magazine - De La Salle Institute

faith, service & community
Richards, who is 68 years old, worked as an alcohol and drug
rehabilitation counselor for 10 years. He also spent 28 years
as an auto and body repairman, having attended Washburne
Trade School in Chicago.
Richards is currently retired and lives in St. Paul, MN. While
some 400 miles from Chicago, Richards still holds fond
memories from his time as a student at Tolton.
“At Tolton, they have the motto that ‘Everyone teaches and
everyone learns,’” Richards said. “That has helped me my
whole life since my experience at Tolton.
“Ms. (Carmina) Renner and Ms. (Sue) Perez and Pam Clemons
were my most memorable and helpful teachers at Tolton. They
gave me hope and they gave me inspiration. That was the
beginning of a new life for me.”
Pamela Clemons continued
and find it difficult to believe that someone really cares enough
to assist with no strings attached other than bringing them to
their fullest potential.
“These students later tell us that they learned to trust again and
allowed themselves to let their guard down. To me, there is no
greater compliment of what teachers and staff can do collectively
to create a learning environment in which
students can thrive on so many different levels.
“We educate the whole student by exposing them to education
and a real-world approach of how to reach success. In short,
students come and stay at the Tolton Center because they are
celebrated and not just tolerated. There is a difference.”
Pamela Clemons program coordinator
Lourdes Garcia student
Pamela Clemons, who is the Program
Coordinator at Tolton’s Bee Branch
site, as well as a language arts instructor,
holds the distinction of being the first
teacher hired at the Tolton Center
nearly two decades ago.
As she begins another year of dedicated and outstanding
service to the Tolton community, Clemons participated in a
question-and-answer session with De La Salle Magazine.
De La Salle Magazine: How long have you been at Tolton?
Clemons: “I am entering my 19th year at the Tolton Center.
I have been here from almost the very beginning and have
been here to witness many changes and program successes.
De La Salle Magazine: What is your role at Tolton and what
have your past roles been?
Clemons: “My role currently at the Tolton Center is a dual one
as I am Program Coordinator and a language arts instructor
at our south (Bee Branch) campus. In my tenure at Tolton, I
have worked with every instructional level and have taught
practically every subject except math at the upper level.
“I worked as lead teacher for many years at Tolton and I
feel I was instrumental in replicating the highest standards
wherever we have been blessed to satellite our program. For
three years, I worked as Program Coordinator of a satellite
evening adult education program we held at Paul Revere
Elementary School and also as the Program Coordinator of a
family literacy program for three consecutive summers.
De La Salle Magazine: What is the greatest reward about
teaching at Tolton?
Clemons: “I am rewarded because I can without reservation
bring who I am spiritually to our students. I have a
relationship with God and I am very aware that my primary
obligation is to serve my students with the very best that God
has blessed me with. I am a product of the community I serve
and feel even more committed to helping our students know
that they can break out of poverty. I love that I am able to
bring my skills as an artist and a social worker to work with
our students daily. In fact, they complement the work I do.
“Most important, I am so gratified when I am able to assist a
student in getting their high school diploma and getting on a
career or vocational track that leads to securing a satisfying job.
De La Salle Magazine: What is your teaching philosophy?
Clemons: “My personal teaching philosophy is that teaching
is about relationship building and having a genuine desire to
serve. Every adult has a purpose in life and should be assisted
in connecting with this. When they come to Tolton, a mutual
contract is made and my role is to assist in retraining their
mind so that a goal or focus point is achieved.
“In my experience, students will not meet with success unless
there is a goal and having an example of someone to be like
is also significant. I’m clear that I‘m learning along with the
student and this is so ingrained in my philosophy and does
so much for setting the stage to nurture the environment for
learning.
De La Salle Magazine: What kind of feedback do you get
from your students?
Clemons: “Students tell me often that they have never been
in a more caring environment than the Tolton Center. When
they compare adult educational facilities, they frequently
state that our instructors and the instruction far exceed any
educational experience they recall having.
“We have students who have been hurt and wounded by life
As the Tolton Center celebrates its 20th year
of existence, De La Salle Magazine thought
it would be interesting to hear from the
people for whom the Tolton Center exists:
the students.
Lourdes Garcia is enrolled at the Tolton Center’s Toman Branch,
located in the Little Village neighborhood on Chicago’s Southwest
Side.
Garcia came to Tolton as an English as a Second Language (ESL)
student with her primary points of focus being learning how to
read, speak and understand English.
Here is an interview with Garcia that was conducted with the help
of Tolton’s Toman Branch staff:
De La Salle Magazine: How did you hear about Tolton’s program?
Garcia: “I go frequently to the Toman Library and my friend,
Veronica, told me about these English classes (which were then
located at the Toman Library).
De La Salle Magazine: What do you like best about the Tolton
program?
Garcia: “I like the program because the teachers let me speak
English. The teachers have a lot of patience with me and they
teach us different topics that I need to learn.
“For example, when I go to the hospital, I can understand
the receptionist. Or when I receive papers from the school, I
understand them. Or when I go to the store, (I understand the
signs). The teachers have taught me about these topics, which help
me and my family.
De La Salle Magazine: Has anyone else in your family participated
in the Tolton program?
Garcia: “Yes, my son, Ricardo. He participated for one year
in this program when he was four years old, before he went to
kindergarten. It helped his English fluency greatly and to relate
and socialize with other children. And above all, to love books.
He loves to look at books and now he already knows how to read!
De La Salle Magazine: What are some of the benefits you have
received from the Tolton program?
Garcia: “The benefits are the fieldtrips. We went to the zoo and
my children loved visiting the whole zoo. They are very excited
about the children’s museum. They are very happy there. It is a
great recreational benefit. Because I don’t drive, I appreciate these
fieldtrips.
De La Salle Magazine: What are some of the things you have
learned/are learning at Tolton?
Garcia: “I am learning English grammar and also to listen. That is
the most difficult for me because it is hard to capture what people
are saying. And I am learning to read and write. I want to learn and
I need to learn to be able to help my children with their homework
and to help my family when I need to read the mail or when I take
my children to the hospital.
“I need to be able to understand directions to know where to go.
Or when I go to the store where they speak English, I need to be
able to ask for the things I need. My oldest son is already speaking
English and I want to be able to understand him. These are things
that I have learned and am learning in my classes.
“I am thankful for the people in this program who have taken an
interest in people who need this help.”
12 Faith, Service & Community
Faith, Service & Community 13