[YL] Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference: Workshop Topics

[Dan Bassill]

"When nonprofit and community leaders share ideas, insights and  information
in ways that promote social impact...knowledge-sharing can improve
organizational effectiveness.  When we share what works and what doesn't...
it results in  accelerated learning, less reinventing the wheel, better
service, and measurable results."
 2003 quote by Mr. Tim Wilmot. Chief Knowledge and Evaluation Officer,
Charles and Helen Schwab Foundation



Tutor/Mentor Leadership & Networking Conference
  
May 12 and 13, 2005 at the Northwestern University Law School in Chicago,
Ill.
Registration details and workshop descriptions available at
http://www.tutormentorconference.bigstep.com

Listed below are some of the information categories that will be covered in
the May Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference being held at the
Northwestern University Law School in Chicago.  The conference is
co-sponsored by  the Children & Family Justice Center at Northwestern
University Law School.

Tutoring Strategies, Supplemental Support Services and  No Child Left Behind

Improving Student Services through Partnerships: Tutor/Mentor Program
Collaboration with Supplemental Education Service Providers,  presented by
Otho Tucker, Ph.D. , Senior Vice President of Mosaica Education
This session will be an open discussion of the resources that are available
to tutor/mentor programs and NCLB SES providers and how the resources can be
better utilized through collaborative relationships.

Supplemental Education Services: Making it work for Students, Parents,
Schools and Providers, presented by Erica L. Harris, Program Manager for
Supplemental Education Services for the Chicago Public Schools.  In this
workshop the presenter will explain how SES operates in Chicago, the new
plans for SES for the 2005-06 year, how to become a state approved provider,
how to get the word out to parents and community members, and the challenges
of running this type of after school program at such a large scale. 

Teaching Study Skills in a Volunteer-Based Tutor/Mentor Program, presented
by Andrea Scott, Study Skills, Inc.

Peer Tutoring: A Teacher's Resource Guide, presented by Dr. Edward Gordon,
Imperial Consulting Corp.
Dr. Gordon will draw from his new book, Peer Tutoring: A Teacher's Resource
Guild, to provide teachers and tutor/mentor program leaders methods to help
students raise their skills and critical thinking abilities.  This workshop
will offer a wide variety of success stories drawn from published research
that describes how ordinary teachers have successfully used peer and
cross-age tutoring in a wide variety of elementary, high school and college
applications.  This presentation will help teachers co-construct knowledge
with students to help classroom learning become more "student centered". 
Learn more at http://www.imperialcorp.com  

Training Volunteers, presented by Ken Black, AIMS Mentoring Program 
Since training is critical to a successful mentor program, a simulated
training session will be conducted using a power point presentation.  Mentor
materials for attendees will be given out. These materials consist of a
Mentor Messenger newsletter,  and a public relations brochure.  You will
receive a CD-ROM that includes a complete mentor handbook, an administrative
packet, and a power point training presentation.  A DVD will also be
provided of an actual training session for mentors.  In addition, a few 
comments will be made regarding the recruitment of mentors. 

Much More than Math Tutoring!, presented by Mary Charles and Dr. Diane
Schiller, Loyola University, Chicago.
Learn engaging methods to support your math tutoring.  In this presentation
you will learn how to use literature, games, manipulatives and computers to
make your tutoring more productive.  You will be introduced to a free access
standards based web site that allows you to explore math concepts at your
own pace as you plan for tutoring.   

Helping Students Navigate High School Choice, presented by Mark Duhon,
Highsight, http://www.highsight.org 
Chicago and other big cities offer many high school options, yet many
students never take advantage of them because they or their parents are not
aware of the opportunities, or because public schools do not have enough
counselors to help youth navigate these choices. Volunteers in tutor/mentor
programs can coach this process and Mr. Duhon provides information that
programs can pass on to their volunteers.

Follow the Yellow "Book" Road - Strategies for Tutoring Reading, Grades 1-8,
presented by Jan Fitzsimmons, North Central College.  Armed with an array of
ready to use handouts and using interactive techniques the presenter will
share the best strategies in reading that they have used to facilitate
reading success among first through eighth grade students. Prepare to be
successful with the students you tutor! 


Evaluation Strategies

Planning and Conducting Useful Program Evaluation, presented by Dr. Stergios
Roussos, www.akouo.org.
This half-day workshop is specifically designed for program staff and
program support organizations that need to plan and conduct program
evaluation. 

Celebrate What Works in Tutor and/or Mentor Programs,  facilitated by Odette
Samuelson, Manager, Organization Development and Carol McClement, Corporate
Services, Harper Community College, and Carol L. McClement, and
Organizational Consultant and Trainer.  Sometimes we fail to acknowledge the
success and the differences that we are making in our work, and we end up
focusing on the frustrations instead of the positive results we create.  
During this session you¹ll use some tools from Appreciative Inquiry (AI) to
discover a shared focus of what¹s already right within your work.

Simple, Low-Cost Ways to Monitor a Program's Effectiveness, presented by Dr.
Joseph DiCara, MD, MPH, Chicago Youth Programs, Inc.,
www.chicagoyouthprograms.org   Dr. DiCara has been leading a volunteer based
tutor/mentor program since 1984.  This workshop will give practical examples
on monitoring short and long-term youth participation, short and long-term
educational outcomes, literacy, and at-risk behavior monitoring. Will also
provide examples of potential comparison data, and some methods of
developing outcome data at low cost.  


Marketing/Fund Raising/Volunteer Recruitment

Marketing to Motivate You, Volunteers, and the Community, presented by
Rosemary Walter, Mosaic Marketing Management, Inc.  In this fun, fast-paced,
hands-on seminar you¹ll learn why MARKETING is critical to your success in
delivering services to your community.

Volunteer Recruitment Strategies, presented by Janet Takehara, Big Brothers
Big Sisters of Metropolitan Chicago.  In this interactive workshop,
participants will learn how to identify potential volunteers and how to
develop eligibility criteria and recruitment methods. This workshop is
intended for program and marketing staff and leadership. 

Fund Raising Tips and Strategies, presented by Kevin Hogan, Manager of
Grants, YMCA of Metropolitan Chicago.  The goal of this workshop is that 
attendees walk away with two to three "usable" ideas to help with fund
raising.

A  Vision of Change, A Vision of Growth, presented by Jeri Warner, Program
Director for Trusted Partners, Indianapolis, IN.  Mentoring often creates an
expectation of change, but change does not happen without a vision of what
is possible and what things will be like when change has occurred.  Using
storytelling, personal reflection and group discussion, this session will
focus on:

the role of vision in the work of the volunteer, of programs and of the
entire community 
personal reflection to lead to an  understanding of how goals are
accomplished, what goals are important, and how the vision of the future can
help achieve our goals

Leadership-Oriented Strategies for Sustainable Partnering with Business,
presented by Ian Bryan, President of The Sensible City.
http://www.sensiblecity.com   This workshop addresses nonprofit
administration and development, exploring creative ways to find, forge and
execute highly productive and sustainable partnerships between business and
community interests.

The Art of Business and the Business of Art, presented by Lara Dieckmann,
Cabrini Connections, http://www.cabriniconnections.net .  This workshop will
explore innovative ways to raise funds for your organization utilizing the
creativity of your students and volunteers. In this session, we will explore
different types of artistic projects that require little funding to complete
and types of artistic projects that can actually generate funds. In addition
to discussion and brainstorming, each participant will complete a model of
an inexpensive, fun and potentially lucrative crafting project. You will
leave the session with some new ideas for your program, some fundraising
tips to make art work for your organization and a creative project of your
own to take home!

The Hispanic Demographic: Mentors for a Growing Population, presented by
Alyssa Gendron, Program Coordinator for Alumni Services, Hispanic
Scholarship Fund, San Francisco.  http://www.hsf.net .  This session is
intended for educational professionals, community leaders, and new program
organizers who run a mentor program and are asking themselves the following
questions:

Where do I find volunteers that satisfy the needs of a specific community,
namely the growing number of Hispanic children in need of a Mentor?
What are the benefits and best approaches to partnership-building?
How do I develop a meaningful curriculum that effectively reaches my
population? 
How do I build a mentor program that encourages college-readiness?

Networking/Collaboration

Making Networking Work For You: (Unmasking, Unleashing and Linking Your
Personal Network), presented by Paul Collins, http://Jordan-Webb.net  This
session will help you tap into the same hidden and valuable assets that
experienced and successful networkers do. You'll learn about resources and
techniques that are readily available yet often overlooked and underused. 
Your new perceptions will enhance your capability and success in aligning
yourself with others.

Team Building Skills for Youth: an Interactive experience, presented by
Kenneth  King, President, New Concepts.  This workshop will focus on Team
Building activities that can be use to strengthen student and volunteer
relationships.

Tutor/Mentor Programs in Healthcare: Selling the Concept, facilitated by
Sherard Jones of the Sinai Mentoring Program.  This workshop will be a
conversation about  how and why hospitals and health care organizations
become actively involved in tutor/mentor programs through the providing of
information, volunteers and countless other resources.  The result of such
partnership over many years should be to lower the health care costs
associated with poverty by increasing the educational and career success of
youth living in these neighborhoods.   Representatives of hospitals and
health care organizations are encouraged to attend.

Exploiting the Strengths of Communication Styles (How You Communicate and
How Others Perceive You), presented Paul Collins, http://jordan-webb.net .
How we communicate affects everything - our interactions at work, in play,
in romance, in recreation, in sports, etc.  What we communicate is often
perceived differently than what's intended.  Misperception often leads to
conflict, which distracts us from accomplishing our intended goals.
Communications systems help individuals, teams and organizations understand
how their strengths across four categories govern their everyday behavior as
much as 50% to 70% of the time - decision-making style, social interaction,
pacing style and systems interaction.  The session will cover a number of
profiles and examine how the intensity of the styles controls attitudes,
actions and responses. Participants will learn how style characteristics
reflect how one thinks, understands, relates, adapts and comes across to
others. Participants will learn to appreciate the value of understanding and
exploiting one's own communication strengths as well as recognizing the
strengths of others.

Panel of Program Leaders, led by Stacey Jackson, Director, Partners in
Education Tutoring and Scholarship, A program of CHICAGO LIGHTS @ Fourth
Presbyterian Church http://www.fourthchurch.org/chicagolights.html. Panel
includes Mark Duhon, Highsight, Chicago, Il.  (http://www.highsight.org),
Toinette Pilgrim, Student Mentor Partners, Detroit,
MI. (http://www.studentmentorpartners.org)   Panel members will provide
brief description of their own programs, then talk about what works well
(and what they did to make it work well) and what challenges they face (and
how they are trying to overcome those challenges.  The participants of this
workshop will be encouraged to share their own experiences, as part of this
group learning experience.   

Student-Alumni Youth Panel. Young adults who were tutored and mentored as
youth return to share their thoughts on how these services effected their
development. This moderated panel will discuss services and activities that
were most and least helpful, and give suggestions to current program leaders
from the consumer perspective. Moderated by Renee Tucker,  Associated
Colleges of Illinois. http://www.acifund.org

Strategies for working with At-Risk Youth

Child Maltreatment Awareness Training, presented by Gail Brodkey,
Coordinator for the Injury Free Coalition for Kids of Chicago at Children¹s
Memorial Hospital .
In FY 2002, 9,324 children in Cook County were found to be abused and
neglected. Child Maltreatment affects children throughout Chicago regardless
of race, ethnicity, and socioeconomic status. It is very important for staff
and volunteers who work with children to understand Child Maltreatment
issues.  This presentation is designed for staff and volunteers to learn to
easily recognize, accurately assess, and appropriately refer child
maltreatment injuries

Working with Hard to Reach Young People, presented by Rev. Lorraine Bogan
Understanding and learning how to reach at-risk young people, using
faith-based principles. The SAFE Over-Comers Drama Squad, who once
participated in violent and criminal behaviors, will present a skit of their
experiences and explain how they have overcome their adversities. 

Implications of Zero Tolerance, presented by Betsy Clarke, President,
Juvenile Justice Initiative.
Illinois is leading the nation in juvenile justice system reforms - learn
about new alternatives to incarceration, hearings to look at youth tried as
adults, juvenile correctional reform and the Children's Mental Health
Partnership. 

Gang History Project,  presented by John M. Hagedorn, University of Illinois
at Chicago  

Working with Youth in the Juvenile Justice System, presented by Helen A.
Warren, Mentoring Network for Juvenile Court Wards, Circuit Court of Cook
County, Juvenile Justice Department.   This session will provide information
for volunteers and programs who work with youth on probation, or who have a
history of at-risk behaviors

Strategic Uses of Technology

No More Throw-Away Children: Integrating technology into a peer tutoring
program, presented by Calvin Pearce, Time Dollar Institute. The workshop
will describe how to set up peer tutoring program, teach children how to
help themselves improve their math and reading test scores and how to
provide children with an internet ready computer to take home. 

Using Technology for More Engaging and Productive Tutor/Mentor Programs: A
Demonstration and Interactive Forum Workshop 
This workshop addresses any audience that seeks to enhance a group learning
environment with the use of '21st Century Classroom' technology.
Demonstrating real-life examples of two community mentoring programs, this
workshop will be exciting and informative to any organizations or groups who
are in the early stages of starting a tutor/mentor program. As well, this
workshop will speak directly to Superintendents, Principals, Teachers and
school officials interested in experiencing the very latest in education
technology. 'Anne Cox, Director for System Concepts Inc , Ian Bryan,
President of The Sensible City,  and Bobbie Huskey, Illinois Juvenile
Justice Commissioner and Principal of Huskey & Associates, Inc., will
collaboratively present the technology that is currently being used in over
80% of all schools in the United Kingdom.  To learn more about the
technology being presented, visit www.idealclassroom.com. For more
information about the Black Star Project, visit www.blackstarproject.org.
For more information about Huskey & Associates, visit
www.huskey-associates.com.


On Friday afternoon the conference will conclude with an open forum titled:
Next Steps for Tutor/Mentor Programs - Summer Planning Leads to Better
2005-06 Programs, facilitated by Daniel F. Bassill, President of the
Tutor/Mentor Connection.  This will be a wrap-up question and answer and
brainstorming session for people who stay to the end of the conference. 
Bassill will share information about eConferences and other Internet forums
where people who attend the conference can stay connected with each other in
an on-going learning and collaboration process.
Read My Blog at http://tutormentor.blogspot.com

View speaker bios and the May 12 and 13 workshop schedule. Register On-line.
Visit http://www.tutormentorconference.bigstep.com

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Get a jump start on the May 12 and 13 conference and networking.
Participate in the  May 6-10 Tutor/Mentor eConference,  hosted by the
Digital Workforce Education Society at the City Colleges of
Chicago and the Webheads network.   Connect with tutoring/mentoring and
education leaders from around the world. Learn more about eLearning and
Collaboration.  Introduce yourself to others who may also be planning to
attend the Conference in Chicago so you can make sure you meet some of the
people you want to network with.  Visit http://www.alado.net/econference to
view 2004 workshops and see information for the May 2005 eConference.

Following the conference in Chicago continue your networking and learning
onf May 23 in a Tutor/Mentor eConference hosted by IUPUI in Indianapolis.
If you log in on May 23 you can continue to network with people you may have
met in the first eConference or at the May 12 and 13 conference and you can
continue to focus on strategies that will lead to more and better volunteer
based tutor/mentor programs as school starts again in September 2005.  See
the list of speakers and add your name as a workshop presenter by visiting
http://econference.uc.iupui.edu/

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This conference notice s being sent to people who are volunteer
tutors/mentors, leaders, staff, board members of tutor/mentor and youth
development programs. It is also being sent to people who are donors or who
lead business, university, hospital or philanthropy organizations.  Our goal
is to connect every stakeholder in one on-going learning network so that
ideas are shared and resources are distributed in ways that help
volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs in every poverty neighborhood get the
resources they need to connect K-12 kids with tutors/mentors, coaches,
learning experiences, etc. that help them move more successfully through
school and into  a job/career.

Please share this information with others in your personal and professional
networks.

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If you have questions about the conference, would like to discuss group
discounts (for 5 or more people) or would like to learn more about the
Tutor/Mentor Connection, visit our www.tutormentorconnection.org or
www.tutormentorexchange.net web sites, or email me at
tutormentor2 at earthlink.net.

----Dr. Daniel F. Bassill, President, CEO of Cabrini Connections and the
Tutor/Mentor Connection
Visit my Blog at http://tutormentor.blogspot.com
____________________________________________________________________________

You are receiving this email  newsletter because of your demonstrated
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