Swearer Classroom Program
The Swearer Classroom Program is a literacy mentoring program in which a Brown volunteer works one-on-one with an elementary school child. The program's focus is dual: we build relationships through reading, acting on the belief that supportive and sustained work on literacy skills fosters an environment in which students feel confident in their abilities, both academic and social. The academic support we give is based on trainings in literacy tutoring and is part of an ongoing dialogue among ourselves and with Swearer Center staff members.
Mentors work with a student for about an hour, usually once a week. This takes place during the school day (from 9 to 3) in the student’s classroom. We work with two schools: D'Abate Elementary in Olneyville and Asa Messer (and its annex school) in the West End of Providence. Both schools are easily reachable by RIPTA buses from downtown Providence (Kennedy Plaza).
Bimonthly meetings provide a supportive and social atmosphere for a program focusing on one-on-one work. They include ongoing training about literacy and the context in which we work as well as time to touch base with one another.
Interested in volunteering? We’d be happy to answer any questions. We recruit mentors to begin early in the fall or spring semester, so apply early in the semester or at the end of the semester before you’d like to begin. To apply, please download an application, fill it out, and email it to Joshua_Curhan@brown.edu