SAIL Program Newsletter

Newsletter 3
October 2001

With endless thanks to many people we now have an extensive library. There are about 1000 books in our collection which is for the exclusive use of members of the Program.

We are concerned, particularly at this early stage, that books will walk. We are relying on all the tutors to impress upon the kids that none of the books are to leave the church building under any circumstance. If this is made very clear early on then there should be no problem in the future. To this end we have provided a worksheet for every student to complete this week to inform them of how the library will work. We would also like all tutors to take their students in and spend about 15 minutes looking at the setup and explaining how the books are sorted.

The books are broken up as follows.
1. Readers (all have stickers on the spine to show ability level required.)
2. Non-fiction (have a red sticker on the spine and are for projects or factual information)
3. Reference (on the proper shelves, for adults and the older kids especially. Includes encyclopedias, atlases and dictionaries)
4. Teacher Reference (above the drawers. Feel free to look through these for ideas. Any photocopying should be marked and given to Matthew)
5. Religious (these books do not belong to the program and are used for adult study groups)

There is a possibility that in the future we will have borrowing but at this stage no books may leave the premises.

Special thanks go to the tutors that slaved for hours getting the library ready; Ruth, Ron & Leah, Heather, Vanessa, Patrick, Sophie and especially Clare who acted as chauffeur / labourer / sorter. It was clearly well worth the effort!

We would also like to acknowledge the people who donated the books; Wesley College Elsternwick Campus, Mandeville Hall Girls School, Heinemann Press, MacMillan Press, _________ Press and Anna Grace.

Please enjoy and make use of the library and the resources it contains.

Tutors Resources

We now have a few books for tutors to peruse for material. Because of our association with the Melbourne University Student Union we are able to get free photocopying. Whenever you wish to have anything photocopied for your tutoring please mark the pages (by folding the corners) that you want copied and pass them to Matthew. The copies will be ready for the following week.

We have a good selection of sheets that have already been copied that now live in the tutor resource section of the library in the coloured binder books. Take whatever and as many copies as you need when you need them. Each book is labeled with the ability level the sheets require.

The SAIL growing ever larger

For everyone's information, the student numbers are about to grow again with the arrival of a few new families from Sudan. We have been told of a family of seven children and two other families of three children each arriving in the area. These children will be allocated tutors as they arrive. If you could keep an eye out for them as they settle in and make sure we are informed of their ability level so that they can be placed in appropriate groups.

We are grateful as always for the ever-increasing number of tutors we have coming each week. Please be available to introduce yourself to the 'newees' and feel free to chat - we are yet to have a tutor bite another tutors head off!

In service

As was noted in the last newsletter there will be a free in service for all of us about teaching recent migrants. It will be on 20 November, 2001 in the church building straight after tutoring. Please feel free to prepare any specific questions you may have.

Carpooling

Thanks to those who have been picking up tutors and / or students. There are some tutors in particular who would be helped greatly if they could get a lift. Could anyone driving please tell us again how many seats they have spare and if they are willing to collect anybody.

Absenteeism

Thanks to everyone who has called or emailed to tell us that they would being missing. We maintain that you are not expected to be available every single week but it makes it easier to plan if we know (even if it is on a Friday night) that you are unable to come.