Welcome to Write Away!
The writing forum for Project Read learners.

We've redesigned our blog so that adult learners working at Project Read can share what they have written with other learners, tutors, and the public. There are a few simple guidelines to be aware of.
  1. This is a moderated site, so submissions and comments will first be reviewed before being approved and published.
  2. Adult learners submitting their writing have the option of using their first name (only) or using "anonymous" for authorship.
  3. We wish to honor the writing efforts of the adult learner/authors, so no major copy editing will be applied, but we may suggest minor corrections in consultation with the author.
  4. Only active Project Read learners are eligible to submit their writing to the Write Away blog and there are two ways of doing this: send submissions via email to projectread@sfpl.org, or stop by the office with a hard copy of your writing.
  5. The views and opinions expressed on this web site are solely those of the original authors and contributors. These views and opinions do not represent those of the San Francisco Public Library and/or the City and County of San Francisco.

Friday, December 21, 2012

Tutors-Learner Teams are invited to join the Wednesday Night Readers Book Club

This is the schedule of books being read and discussed by Project Read's Wednesday Night Readers Book Club during the first few months of 2013. Tutor-learner teams are encouraged to pick up these FREE books and audio books and then make plans to attend one of these exciting and rewarding discussions. We make unabridged audio books available so that learners at any reading level can participate in the discussion.

The Rock and the River by Kekla Magoon: (Books & audio available on January 31, discussed at the February 27 meeting)
    In Chicago in 1968, Sam, 14, obeys his father, an eloquent civil-rights leader who is close with Dr. King and is passionately committed to nonviolent protest. But after King is assassinated and Sam witnesses police brutality toward a friend, Sam follows his rebellious older brother and joins the Black Panthers, whose revolutionary platform is the opposite of the nonviolent philosophy that Sam has been taught at home. (283 pages)

Twelve Angry Men by Reginald Rose (Books & audio available on February 28, discussed at the March 27 meeting)
    Reginald Rose's landmark American drama was a critically acclaimed teleplay, and went on to become a cinematic masterpiece in 1957 starring Henry Fonda, for which Rose wrote the adaptation. A blistering character study and an examination of the American melting pot and the judicial system that keeps it in check, Twelve Angry Men holds at its core a deeply patriotic belief in the U.S. legal system. (73 pages)

Gone Fishin’ by Walter Mosley (Books & audio available on March 28, discussed at the April 24 meeting)
    It is Texas, 1939, and nineteen-year-old Ezekiel "Easy" Rawlins has agreed to drive his best friend Mouse to Pariah, Texas. The volatile Mouse plans to ask his stepfather, Daddy Reese, for money to start his marriage to Etta Mae. Afraid that his friend may be aware of his earlier dalliance with Etta Mae, Easy is happy to accept Mouse's IOU for fifteen dollars as payment for driving services. Setting off in a "borrowed" 1936 Ford, the two friends are soon engulfed in a mysterious bayou world of sex, voodoo, revenge and death-- a masterful entry in the acclaimed Easy Rawlins mystery series. (199 pages)

My Abandonment by Peter Rock (Books & audio available on April 25, discussed at the May 29 meeting)
    A thirteen-year-old girl and her father live in Forest Park, an enormous nature preserve in Portland, Oregon. They inhabit an elaborate cave shelter, wash in a nearby creek, store perishables at the water’s edge, use a makeshift septic system, tend a garden, and even keep a library of sorts. Once a week they go to the city to buy groceries and otherwise merge with the civilized world. But one small mistake allows a back country jogger to discover them, which derails their entire existence, ultimately provoking a deeper flight. Inspired by a true story and told through the startlingly sincere voice of its young narrator, Caroline, My Abandonment is a riveting journey into life at the margins and a mesmerizing tale of survival and hope. (225 pages)

Blue Shoes and Happiness (book #7 in No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency series) by Alexander McCall Smith (Books & audio available on May 30, discussed at the June 26 meeting)
    Life is good for Mma Ramotswe as she sets out with her usual resolve to solve people’s problems, heal their misfortunes, and untangle the mysteries that make life interesting. And life is never dull on Tlokweng Road. A new and rather too brusque advice columnist is appearing in the local paper. Then, a cobra is found in the offices of the No. 1 Ladies’ Detective Agency. Blue Shoes and Happiness will not fail to entertain Alexander McCall Smith’s oldest fans and newest converts with its great wit, charm, and great good will. (227 pages)

Friday, December 14, 2012

Join Us for a Tutor Roundtable Meeting in 2013


Project Read's monthly Tutor Roundtable meetings are an opportunity for volunteers to engage in an open and rewarding discussion with other tutors and Project Read staff. At these informal meetings, you'll be able to share your success stories and offer encouragement to your fellow tutors. You will also pick-up some fresh instructional strategies to enhance your tutoring skills. And of course, we will provide some tasty pizza and drinks to support the conversation. 

Here are some upcoming dates for Tutor Roundtables for the first six months of 2013. These meetings are held in the Conference Room of the Project Read office at the Main Library.

  • Wednesday, January 2 - 6:00 to 7:00 PM
  • Saturday, February 2 - 1:00 to 2:00 PM
  • Tuesday, March 5 - 6:00 to 7:00 PM
  • Saturday, April 13 - 1:00 to 2:00 PM
  • Tuesday, May 7 - 6:00 to 7:00 PM
  • Saturday, June 1 - 1:00 to 2:00 PM