Meet Luce — An Interview with a Program Coordinator
This month, we interviewed Luce, a current Program Coordinator at the Bascom branch and one of our first scholarship winners. Read on to get to know Luce and learn about her experience as a past tutor!
How long have you been involved with RWD and in what roles?
I have been involved with RWD since summer 2020, and I have been a tutor for the past two years. Now I’m a Program Coordinator!
What has been your favorite experience with RWD?
I enjoyed tutoring last year, mostly because of the connection I had with my learner. He would get so excited to learn and read, and it was a joy watching him grow over the summer.
What made you want to get involved with RWD as a volunteer?
I wanted to volunteer with RWD because of my love for helping and teaching others, especially younger children. Education is also really important to me, since my family encouraged learning at a very young age, so I want other kids to have that same passion for learning as well.
What are you looking forward to in your role as a Program Coordinator?
I’m looking forward to connecting with the learners and seeing them grow over the course of the program, since I was only able to work with one kid at a time as a tutor.
Do you have any tips for future tutors?
Engagement can be hard over Zoom, so really take time to build a relationship with your learner. Knowing their likes and dislikes can help you cater assignments to their interests and have better interactions with them. If you can make learning fun for them, then they will be all the more willing to listen to you.
Why do you think people should get involved with RWD as tutors?
Getting involved with RWD is a great way to build their own skills while also teaching kids these skills as well. Reading and writing is so important in today’s world, and helping others can go both ways. RWD also provides networking opportunities, with good connections to others during panels and such.
What do you think the benefits and downsides of virtual tutoring are?
Over Zoom, it’s easier to find a lot of resources online and you can use some of the tools on the app to your advantage, like the whiteboard or screenshare. It is harder to keep learners enthusiastic or connect with them since you’re not with them in person, but there are still ways to reward them and keep them motivated, like playing games with them.
What are your favorite hobbies?
Listening to and making music, dancing, singing
Favorite subject?
Chinese (Mandarin)
Favorite genre?
realistic fiction, fantasy, mystery
Favorite book(s) and why you like them?
I really like all of the books that Rick Riordan wrote just because of the style that he wrote in as well as the mythology-based plot. I’ve always liked stories that had substories within them that would later fit together like a puzzle, and the myths were tied together really well in his books. I also really like mystery books for that same reason, which is why I enjoyed One of Us is Lying and One of Us is Next by Karen M. McManus. There was a mix of predictability and unpredictability in a good way, because as a reader, you want to figure out the mystery along the way. I loved being able to solve the puzzle while also getting surprised at every plot point.
Favorite author?
Rick Riordan