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I started working for the Adopt-A-school program in 2005 and have loved every minute of it. I work with the third graders at William B. Mann elementary school tutoring in reading and math. It has been a wonderful experience and very rewarding. The best feeling in the world was having the students write me their very own thank you cards at the end of the year. Being an Adopt-A-School tutor helped me realize how big of
an impact you can make in a child’s life just by listening to them read.

Working in the public school system as a tutor for 3rd graders has convinced me that our young children need and benefit from tutoring provided by the Adopt-A-School program. I have had many public school staff express their appreciation as well as the children. Our school system in Philadelphia is suffering due to lack of funding, shortages of teachers and aides, and over crowded classrooms - which all make it difficult for the children to learn how to read. I encourage any CCP student interested in the Adopt-A-School program to participate to help these children achieve the same dreams we all attend college for: an open door to a successful life. Remember: these children will be the leaders, mothers, fathers, and teachers of the world of tomorrow. Investing your time today will be an investment in our future tomorrow.

During the 2004-2005 academic year, I had the pleasure of being a reading tutor at Kinsey Elementary School. Before I started, I was nervous,
and had many thoughts going through my mind. First, I wondered if I could make a difference in their reading. Secondly, I wondered if I could teach them the same way I taught my sons to read, or would the teacher have her own method? I know that every child should know how to read and understand what they have read. I wanted to give them the same opportunity that my sons had. Finally, I decided to just go and do it.

Every day was a different experience for me. I noticed some students felt as if they had to read fast to prove that they could read. Other students were timid and hardly spoke up, yet others did not read at all. I realized that I was another new person in their lives and we both needed time to get to know one another. I also realized early in the tutoring that each student was different in some way and should be treated in a way that would be best to tutor them.

Most importantly, I found that being consistent, giving them praise and encouragement and being patient with them helped to build their
self-esteem and will to try to improve their reading skills. My experience with the students at Kinsey school also allowed me to see that
success isn’t measured by the position you reach in life; it’s measured by the obstacles you overcome.

Volunteer Tutoring was something I really enjoyed doing, so when the program I was working in ended I was very excited about a new
tutoring program being offered by Community College of Philadelphia.  The Adopt-A-School program, sponsored by Community College of Philadelphia and Philadelphia Reads, is a wonderful way to connect enthusiastic college student volunteers to children in our schools who
are in need of additional educational support.  The work these tutors do is invaluable to the students they work with and to the schools in Philadelphia.

I decided to volunteer at Abigail Vare Elementary in South Philadelphia since it is near to my home.  Third grade is my favorite and I worked
with teacher Kathleen Borrelli.  She assigned me to Anthony who was having problems with reading.  He was new to Vare and had moved several times in the past.  Anthony seemed to have missed out on the tools that were essential in learning to read.  With Mrs. Borrelli’s guidance, I started to assist Anthony with putting sounds together to form and learn words.

We had our challenges.  Together Anthony and I needed to work on focusing on the lessons and tasks at hand. Some days, he just needed someone to talk with.  At times we needed to concentrate on overcoming the frustrations that are involved with learning problems. Anthony and I have a friendship and understanding.  He knows I will be there to help him learn, but he must work hard too.  He has grown to trust
that I will be there for him to assist and listen.  Mrs. Borrelli told me recently that I helped Anthony feel more comfortable in his new school
and that this was an important contribution.

Adopt-A-School has given me the opportunity to give of my talents and feel good about contributing in my own neighborhood.  The rewards
are many!  This has been great training for me as I study to become an Elementary Teacher and Reading Specialist. I now know that I can
help young people acquire the tools to overcome their challenges in learning as they grow in self-confidence.  This only happens when we commit some of our time and energy to our most valuable resource – our children. 

Adopt-A-School has been a wonderful experience for me this year. This is my first year in the program and I love it! The children are so adorable, intelligent and eager to learn.

A normal day for me at John Welsh Elementary would be, going into my classroom and choosing the students I would work with for the day. I would then prepare their folders, the level books, along with flash cards and reading games. Then I head to the hallway where its quiet and
get started with my one-on-one tutoring session for the day.

The Adopt-A-School program is great and flexible program. You are able to set up a schedule that works around your classes. You are allowed to be there 1 day or up to 5 days a week, its up to you. Its not as demanding as other work-study jobs at the college and pay is a big plus at $.10.00 an hour.

I am privileged to have been able to do Adopt-A-School this year. The children are so happy and excited when I come in to help out. All of them want to read to me over and over again. It is a great feeling knowing you were there for a child in need and the reward is when you
see that child progress in their reading and move on to the next grade.

I am looking forward to returning to John Welsh Elementary to continue the Adopt-A-School program and to meet all my new little faces
for the year.

On my first day at Thurgood Marshall I was a little nervous because I did not know what to expect from the kids, but with the help of the teachers, it did not take me that long to get comfortable. Also, it was so amazing to see how the children were willing to learn, happy when
they were making progress, and to see a smile on their faces.

My experience with the kids make me think about being a teacher as a second career option. It feels so good to see how well the children behave when you are teaching them somthing new, when you show them some attention, and let them know that they are doing good. Even the kids with bad behavior were kind with Ms. Louis. I'm going to miss working with them.

Adopt - A - School Program helped me make a big difference in these children's life. It makes me realize how important it is for second and
third graders to knowhow to read well and independently. It was a great experience contributing with Adopt-A-School Program to better
the kids with their reading and writing skills.

I thought the program was a really good program for the kids. It helped out a lot. I enjoyed going to the school each day,
seeing the kids, and helping them. Thanks you.

This is my first year working as a first grade reading tutor. It has proven to be rewarding and very challenging. The classroom is overcrowded, sometimes one teacher to thirty children, which makes it   difficult to control and teach the children.  The children who know the lesson being taught keep up, but those children who need individual help are being left behind. The children, who don't know the lesson occupy themselves
with conversation with their class mates, fight the other children, eat their goodies, and/or roam around the classroom.  They also amuse themselves by writing or coloring.  Most of the children bring their own set of issues to school because they don't know how to cope with the problems from home.

The teacher needs special training in learning alternative methods of dealing with the behavioral problems in the classroom. She also needs additional support in the classroom since it is overcrowded.  The current method of screaming and man handling the children is not effective or conducive to any of the children's learning. Another observation I would like to point out is that, during recess and lunch, the children are sold candy, which intensify the children's hyperactive and negative behavior when they return to class from lunch. I was told this is one of the ways that the Home and School Association raise money.

However, in spite of the drama I mentioned previously in my letter, the work is very rewarding spiritually. There are children who want help and are eager to learn. These are the children I help with reading, writing and/or arithmetic. There is a bond that develops after a while between all the children because you learn their personalities. After all, they are our children, and they are our future.  Those of us in the teaching business need to develop more patience and genuine love for all our children. And yes, I plan on returning to the Adopt A School program next year if they will have me.

The program was very good. I enjoyed the hands on experience with the kids and the experience of being involved with the public school system. It made me appreciate the value of education and how important it is to instill those values in our youth today. It was sad however to see the level of reading our 3rd graders are reading on, but it inspired me and challenged me even more to try and make a difference. On that note I would love to participate in this program again, as I feel it is preparing me for the real world of being an educator.

I can truly say that I enjoyed my time with the family of Lea Elementary School. Even though it was not easy at first, but I learned my way through. Coming from a different country, different culture, and a different way of life, it was hard. I could not understand why a young kid could talk to an older person th eay they did; but I told myself that it was not all about me, but these children needed help. This was how I was able to enter thier world individually. From then on we started building a relationship with each other.

This Adopt-A-School program is a very good program. There are lots of kids out there who need our help for a better tomorrow. We could be the onlly light they see, the only love the feel, and the only joy the get. Thanks to the Community College of Philadelphia for this program and to all the student who have taken their time out to serivce our community.