Students of the Month – May 2022
JaCoreyon – Age 10
The progress JaCoreyon has made since we started working together last July is so inspiring. That progress is also his superpower, fueling a desire to improve.
Coming to our online sessions and learning to trust me was very challenging for JaCoreyon. His favorite trick was to suddenly disappear from the screen; I’d text mom, and a minute later he’d reappear in front of the screen, sullen and closed to my help. He fought it for a very long time, but his mom and I worked from both sides, supporting and encouraging him when he wanted to quit. Love and patience on both our parts eventually got through and changed things for the better.
Inside every reluctant student, no matter how much they fight against learning, there is a part of them that just wants help to succeed. Going to school reminds JaCoreyon of how far behind he is in relation to his peers; home reminds him that his mom is dealing with health issues, struggling to keep a roof over her boys’ heads and put food on the table. It’s a lot for a young boy. In our weekly time together every Tuesday and Thursday afternoon, I get to be the nonjudgmental adult JaCoreyon can turn to for advice and support.
It took a long time for him to realize this, but he is starting to see the results of our work together and it gives him reason to be proud of himself. Both he and his brother have appeared in a television show, and one day JaCoreyon would like to be an actor. Either that or a professional soccer player…we’ll see!
– Adrianne Rippinger, Tutor
Jalen – Age 17
Jalen is an excellent student who always has a great attitude and appetite for learning, even when concepts are new and unfamiliar. He’s been working on keeping facts memorized for tests, and has been making great progress, using a variety of methods. It’s been very exciting to see his growth in his schoolwork over the course of the year.
I have learned so much during my time with Jalen. The perseverance he shows through adversity and his ability to successfully communicate online are both traits that I really admire. Oh, and Jalen plans to go to culinary school and be a chef!
– Michael Allen, Tutor
Kaitlyn – Age 9
Kaitlyn is a talented artist who loves to draw. She also has a love for all things natural: plants, flowers, insects, animals. Currently Kaitlyn is learning multiplication, division, and fractions, and I’ve been able to share tips and tricks to help her solve some of the multiplication and division equations more quickly. As for fractions, I’ve taken advantage of her absolute love of pizza and used pizza slices to help her understand fractions (e.g., 1 of 8 slices = 1/8; 8 of 8 slices = 1 whole pie).
Kaitlyn’s dream is to visit Japan and spend a year attending school there. She has been very receptive to learning about all things related to Japan, including the cuisine.
Kaitlyn is an extremely hard worker, and expects a lot from herself. When reading and faced with unfamiliar words, she will sound them out, and without being prompted, re-read the entire sentence until she is satisfied with her pronunciation. The same is true when she practices spelling. She is naturally curious and is appreciative when I share the definition or meaning of words or phrases unfamiliar to her.
– Missy Yota, Tutor
Sebastian – Age 13
What I enjoy most about Sebastian is his curiosity to learn new things and ask questions. He is always interested to know more about any topic; more than just the basic information.
Sebastian needed improvement in his reading skills. We started using new content and various exercises, and have both seen a lot of improvement. He really got better with exercises like reading dialogues or picture-word association.
Sebastian really looks up to his mom and wants to work in the medical field, just like her. I have heard from Sebastian many times about things he would like to have or do, but he is never sad or negative about it; he talks about everything with excitement and a positive attitude.
– Mahesh Desai, Tutor