Get Involved
Swap Lessons: Help an employee on campus learn English or improve computer skills
Through Swap Lessons, CU students are trained to tutor English or improve computer skills to CU employees one-on-one. Many adult employees who work on campus are immigrants who need help with English skills in order to succeed in their jobs and elsewhere. At your training, we introduce you to our curriculum, supply you with lesson planning materials, and have conversations on what it means to be an English tutor.ÌýAfter one 4-hour training, student partners submit their schedules and are matched with an employee partner. Student partners meet with their employee partners for two one-hour lessons per week. These lessons generally take place wherever the employee partner works.Ìý
An important consideration for Swap Lessons is the free time you have in your schedule. We match student and employee partners mainly based off common availabilities in schedules. We ask that you submit at least 3-5 free hours in your schedule in order to maximize the probability of being matched with an employee partner.
What is the commitment like? You must commit to at least one full semester of working with an employee, once a week, for an hour each time. That's one hours a week, for at least 12 weeks. However, we love and encourage our student and employee partners to continue lessons for multiple semesters or years.Ìý
What do you get out of it? You'll learn a lot from your employee partner, you'll gain a new friend and some new perspectives. Being a part of Swap Lessons helps open one's eyes to systematically divided parts of campus. You'll also get valuable practice teaching English if you're looking to work on those skills.
Want to get involved? Every semester we hold training sessions for new volunteers. Training is mandatory to be a volunteer with the Swap program and you MUST RSVP.Ìý We offer three to four sessions at the beginning of each semester, and try to schedule these at an accommodating time for your busy schedule. There is also really yummy food, too.ÌýLearn more or sign up for an upcoming training by emailing swapv@colorado.edu.ÌýWe're really excited to meet you!
NOTE:Â If you are a CU employee, supervisor, or someone interested in receiving English lessons from Swap, email us your information and we would love to get you started. If you know someone who may be interested in lessons, please feel free to let us know as well.Ìý