One of the girls I've been tutoring at Pace said this to me, and let me tell you...it totally made my day.
I gotta backtrack a second and say, that when I went to Pace and they asked what subjects I wanted to help tutor in, I said English and Reading were my stronger points, and Science and Math...not so much.
The majority of my tutoring so far has been in Math...kidding, right? Nope. Too serious.
The thing is, though I gave them my preference, I told them I would help with whatever was needed. They don't currently have a math teacher there. In other words, the girls have to teach themselves, and have unforunately been scoring pretty low on their online submissions they have to do.
I've been trying my best to help them, though I feel bad when some of their material stumps even me, at age 22. Let alone, they being anywhere from 4-10 years younger than me, having to understand it on their own...
This girl's words meant more to me than a compliment. It was affirmation that, even in my short amount of time here, I've already began to make an impact on people, and I am truly helping them.
I love it. I love encouraging them. I love telling them if I can do it, they can too. I tell them that we are co-learners, learning the material together. Yes, I have an answer key. But, no I will not just give them the answers. We will solve it together, and when they solve a problem, and their eyes light up knowing that THEY did it...that in and of itself is SO rewarding. High-fives abounding.
And as far as After-School with the little kiddos'...my GOSH! This one child, Angel, has been making me so SO incredibly proud. He is a handful, this child. He has ADHD, and as a result doesn't really focus or listen all to well. He doesn't read or write very well...at all. And I just recently discovered I need to be pulling him aside and working individually with him on his reading and writing. He gets to distracted otherwise.
When we started reading last week, he looked at the simplest Kindergarten book and said it was too hard...I walked through it with him, word by word, sounding out letters to words....and he would read it, and I'd repeat it back. This week...I was helping some other kids at a station, and he came up to me with a book in hand, reading it outloud and pointing to the words as he went along........SERIOUSLY?! HOW STINKIN' COOL!
And to add to it, when I had him journal last week, he wrote no words. Zero. None. Zip. Then within two days of working with him, he had two sentences written. This child, I tell you! He is going to make my heart explode with joy, I kid you not.
I want you all to meet my students. I do. I so do. I think I will start doing about me profiles of them on here, so you can meet them one by one. Yea. Good idea, Amanda. I will get on that, tomorrow.
I just wanted to explain how awesome things are going so far. Tomorrow I am at the Child Care Center with the babies. So so very excited. Oh, and a sidenote on that...When I went last week, I talked with one of the other ladies who work in the baby room that I volunteer in. She asked if I was planning on having babies anytime soon...I said someday,not soon though..she then informed me not to wait to long, that 25 would be a good age probably...
Haha, guess I got three years!
:)
PS-I REALLY hope you could detect my excitement in writing this...I am honestly SO EXCITED about it!!! Gahhh!
Good night! God loves you. You are doing a great job at living life and being you :) XO
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