news
Volume 30, Number 03
March, 2004
membership organization. All active tutors and
students constitute the membership and they vote
at the Annual Meeting for new Directors
recommemded by the Board. The Board is very
important to the overall operation of Project
LEARN, setting policy and coordinating fund
raising.
Happy St. Patrick’s Day
A Message from the Director
Richard A. Peterson
Annual Meeting Reminder
This year’s Project LEARN Annual
Meeting is scheduled for Saturday, March 6th at
noon. It will be held here at Project LEARN in
the main floor tutor room on the second floor.
The Annual Meeting is a great tradition
around here with lots of surprises, but it does
have a serious purpose. This is where we elect new
Directors to our Board. Project LEARN is a
The Annual Meeting is also where we say
farewell to Directors who are leaving the Board.
It’s a good way for us to recognize their hard
work. We also present our Friend of Literacy
Awards to those individuals, businesses, and
organizations who are not members of Project
LEARN but who have made a
special
contribution to the advancement of literacy.
Last year’s winner was retiring Director of The
George Gund Foundation, Dave Bergholz.
Remember: this is not the kind of stuffy
event that is characteristic of so many other
Annual Meetings. It’s very informal. It’s
potluck! It’s fun! Please join us and bring
your student.
Page 2
Project: LEARN NEWS
March, 2004
_________________________________________________________________________________________
 The student studies the spelling and
pronunciation of groups of words
and then learns how to use common
sound patterns and rules to spell
other words.
IS THERE ANY HELP FOR SPELLING?
It seems that more and more we get
inquiries about spelling from both
tutors and students.
One tutor wanted to know if I had a magic
pill or trick I could pass on to her so that she
could pass it on to her student. Well, I
looked in my bag of tricks to see what I
could find and lo and behold there was no
magic potion I could give to tutors to
remedy this pesky problem that seems to
plague most of our students.
news
Project: LEARN is published
monthly by Project: LEARN
Richard Peterson, Director
Tiffany Butler , Editor
2728 Euclid Avenue, Suite 200
Cleveland, Ohio 44115-2412
(216) 621-9483
www.projectlearn.org
e-mail: prolearn@buckeyeweb.com
Fax: (216) 696-5637
But wait. In my bag labeled, “Hard Work,
Persistence and Patience” there is help!
Patterns In Spelling is a four book series
designed specifically to teach spelling.
Here’s how Patterns In Spelling works.
 It helps the student to develop a
sense of their own spelling strengths
by teaching specific spelling
strategies.
 Each lesson will include a study of
sample words containing each
spelling pattern and a variety of
exercises that was designed to
reinforce each pattern concept.
 In each lesson the student will see
it, say it, hear it and write it, using
all of the learning modalities.
Patterns in Spelling are recommended
for students in SB 3 and above.
The other spelling help is Focus on
Phonics. Focus on Phonics is a five
book series (only because Short Vowel
Sounds and Consonant Blends are
divided into two parts – 2A and 2B).
Focus on Phonics is similar to Patterns
in Spelling except its focus is on
teaching the student to use their
phonetic skills to decode unknown
words. This is done in a very
systematic way using all of the
learning modalities.
Focus on Phonics can be used with a
student after skill book 1, lesson 5.
If you’re having problems with spelling
I hope you will try one of these series.
If so, let me know how it works for you.
Page 3
Project: LEARN NEWS
March, 2004
_________________________________________________________________________________________
But remember: not every student will
become a good speller especially some
of our “older” students.
Make sure you know your student and
what their reading goals are. Talk
with your student about their difficulty
with spelling and let them have some
say in how they want to proceed. You
might find that you’ll have better
success when the student is allowed to
have a say in their learning process.
As always, Happy Tutoring and Good
Luck.
test itself (or whatever you feel
has
been
a
significant
improvement) send in his or her
name. Along with the name submit
a short paragraph on why you feel
your
student
should
receive
“special recognition.”
The purpose of this yearly event is
to give “honor where honor is due.”
Tutors should be honored for their
ability to continue to give of
themselves
week
after
week.
Students should be recognized for
their tireless effort to reach their
educational goals.
So tutors, don’t forget to send in
those names. And don’t forget to
watch your mail for the official
invitation to this affair.
We’re in the process of planning for
our annual recognition dinner to
honor our volunteers for their
commitment and dedication and to
celebrate the accomplishments of
our students.
As was mentioned in last month’s
Tutor News, now is the time to
start sending
in
nominations
for
your student to
receive
special
recognition.
If
during
the 2003 year your student has
made
significant
improvement/progress, moved up a
level, finished a skill book, passed
the GED practice test or the GED
Keep in mind that the Project: LEARN
Library for Adult New Readers is open.
The Library for Adult New Readers is
located in the front lobby of Project:
Page 4
Project: LEARN NEWS
March, 2004
_________________________________________________________________________________________
LEARN and is open to the entire Project:
LEARN family.
The library is tutor and student friendly.
Book levels are easily displayed by color
tabs. Books in the library range from
historical novels to fairy tales your
students can share with their children.
Students can find books to celebrate
current holidays or events on the
current event bookshelf that is located
across from the receptionist station.
Students can take the books by the easy
process of writing their name, date, and
phone number on the card located in the
back of each library book and cover of
each video. Take the book and signed
card to the receptionist and get it
checked out for two weeks.
Come take a look, you’ll be
surprised!
Attention Tutors:
The Student Outlook needs your
help. Please encourage students
to do writings for the Outlook.
The writings can be a poem, a
story, a letter, a recipe or just
something nice they’d like to say
about you.
Your student would need to send
their writings to:
Attn: Outlook Editor
2728 Euclid Avenue #200
Cleveland,Ohio 44115
Please be sure your student gives
written consent to have their writing in
the Outlook.
Thank you in advance for your help
and participation.
Nancy C. Simpson
Project: LEARN
Celebrating 30 Years of
Leadership in Literacy
ught that they were ready to go out on
their own. Obviously not. (I think
here is where I need to step back and
Page 5
Project: LEARN NEWS
March, 2004
_________________________________________________________________________________________
take my own advise.) So, now my
work is cut out for me. I’m not totally
discouraged because it did help me to
define the areas of reinforcement
needed by my students.
CONFIDENCE BUILDING
Part of the problem was that they were
afraid of getting it “wrong”. They
didn’t want to turn in something that
wasn’t right in their own eyes. So, we
will
work
on
self-esteem
and
confidence building. I want them to be
comfortable enough to just put their
thoughts on paper. The rest we’ll work
out together.
SPELLING
We will continue to work on spelling
using Focus on Phonics, flash cards,
word attack drills and other spelling
reinforcement ideas.
FINDING TIME
The challenge of finding time to study
when things are especially busy and
chaotic is really up to each individual.
However, we will review study habits
that were taught in the orientation
class. Sometimes, every now and then,
we need to be reminded of certain
things. This obviously is one of those
things.
Well, as you can see, things don’t
always work out the way we plan. I
thought I was going to have a better
report to give to you. But if you and
your student did the assignment I hope
you have better luck. Send me a note
or give me a call to let me know your
results. If you have any suggestions
please pass them on.
So, until next time my nose will be to
the grindstone…
…Happy Tutoring!
Mark your
Calendar!!!
Project: LEARN Annual Meeting
Saturday, March 6, 2004
Noon to 2:00 p.m.
Project: LEARN Center, 2nd Floor
Although we have to conduct some business
at this gathering it has traditionally been
described as a fun and festive event. This is a
potluck gathering. Everyone brings a covered
dish to share. After enjoying a taste of all the
wonderful food people bring in a short
business meeting is conducted to elect new
officers, say good-bye to the ones that are
finishing their term, announce the Friend of
Literacy Award which goes to someone
outside of the Project: LEARN family who
has shown extraordinary support for this
program, and, of course, there’s always the
mixing and mingling and meeting other
dedicated volunteers and students.
And don’t forget…
Volunteer and Student Annual Recognition
Dinner and Ceremony
Friday, April 23, 2004
Page 6
Project: LEARN NEWS
March, 2004
_________________________________________________________________________________________
6:00 to 9:00 p.m.
(Place to be announced)
I know this is just February but April is just
around the corner. Now is the time to start
thinking about nominating your student to
receive special recognition. If during the
2003 year your student has made significant
improvement/progress, moved up a level,
finished a skill book, passed the practice GED
test, or passed the GED test, or whatever you
feel has been a significant improvement for
your student, send in their name.
Along
with their name submit a short paragraph on
why you feel your student should receive
special recognition. All nominations must be
received by April 1, 2004. Send to: Barbara
Watson, Project: LEARN, 2728 Euclid
Avenue, Suite 200, Cleveland, OH 441152412
In 742 BC a Nubian king ruled over Egypt
for 100 years.

1400 BC East Africans began making steel
in carbon furnaces.

500 BC Scientists have found iron tools and
art from Tanzania to Nigeria that date back
2500 years.

100 BC – 1100 AD The Bantu speaking
Africans in west and central Africa used
these metal tools and their farming skills to
migrate (grow and move) further and further
south. They finally reached what is now
South Africa about 1000 years ago. This
6000 mile Bantu move was one of the largest
and longest migrations in human history.

250 BC – 500 AD Strong cultures grew up
in the Niger and Nile River Valleys in cities
like Jennè and Timbuktu. They traded gold,
ivory, African animals, and slaves between
all of central Africa and north into the
Sahara desert.

400 AD One religious leader named, Ezana
changed to the Christian religion. He then
made Axum the first Christian state in the
history of the world. Later it became
Ethiopia.

300-1076 AD The Empire of Ghana was
strong. The king of Ghana controlled
250,000 square miles (about the size of
Texas) with farming, the gold trade, and the
army of 200,000.

1087-1464 AD Mali was another larger
and powerful African empire. There were
two kings that lead Mali to great riches.
King Sundiata Keita turned the large army
of Ghana into farmers. This helped the
empire grow in people and trade. A later
king Mansa Musa added back the army and
gained more land and trade. On his trip to
A Long History in a Short Month
Black History Month gives us a chance to look at
what Black people have done over the years. It is
important to know that Black history did not begin
with Christopher Columbus and the salve trade.
There is a long, full, and rich Black heritage in the
world. While Blacks have been active all over the
world much more of what they have done can be
seen in Africa. Here is a brief timeline giving a few
of the events in Black history that happened before
America.


Scientists have found the oldest tools and
artifacts used by humans in East Africa.
Some were 2½ million years old.
1970 BC – 300 AD (2270 years) The
Nubian Kingdom was a highly advanced
culture having a royal government,
technology, and a written language. They
lived in the upper (or southern) Nile River
Valley in what is now Sudan and Ethiopia.
Page 7
Project: LEARN NEWS
March, 2004
_________________________________________________________________________________________
Mecca he took so much gold dust that it
changed the economy of Egypt for ten years.

1468-1529 AD The Songhai Empire was the
largest in the history of West Africa. The
first ruler, Sunni Ali Ber took over Timbuktu
and the university there. Songhai then
became a center of learning and trade. A
second strong leader, Askia Muhammad,
expanded the army, farming, and trade,
which added much land to the empire. In
1492 (the same year Columbus sailed)
Songhai was over 830,000 square miles
along the 2500-mile Niger River Valley. It
went from the Atlantic Ocean to what is now
Nigeria. This is about a quarter the size of
all the United States today (The southern
states from Texas to Virginia and Florida)
As you can see Black Africans have added a great
deal to the world over a long time. It is good to
have a month to think about some of these
wonderful contributions.
Robert Bivins