Cynthia Ellis, Alta Tutor
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Working in the community has always appealed to me. I would like to share with you the stepping stones that led me to be an Alta tutor.
In 1980, after 18 years of staying at home with my children, I decided to train as an Early Childhood Educator at Servol. A job opportunity arose to initiate a pre-school in the Maraval community and I took it. My objective to work with small children and their families was felt with deep conviction.
Ten years in Early Childhood Education were well spent and very rewarding. However, at age 59, rolling on the floor with three to five year olds was enjoyable, but exhausting. It was time for a change. In 1993, drugs were more easily available, the crime rate was rising, many people were unemployed because they were poorly educated and unskilled. I wanted to help, but how?
In September 1993, I heard a radio announcement concerning Alta. I attended the course in January 1994. I enjoyed the content of the course and understood the aims of Alta.
Our parish priest had given me carte blanche to pursue a community project. The Maraval Alta centre was opened on January 18, 1994 at the RC Parish Hall.
The class started with seven students between the ages of 19 and 45. They were from the agricultural community of Paramin in Maraval. Then, lesson plans were prepared by the tutors using the Alta Training Course Handbook as a guide. At the end of the first term quite a few students had shared the sad events of their lives that had prevented them from completing primary level.
Before the school year was finished, we took a field trip to Paramin where we visited a herb garden. Each student chose a herb, which they potted and nurtured. They each wrote a few lines about it and this was made into a booklet.
In 1995, Vigdis Engelstad, a Norwegian teacher with 25 years experience, joined us. Her help was most welcome as coping with different levels and students who were unable to identify the alphabet had become difficult.
Alta started producing its own workbooks at two levels with a tutor's guide. The lesson plan themes coincided with cultural events–spiritual, physical, intellectual, creative, emotional and social–of interest to both students and tutor. During 1995, we produced a cookbook with local recipes written by our students. They were very pleased with their production.
We became aware that many of the students had never been off the land onto our seas and beautiful islands. Together, Vigdis and I planned a field trip to Gaspar Grande. I hinted to the students that photographs would be taken and each student would have to submit writings. These were compiled and made into a booklet.
Sylvester, one of the students, did the lithography. He is one of the outstanding students who attended class at Maraval. After three years with Alta, his reading and writing improved considerably. His self-esteem is more positive. Having worked with a weekly newspaper for 13 years he had not had much advancement. That year he made the decision to apply for a position with a daily newspaper and he was successful. He is now permanent in the post.
Alta, under the leadership of Paula Lucie-Smith and members who believe that literacy is important, get together at quarterly meetings to promote the association and refresh the tutors so that we can produce skilled young men and women who can find a position in the job market and radiate self-esteem.
Workplaces may contract ALTA to provide literacy instruction for employees whose literacy skills need upgrading. Unlike the free community classes, workplace programmes can provide intensive instruction for quicker results and run on days and times to suit employees' work schedules and to avoid peak times or seasons. Call 624-ALTA (2582), 664-2582, 653-4656 or e-mail altatt@yahoo.com.
