Alejandra and Clemente
By Sandy Reed, Vision Literacy tutor
Literacy success is all about teamwork and I'm proud to be part of a team that includes two all-stars, Alejandra and Clemente Limon.
For nearly two years, I have been teamed with Alejandra and my husband, Bob Ingle, has been teamed with Alejandra's husband, Clemente. Initially, we all worked with traditional tools such as workbooks and flashcards. But we soon discovered different methods that worked for us.
Alejandra began to tutor me in Spanish and discovered that her English improved along with my Spanish. Then we began cooking together and ended up enrolling in cake-decorating classes. We started with an adult education class. Then Alejandra learned that an arts and crafts store in her neighborhood offered more advanced classes. On July 7, we graduated from our third course. Alejandra is such a good student that she has begun to sell cakes to friends and co-workers and our instructor suggested she consider becoming an instructor herself.
"Sandy makes me feel secure about myself and gives me the confidence to keep going with my cake-decorating classes," Alejandra says. "When I don't understand something, she helps me by showing me pictures or giving me different definitions of words. I am so grateful for her support."
Clemente is a professional painter with plans to run his own paint-contracting company. After he and Bob worked together a few months, Clemente decided to take the California contractor's exams. Recently, he successfully completed one of the two exams and barely missed passing the second. He plans to take the second exam again soon and is confident he will pass. Clemente is helping Bob understand not only how to paint professionally but together they have learned much about setting up a small business, dealing with bureaucracies, the bidding process, calculating complex bids, and contracts in general.
Says Clemente: "With my previous tutors, I was having trouble with my reading, and they got me pointed in the right direction. But with Bob, I've gotten more professional advice - not only with reading and writing, but also with several aspects of business. He's gotten me more involved with writing than I've ever been in my life."
Alejandra and Clemente both attended the Henry Huffman Leadership Institute last year. Alejandra and I participated in Project CLEAR and recently attended the "Inner Games of Personal Success" playshop led by Marlene Martin.
Literacy success is all about teamwork and I'm proud to be part of a team that includes two all-stars, Alejandra and Clemente Limon.
For nearly two years, I have been teamed with Alejandra and my husband, Bob Ingle, has been teamed with Alejandra's husband, Clemente. Initially, we all worked with traditional tools such as workbooks and flashcards. But we soon discovered different methods that worked for us.
Alejandra began to tutor me in Spanish and discovered that her English improved along with my Spanish. Then we began cooking together and ended up enrolling in cake-decorating classes. We started with an adult education class. Then Alejandra learned that an arts and crafts store in her neighborhood offered more advanced classes. On July 7, we graduated from our third course. Alejandra is such a good student that she has begun to sell cakes to friends and co-workers and our instructor suggested she consider becoming an instructor herself.
"Sandy makes me feel secure about myself and gives me the confidence to keep going with my cake-decorating classes," Alejandra says. "When I don't understand something, she helps me by showing me pictures or giving me different definitions of words. I am so grateful for her support."
Clemente is a professional painter with plans to run his own paint-contracting company. After he and Bob worked together a few months, Clemente decided to take the California contractor's exams. Recently, he successfully completed one of the two exams and barely missed passing the second. He plans to take the second exam again soon and is confident he will pass. Clemente is helping Bob understand not only how to paint professionally but together they have learned much about setting up a small business, dealing with bureaucracies, the bidding process, calculating complex bids, and contracts in general.
Says Clemente: "With my previous tutors, I was having trouble with my reading, and they got me pointed in the right direction. But with Bob, I've gotten more professional advice - not only with reading and writing, but also with several aspects of business. He's gotten me more involved with writing than I've ever been in my life."
Alejandra and Clemente both attended the Henry Huffman Leadership Institute last year. Alejandra and I participated in Project CLEAR and recently attended the "Inner Games of Personal Success" playshop led by Marlene Martin.
