Due to the COVID-19 pandemic Torus has moved our ESL classes from in-person to online. We are currently utilizing Zoom to conduct our classes to continue supporting Portland's immigrant and refugee communities. Through our classes, we strive to teach our learners practical English which is essential for assimilation into America. Volunteers are not required to have prior teaching experience. We are looking for volunteers who want to interact with this community of immigrants and refugees and engage in cross-cultural sharing.
All the classes take place in the Pacific Time Zone.
General Duties
Responsive communication
Timeliness
Enthusiasm, Engagement, and Motivation
Qualifications/Requirements
A cell phone with WhatsApp and Zoom is required, a computer is helpful too.
Flexibility, empathy, enthusiasm, and an attitude of openness & experimentation
A willingness to examine one’s own privileges and cultural upbringing
A willingness to be awkward, try new things, take direction, and give direction
A willingness to look at your weak spots and to be wrong
The desire to be a better person and a better teacher
The ability to tell the difference between observation, feeling, interpretation, and evaluation
Be the cheerleader you want to see in the world
Curiosity and patience
Daily access to email and the internet
A burning desire to connect people to resources and other people
Intermediate fluency in English
Helpful, But Not Required
Good grammar
Phone with text capability
Immigrant/refugee experience, personal or family
Intermediate fluency in a language other than English
Prior skills training (like music teaching or sports coaching)
Outside the US experience
Facilitator Responsibilities
Plan a lesson the day before class, drawing the ideas and resources from weekly topics posted on ESLC and Torus WhatsApp group
Promptly communicate with all staff members, Assistants, Shadowers, and Facilitators via WhatsApp, text, email, or phone
Spend 30-60 min of prep and 1 hour of teaching per week.
Enthusiastically motivate and gently push learners just out of their comfort zone
Provide clear direction to Assistants, and other guests or participants
Practice Total Participant Engagement by keeping everybody involved
Respond calmly, humorously, and decisively to the challenges that present themselves
Please sign up through the Torus website https://www.torustransforms.org/
Torus bridges gaps between people and communities by facilitating transformative experiences of language and culture sharing.
Description
Torus was founded in 2020 by a refugee who was born in Kabul, Afghanistan, raised in Moscow, Russia, and lives in Portland, Oregon. Torus bridges gaps between people and communities by facilitating transformative experiences of language and culture exchange. We do this work through our seven programs. We believe in connectivity and a sense of belonging to a community for immigrants and refugees, as well as anyone who has been living in the US for generations.
Community
Immigrants & Refugees
WHEN
We'll work with your schedule.
WHERE
This is a Virtual Opportunity, with no fixed address.
(0.000,0.000)
DATE POSTED
January 26, 2021
SKILLS
English
People Skills
Relationship Building
Verbal / Written Communication
GOOD FOR
N/A
REQUIREMENTS
Must be at least 18
The time commitment is a minimum of 1 hour per week for classes and 1 hour for lesson planning.