Sunday, March 13, 2011
Tutoring for the 1st Time
On Monday afternoon, I was finally introduced to my student that I will be tutoring for the remainder of the semester. She is a very intelligent high school student, who has asked for the help to raise her grade. We spent an hour together and worked through some of the problems she has been struggling with in her math class. I enjoyed being able to help her "see" the solutions. It was fun to be able to share my love and knowledge of math with someone else. As we progressed through the problems, I did have to remind her to slow down and take her time. I also tried to impress that math is all about practice and if you don't understand it right away, keep working similar problems until you grasp the concepts. The school was relatively quiet this week, as the middle school was on Spring Break. Next week, the student is on break, so I made sure to let her know that I will see her in two weeks. I hope that she can learn to trust in me and that together we can improve her understanding of this difficult subject. For myself, it was a fulfilling experience knowing that I can help someone else get over a hurdle they are facing. I know that I have faced hurdles in my studies and wish I had reached out for help before failing. I know that I would have been grateful for the assistance and hope that I can encourage her to pass on her knowledge when the time comes. For now, I just hope that I can live up to her expectations and together we can become a winning team.
Monday, March 7, 2011
Craft Night
On Monday, February 28th, I was fortunate enough to get to attend the Craft Night at the Grizzlie's House on the St. Jude campus. There were approximately 20 – 25 children and parents who came to the dining room to participate. We made yarn kites with craft sticks. I was in charge of starting the kites for the kids and helping them navigate the actual construction. I met a wonderful 13 year old girl who was here for her six month re-check. She was excited to go home the next day and see her cat and horses. I met a young man who was born without a viable immune system and like myself, has to take a pill once a day to maintain his health. I also watched a father make one of the kites while holding his 1 ½ year old daughter.
There were only two volunteers and the coordinator there to help. Some of the parents looked very tired and some obviously enjoyed watching their children have fun. I was honored to be able to provide a small bit of distraction for the children. It was heart wrenching to hear them discussing their MRI's and blood tests with each other. It was like hearing healthy children discuss bicycle rides and homework. They were very matter of fact about their diseases. You could see that some of the children had been in this environment for years. I was astonished at the upbeat personalities that I encountered from the kids. One little boy told his mom, “I'm sick, I'm not an invalid and I would like to cut the yarn for people!” It was a great experience and I will be participating again next month. I encourage everyone to volunteer for this opportunity and enjoy every minute of it. I know I did.
There were only two volunteers and the coordinator there to help. Some of the parents looked very tired and some obviously enjoyed watching their children have fun. I was honored to be able to provide a small bit of distraction for the children. It was heart wrenching to hear them discussing their MRI's and blood tests with each other. It was like hearing healthy children discuss bicycle rides and homework. They were very matter of fact about their diseases. You could see that some of the children had been in this environment for years. I was astonished at the upbeat personalities that I encountered from the kids. One little boy told his mom, “I'm sick, I'm not an invalid and I would like to cut the yarn for people!” It was a great experience and I will be participating again next month. I encourage everyone to volunteer for this opportunity and enjoy every minute of it. I know I did.
Sunday, February 27, 2011
Volunteer Expo
On Thursday, February 24th, I attended the Volunteer Expo at Oak Court Mall. I interviewed nine different companies and asked them why they chose Volunteer Mid-South as an engine to get the word out about the volunteers they needed. I asked three questions of each of them and their answers were all very similar.
Question 1: What made you choose Volunteer Mid-South?
All the representatives stated that they are a great way to reach the public from one central location, they are very helpful with getting the word out and they help publicize need in the local media.
Question 2: How long have you been affiliated with them?
All of the companies have been affiliated with Volunteer Mid-South for many years.
Question 3: Do you receive a diverse group of volunteers or one particular demographic?
All the companies said the volunteers are a diverse group from retired people to college students. They stated this was one of the things they liked about using Volunteer Mid-South to recruit volunteers.
The eight companies I interviewed were: The Pink Palace Museum, Playhouse on the Square, Habitat for Humanity, MIFA, Make a Wish, Memphis Animal Services, Girls Inc., Elmwood Cemetery, and LeBonheur.
The volunteer opportunities in the area range from tour guides, animal care givers and infant cuddlers, to mentors, tutors and Wish Granters. I learned a lot about the different options available and the channels to make my skills available where needed. It was a great experience and I hope that next year I will be a volunteer at the expo instead of a guest.
Question 1: What made you choose Volunteer Mid-South?
All the representatives stated that they are a great way to reach the public from one central location, they are very helpful with getting the word out and they help publicize need in the local media.
Question 2: How long have you been affiliated with them?
All of the companies have been affiliated with Volunteer Mid-South for many years.
Question 3: Do you receive a diverse group of volunteers or one particular demographic?
All the companies said the volunteers are a diverse group from retired people to college students. They stated this was one of the things they liked about using Volunteer Mid-South to recruit volunteers.
The eight companies I interviewed were: The Pink Palace Museum, Playhouse on the Square, Habitat for Humanity, MIFA, Make a Wish, Memphis Animal Services, Girls Inc., Elmwood Cemetery, and LeBonheur.
The volunteer opportunities in the area range from tour guides, animal care givers and infant cuddlers, to mentors, tutors and Wish Granters. I learned a lot about the different options available and the channels to make my skills available where needed. It was a great experience and I hope that next year I will be a volunteer at the expo instead of a guest.
Saturday, February 12, 2011
Academy Tutoring Project: Tutor Training
On Saturday, February 5, 2011 I braved the frigid weather and went to the training to become a tutor for the Academy Tutoring Project. I met the coordinator of the project, a very energetic woman who clearly has a passion for her job.
The initial hour of training involved all of the volunteers from this organization and the Memphis City Schools Tutor Program. We were introduced to the Program Coordinators, given our training binders and given a run-down of the basics. This was followed by a power point presentation of the Project and Processes. We were given statistics about where Memphis falls in the standardized testing for the state (25th – 49th,) and given ideas on how we could improve these statistics. We were also given helpful hints on engaging our student, setting expectations, and getting the most out of our sessions. This program focuses on positive reinforcement and commitment.
From the group training, we were then separated into our individual tutor training. I was in the Middle/High School Math training. This was led by a teacher from one of the Memphis charter schools. This two hour session was all about getting the student involved in the learning process. I was given tools and ideas to help make math fun. I was also bombarded by more statistics regarding the standardized tests. These tests were changed at the beginning of last year for the state. Tennessee went from being in the 98th percentile to the 36th percentile after the changes. Our goal is to help the students raise those test scores and actually leave with an understanding of the math they should know at their grade level.
I have not officially been assigned to a student at this time. They had to do a fingerprint and background check and the results should be in sometime this week. Once that is completed, I will be assigned a student at a local charter school and the tutoring process will actually begin. I do know that I will be tutoring from 2:30 – 3:30 on Mondays and I already know which school I am assigned to, but am not able to share that at this time. I will be with the same student from now until the end of the school year and look forward to meeting him or her soon.
The initial hour of training involved all of the volunteers from this organization and the Memphis City Schools Tutor Program. We were introduced to the Program Coordinators, given our training binders and given a run-down of the basics. This was followed by a power point presentation of the Project and Processes. We were given statistics about where Memphis falls in the standardized testing for the state (25th – 49th,) and given ideas on how we could improve these statistics. We were also given helpful hints on engaging our student, setting expectations, and getting the most out of our sessions. This program focuses on positive reinforcement and commitment.
From the group training, we were then separated into our individual tutor training. I was in the Middle/High School Math training. This was led by a teacher from one of the Memphis charter schools. This two hour session was all about getting the student involved in the learning process. I was given tools and ideas to help make math fun. I was also bombarded by more statistics regarding the standardized tests. These tests were changed at the beginning of last year for the state. Tennessee went from being in the 98th percentile to the 36th percentile after the changes. Our goal is to help the students raise those test scores and actually leave with an understanding of the math they should know at their grade level.
I have not officially been assigned to a student at this time. They had to do a fingerprint and background check and the results should be in sometime this week. Once that is completed, I will be assigned a student at a local charter school and the tutoring process will actually begin. I do know that I will be tutoring from 2:30 – 3:30 on Mondays and I already know which school I am assigned to, but am not able to share that at this time. I will be with the same student from now until the end of the school year and look forward to meeting him or her soon.
Wednesday, February 2, 2011
The Beginning of My Volunteer Journey in Memphis
In searching for a project for my Honor's Inquiry class, I found Volunteer Mid-South. They are a non-profit organization that coordinates volunteer opportunities around the Memphis area. After registering on their website and completing their online orientation this afternoon, I perused their project calendar. I have already signed up for spots with the Literacy Mid-South Academy Tutoring Project: Tutor Training, The Great Chef Tasting, Volunteer Expo Prep Work, and The Grizzlies House Craft Night.
The Tutoring Project has already contacted me to schedule my training on Saturday February 5th. Once completed, I will be assigned as a math tutor at a local area school. The minimum requirement is one hour a week (between 2:30 and 3:30,) but I will have the option to offer more of my time if my schedule permits. I look forward to lending my math skills to help local children hone theirs.
I encourage friends and family to sign up with this organization and check out the multiple opportunities that are available around Memphis. They offer a flex program, where you can volunteer as often or as little as you like and many of their projects have service learning associated with them. They also track your hours on their website and give you the opportunity to add additional volunteer hours that are not earned through them.
The Tutoring Project has already contacted me to schedule my training on Saturday February 5th. Once completed, I will be assigned as a math tutor at a local area school. The minimum requirement is one hour a week (between 2:30 and 3:30,) but I will have the option to offer more of my time if my schedule permits. I look forward to lending my math skills to help local children hone theirs.
I encourage friends and family to sign up with this organization and check out the multiple opportunities that are available around Memphis. They offer a flex program, where you can volunteer as often or as little as you like and many of their projects have service learning associated with them. They also track your hours on their website and give you the opportunity to add additional volunteer hours that are not earned through them.
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