Senior Charlotte Oliva, double majoring in Spanish and sociology, has taken advantage of an off campus teaching opportunity with Stateline Literacy Council (SLC). This non-profit program focuses on providing help to both English and non-English speaking adults in learning basic skills, especially reading, writing and speaking English.

“I am a co-teacher for a citizenship class. Additionally, I am an English as a Second Language (ESL) and Citizenship tutor. My main responsibilities include assisting students in understanding material, collaborating with other instructors for lesson plans, and creating a positive and productive learning environment,” Oliva explained.

Oliva works at the Beloit Public Library on Tuesdays, Wednesday and Thursdays. Despite facing challenges in her time teaching, she has learned greatly from this experience.

“Lesson planning for my ESL sessions isn’t always as straightforward as it is when planning for Citizenship classes. Even though it has been challenging I’ve learned new skills in terms of how to make ESL sessions interactive,” Oliva said.

Oliva’s favorite part of this job is the help she knows she is providing through her classes, and she recommends the program to other students.

“I love getting to see when my students start to understand a new concept being taught. It makes me feel confident that the way I am teaching is helping my students understand what they are learning,” Oliva said. “I highly recommend this program to others because it’s a way to be more involved in the community. This job teaches you how to have patience and gives skills in how to make creative and engaging lessons. It gives one confidence and good social skills such as problem solving and flexibility.”