Being a Tutor

Being a tutor with the America Reads Challenge at East Tennessee State University requires dedication, commitment, and a sincere interest in helping young children. Program staff, site contacts and especially the children will be counting on you to provide quality reading instruction to young children who have reading difficulties.

Who can participate?

• Federal Work Study Students can be paid to work as tutors.
• Volunteers are welcomed to help promote children's reading.

Why should I become a tutor?

• To promote community service in a challenging and interesting school environment.
• To receive training in literacy strategies that will be useful now and in the future.
• To help foster social justice through increasing others literacy skills.
• To problem solve and learn while helping others.
• To gain unique work experience that indicates commitment.
• To further develop interpersonal skills with adults and children.

What will I do as a tutor?

• Tutor children in grades K-3.
• Participate in informal meetings and training sessions.
• Acquire effective literacy tutoring techniques.
• Have fun and meet new people.

How to get involved

Selection of tutors is based upon work-study eligibility, completion of an application (which you can access on the Info., Resources and Forms page), willingness to comply with program rules and regulations and commit to tutor responsibilities, and the desire to work with young children.

Successful applicants to the program must agree to the following:

• Commit to at least one semester of service
• Provide own transportation to and from tutoring site
• Be punctual and show up at assigned school at the prearranged time each week 
• Notify program staff and site contact at least 24 hours in advance of absence(s) 
• Respect and honor program policies and procedures and site rules and regulations
• Maintain strict confidentiality of information regarding children tutored
• Attend a pre-service orientation and ongoing training sessions
• Meet regularly with team leader and fellow tutors
• Maintain regular communication with staff at tutoring site(s)
• Be thoughtful in planning for tutoring sessions and document lessons
• Participate in program evaluation , including assessment of children tutored 
• Utilize America Reads Challenge lending library and respect items borrowed 
• Participate in exit interview before ending service

(Fall 2022 Tutors with Guest Speaker Daniel Ashley)

The America Reads Challenge
Campus Box 70701
423-439-4161 or 423-439-7776
amreads@etsu.edu or taylort@etsu.edu