Tutor/Mentor Connection Monthly e-Newsletter

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Edition: March 2010 Issue No. 86



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* Using Maps to Focus Resources * Volunteers as program improvement resources? * On-Line Learning Resources * Share your ideas. Network with peers. * President's Message - Business getting serious about science?

issue 01

Using Maps to Focus Resources Where Most Needed

The map below was shared in aDrop Out Summit hosted in Illinois last November. It illustrates that the greatest rate of high school drop outs is in larger cities of Illinois, even though it is a problem throughout the state.

The T/MC has been using maps for many years. The purpose of our maps is to stimulate thinking among a greater range of people about ways they can help volunteer-based tutor/mentor programs find the dollars, leaders, technology and other resources they need to operate in inner city neighborhoods. We integrate our maps into blog stories. Some can be found at http://mappingforjustice.blogspot.com/

Others are also using maps to tell this story. View Illinois High School Drop out maps at http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/images/PDF/hsdropoutmaps.pdf. These were created by the Midwest Education Laboratory of Learning Point Associates, http://www.learningpt.org/

The Tutor/Mentor Connection's mapping strategy is illustrated at http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/mapping-the-programs

Many organizations are beginning to use maps and visualized information to draw attention to poverty and social issues. These sections of the Tutor/Mentor Connection library have links to sites that we look at for ideas.

· T/MC library poverty mapping, uses of GIS: http://tinyurl.com/TMCLibrary-PovertyMapping

· Process improvement section in tm library - http://tinyurl.com/TMC-innovation-links

* Chicago Tutor/Mentor Program Links - http://tinyurl.com/ChiTM-Program-Links

* Volunteering resource sites - http://tinyurl.com/T-MC-Volunteering


What ways will your volunteers help your program improve?
Image courtesy of Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection. We're almost into April with just a few months left in the school year. What strategies are volunteer-based organizations using to convert some of their tutors/mentors into leaders who will help the program find resources, and ideas, so it continues its tutoring/mentoring in the 2010-11 school year or beyond? Share this flash animated presentation with others. http://tinyurl.com/TMC-Volunteer-growth This shows how a volunteer can grow into a leader, if he/she stays for multiple years in a tutor/mentor program....and if the program has staff who can effectively mentor and coach volunteers. This also illustrates how students and interns can use their talent to help non profits communicate their ideas. See more work by interns working with T/MC at http://tutormentorconnection.ning.com Mayor's Action Challenge - Visit http://www.mayorsforkids.org/ to learn what Mayors around the country are planning to do to make sure every child has opportunities to learn and grow, and a safe neighborhood to call home. Are your elected leaders doing enough?

issue 02
On-line learning resources for volunteers, students in tutor/mentor programs

What are the ways that volunteers and youth can connect in on-going tutoring and/or mentoring? What are the resources they can use to tutor, mentor, or inspire? At Cabrini Connections, teens and volunteers are creating videos, art, and stories that tell of the work they do in a tutor/mentor program, while helping them build relationships and skills they can use in school, jobs and careers.
Image courtesy of Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection. See video at http://vimeo.com/10028296 Here are some links that programs can point volunteers and students to for ideas that can be incorporated into weekly tutor/mentor sessions. * How Stuff Works, Learning Geography the fun way, Games for Learning links http://tinyurl.com/deysdy * Digital Story Telling, Youth as Leaders - http://tinyurl.com/bcejum * Homework help - http://tinyurl.com/con5by * College and Career - http://tinyurl.com/5fx9ao These links are part of a vast library hosted by Tutor/Mentor Connection. It's interactive. As volunteers and students learn to use these links, they can add comments to show which they find most valuable, or add new links which they know about and use often.

issue 03
Share your ideas. Network with peers.

The Spring 2010 Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference will be held at Loyola University Chicago on May 27 and 28. We're recruiting speakers and workshops now. Registration is open and a few people have already signed up. See details at http://www.tutormentorconference.org
Image courtesy of Cabrini Connections, Tutor/Mentor Connection. Below are ideas and links to research intended to draw attention, volunteers and dollars directly to tutor/mentor programs in the Chicago region. These ideas can be used by similar groups in any city. * Engaging Leaders from Business, Faith Groups, Health Care. Articles that suggest ways that tutor/mentor programs can be supported more consistently, and in more places. http://www.tutormentorexchange.net/leadership-strategies * Links to research on High School dropout crisis, poverty, education reform can be found at http://tinyurl.com/6r8m34 * Submit your own links and articles to http://www.tutormentorconnection.org . * Join on-line forums to share ideas. These are places where T/MC is involved: http://tinyurl.com/5aadsb
president's message

Business getting serious about science

by Daniel F. Bassill

I read many different blogs and try to connect with writers and the people they write about. I encourage you to read this article in Forbes, titled "Getting Religion About Science". http://blogs.forbes.com/beltway/2010/03/getting-religion-about-science/

Then I encourage you to browse these articles which focus on social capital. They illustrate how the people that youth have contact with influence their aspirations and career choices. http://tinyurl.com/TMC-Social-Capital

As the leader of a volunteer-based tutoring/mentoring program funded by the generosity of many donors, I'm not only trying to change what kids do, but I'm trying to change what adults do.

Instead of adopting schools, I urge businesses to adopt neighborhoods, so they can reach kids during non-school hours even if they cannot change what happens during school hours. I encourage businesses to think of volunteer-programs as places where employees expand their own personal and business networks, not just places where kids connect with tutors/mentors.

I've read many articles showing that business leaders are concerned about their future workforce. Thus I encourage human resource managers and and decision-makers to spend more time on our web sites, learning to use the ideas and resources we point to.

The articles at http://www.tutormentorexchange.net and maps at http://www.tutormentorprogramlocator.net are tools non profits, and business leaders can use in their own efforts the prepare more youth for 21st century jobs, while helping them stay safe in non-school hours in their own neighborhoods.

Forums like http://tutormentorconnection.ning.com are places where leaders and volunteers can meet to build relationships and exchange ideas. This link - http://tinyurl.com/TMC-blogroll - points to many other places where you can exchange ideas, and connect with others focused on the same goals.

The May and November Tutor/Mentor Leadership and Networking Conference is part of this strategy.
By drawing programs together to share their strategies and build relationships we are expanding the social capital of each of the organizations that are involved in doing this work, and we are trying to attract donors who will provide solid financial capital to make this work possible in hundreds of locations of Chicago, New York, LA and every place in the country where kids need a wider network of support. Visit http://www.tutormentorconference.org/pictures.asp to see photos from past conferences and to learn how to become part of the May 27 and 28, 2010 conference.



Thanks to everyone who has voted for Tutor/Mentor Connection in the Pepsi Refresh Challenge. We need a lot more votes by March 31 if we are going to win a full year of funding. Please vote at http://www.refresheverything.com/tutormentorconnection This newsletter is an invitation for you to connect directly with the Tutor/Mentor Connection, or use these ideas in your own efforts. If you would like to know more email tutormentor2@earthlink.net or call 312-492-9614. In addition to operating the T/MC we lead the Cabrini Connections program at http://www.cabriniconnections.net We depend on donations like all other non profits. If you can help, visit the web sites, or send donations to the address below. We are a 501-c-3 non profit. FEIN 36-3893431.

Daniel F. Bassill President Tutor/Mentor Connection Cabrini Connections 800 W. Huron, Chicago, Il. 60642 312-492-9614

Read the blogs at : http://tutormentor.blogspot.com http://mappingforjustice.blogspot.com http://cabriniblog.blogspot.com