preference:

Second Position Site Preference:

Third Position Site Preference:

Please List your Daily Availability to Tutor Below:

  Earliest Time You Can Start Tutoring
(allow 30 minutes travel - if you have class until 3pm, list 3:30pm as your start time.)		 Latest Time You Can Tutor Until
(allow 30 minutes travel - if you have class at 6pm, list 5:30pm as your end time.)
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday

 

Paid BUILD tutors must work at least 2 days with BUILD (volunteers/units may work one day per week). How many days a week do you hope to work?

Do you have access to a car?:

Have you tutored with BUILD or Summer BUILD before?:

If yes, do you hope to work at the same site?

Cal Corps is committed to raising funds for those who need it. Please share your financial aid status with us to help us make this happen. (Please check all that apply.)

Not Eligible for Financial Aid:
Financial Aid Eligible:<-- 65% of undergraduates receive some form of financial aid
Work-Study Eligible:
Pell Grant Eligible:

Please indicate whether you live in the Residence Hall, a co-op or are a member of a Fraternity or Sorority.

Tutors who have taken ED195B "Teaching Reading to Low-Achieving Students" are paid at a higher rate. Have you taken or will you take this class this semester?:

Please indicate whether you are interested in work-study, course credit, or volunteering:

If you selected Work-Study, check your Work Study allocation and enter it here (You must have Work Study to get paid):

Because tutors interact with minors, we like to know if you are willing to be fingerprinted, and whether or not you have a felony on your record.

Are you willing to be fingerprinted?

Have you ever been convicted of a felony?

What is your t-shirt size?
T-Shirt Size:

If you are selected to be a BUILD tutor, what is your sandwich preference for orientation (Turkey/Vegetarian/Vegan)?

Are you available to attend Orientation on Friday, June 14th 2013 from 10am-5:00pm:

SHORT ANSWER QUESTIONS
If you are a current BUILD tutor skip to #5

1. Why are you interested in being a BUILD tutor?

2. Describe your past experience working with youth or tutoring.

3. Describe two skills you would bring to your work as a tutor and give examples of how you applied these skills in the past:

4. What skills do you think you will need to learn to succeed in this position?

5. Please list other extra-curricular activities you are currently involved in on or off campus:

6. Do you agree to the BUILD requirements outlined on the BUILD Job Description?

 

 

File Attachements: 
TutorJD_Summer.docx

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