Jail literacy program seeks tutors
HOW TO HELP
The Walworth County Literacy Council helps inmates at the Walworth County Jail in small-group and one-on-one reading, writing and math tutoring. But more volunteer tutors are needed to reach the growing number of inmates interested in the program.
No teaching experience is necessary, and training is provided.
For more information or to become a tutor, contact Brigette Kutschma at (262) 957-0142 or send an e-mail to wclc@walworthcoliteracy.com.
ELKHORN — When an inmate at the Walworth County Jail told Andera Francis that he was ready to change his life for the better, she knew she’d made a difference.
“That really touched me,” she said.
Francis is a tutor with the jail literacy program, which the Walworth County Literacy Council launched in August to give inmates skills to succeed after their release from jail.
“We instill a hope in them that they can do better next time, that they can break out of the cycle,” she said. “This jail down here is a revolving door. And if we give them the education and the skills they need to go out and succeed … then to me, I’ve done my job.”
The program includes six volunteer tutors—three teaching adult basic education, two teaching English as a second language and one teaching math, said Brigette Kutschma, literacy council coordinator.
Classes—some small group sessions and some one-on-one sessions—meet for about 90 minutes twice a week in a classroom at the jail, she said.
“Everything really has gone better than we could have ever expected,” she said.
But more tutors are needed.
Recently, two of the tutors have had to withdraw for personal reasons, Kutschma said. They’ll need to be replaced, and additional tutors will be needed as participation in the program grows.
The program has reached about 50 inmates, and dozens more have expressed interest in taking classes.
“There has been a constant waiting list,” she said.
Prospective tutors don’t need teaching experience, Kutschma said, and all tutors are given training to teach the class of their choosing.
‘Rewarding experience’
Kutschma said tutors can set their own schedules, dictate their class size, and structure their classes however they wish.
“I can’t say enough about the dedication of these tutors,” she said. “It’s really neat to see what they’ve all done with their classes.”
The majority of inmates are seeking a high school diploma, Kutschma said.
The jail has contracted with Gateway Technical College since 1989 to provide inmates GED/HSED preparation and testing. A number of inmates participate in the program, but many don’t have the basic literacy skills to study, take and pass the tests, she said.
Judy Stone, a former middle school teacher who teaches math classes in the jail, said the inmates are hungry to learn, often asking for more work or more class time.
“They really want to learn,” she said. “What more could a teacher ask for?”
Francis, who teaches adult basic education classes in the jail, said she’s seen incredible progress among inmates in the program, not only in their reading, writing and math skills but in their behavior, too.
“It’s making such a huge difference,” she said. “If they do anything wrong, they’re privilege to come to class is taken away. And for some of these guys, this is really important to them.”
The program often leads inmates to strive for stable employment, healthy relationships with family and friends and a restored sense of dignity after their release from jail.
Stone, who founded the local literacy council in 1987, said tutoring with the jail program is “the most rewarding experience” because she’s making a real impact on people’s lives.
“These are people who need help and want help, and when you give the help … you feel like you’re really making a difference in someone’s life,” she said.
Feb 12, 2010 at 4:40 p.m.
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Arguing over how many posts?? CHILDISH!! If any person goes to prison,they actually get paid to get a GED.And it's mandatory or they lose recreational activities. As for the counties, let the entire burden be paid by the entire states taxpayers if the person is headed for state prison.
Jan 26, 2009 at 11:03 p.m.
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janesvillean: Thank you! Someone who understands criminology and the role education and social supports plays a big difference in whether or not someone finds themselves in jail. Sure, there are educated people that commit crimes, but the less educated need a hand up to play any positive role in society. Everyone deserves help. Whether they choose to do the right thing with the positive help they receive is totally up to them.
Jan 25, 2009 at 2:10 p.m.
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Rock County and Blackhawk Tech have a program to help inmates in the jail earn their GED.
Jan 25, 2009 at 12:49 p.m.
Jan 25, 2009 at 12:32 p.m.
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Well, RUSerious, sometimes having 0 or 1 or 2 posts is indicative of someone bopping in from wherever to logroll a pet theme, or of someone changing their identity to make a post with no consequence to their regular identity. I think that's why post count comes up sometimes. I will call out trolls or spam when I see them.
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SpongeBob may be one of those "jail is to punish" throwbacks. Maybe he misses the "stocks" that the Puritans used to use.
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What we know today is that criminals are less likely to commit further crimes if they have social support and especially if they can support themselves. It's not that poverty drives people to crime, it's that people who don't have a lot of tools in life tend to be poor as a result and turn to crime more readily. If they can just learn to read, for example, sometimes that makes the difference in getting even a minimal job. Getting a GED or some type of vocational or community college degree is even better. Obviously Walworth understands that its goal of reducing crime is better served by giving inmates the opportunity to acquire tools that they need to have a better chance on the outside.
Jan 25, 2009 at 12:07 p.m.
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Related to posting, but not specifically this story (sorry)-Spongebob wondered if SarahB was for real...what about her general statement praising this program triggered that comment? Then, beeferer gives a count of the number of SarahB's previous posts? What does that have to do with it? Is there some formula (for example: # of posts divided by days of activity equals degree of veracity of comment?)
I remember a discussion here once where I felt we were having a meaningful dialogue, of course there were disagreements (oh really?), and a poster commented on the number of my posts (under 300 at the time, or less than 1 per day average) as if it had a direct connection to whether or not my comments carried any weight. I guess it's used like another form of the "grammar police", usually when the "post counter" is losing ground. (I had that used against me once, too-a poster said I had third grade grammar. His mispellings in his postings took away the sting of his comments-but I let it slide.)
Just curious. By the way, to save the trouble: my count is about 390 for about the same number of days.
Jan 25, 2009 at 10:58 a.m.
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SpongeBob- SarahB is real. She has well over 1100 posts here. That would be indicative of a real presence.
Jan 25, 2009 at 10:28 a.m.
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OMG SarahB, are you for real???!!!
Jan 25, 2009 at 10:26 a.m.
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Do we have a program like that in Janesville? If we don't, it's something that should be provided. Maybe it would help keep inmates from going back into jail once they're released.
Jan 25, 2009 at 12:46 a.m.
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This sounds like a fantastic program. Thanks to all of the tutors for making a difference in the lives of the inmates.
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