What People Are Saying
Read Aloud
Mr. P
One of the strong selling points of trying to buy a home in Canton/Highlandtown section of Baltimore City has been the cultural diversity.
About twenty years ago when I decided to buy a home, I was attracted to Canton because of its rich history of Polish immigrants. Over the years a transformation has taken place in Southeast Baltimore.
As a volunteer as a Team Leader for Experience Corp at Highlandtown 215 I have seen firsthand the influx into Southeast Baltimore of a great number of Latinos. Nowhere is that more evident than in the Elementary schools in Highlandtown/Canton. Recently I was asked to read in Polish a short story to two classes at Highlandtown 237. The read aloud program was organized by Experience Corps.
Well I accepted the invitation to read aloud in Polish. I did not know what to expect or how 3rd graders and ESOL students would feel about a stranger coming into their classroom and speaking some strange words. I was lined up with two other readers', one for English, the other Russian and me, Polish. My immediate reaction afterwards was how well behaved the students were, how well they listened, and how interested they were in different cultures. What I thought would be a quick exit, turned into a mini Polish lesson, with the students asking how to say words in Polish. I noticed some were even taking notes. Interest was expressed in what it was like growing up with a Polish name. What was Polish food like, the questions went on.
For me once again I was reminded how our students are like sponges, soaking in new bits of knowledge, eager to learn when we treat them with respect. It was a fun and educational experience for this Polish man.
Huge Contributors to the Community
Joe Manko, Principal, Liberty Elementary School
"Things at Liberty have been going great as usual. Thanks for helping us to build such a strong team. We have a wonderful group of volunteers and they are huge contributors to the community. We are blessed to have this wonderful partnership. Thanks for all that you do."
100% Correct!
Kathy Armstrong, Experience Corps member
I work closely with a student named Matt. He is very smart, but sometimes he has problems with focusing on his assignments. I did some one-on-one work with Matt to help him through his math lesson. Matt kept more focused on his assignments when I sat next to him. He completed his lesson, gave it to the teacher to check for errors and came back to me with a big, big smile on his face! He had gotten 100% correct. Not only was he happy, but so was I!
True Story
Mrs. Alta Morris, Team Leader at City Springs Elementary Middle School
In the early afternoon of the Literacy Festival at City Springs Elementary (on November 12th) a father walked in with 3 of his children. i was manning the sign in sheets and struck up a conversation with the family.
In talking with the youngest son, I asked why he was at the Festival. He said to me because of the "Boss Lady". I wondered to myself who was the "Boss Lady?" Later on that day I passed the Father and asked did he know who the Boss Lady was. And he said pointing to Mrs. Morris, that it was she. He went on to say, that his son who is seven would come home and talk about a nice lady who always smiled at him, and said hello every time she saw him. One day the "Boss Lady" asked him and some other students to come to the Festival. The son told his father, who in turn took them to the Festival.
So, what can we take away from this simple but profound encounter with a seven year old? That service to others does not have to be an organized experience. A smile, a friendly hello, and recognition of a seven year old can be all that is needed.
Angela
Brenda Anderson, Experience Corps member
I was in Ms. W's classroom. One of her students, Angela, had a number of behavior problems, and Ms. W often stopped teaching to deal with her. I told Ms. W that I wanted to work one on one with Angela. That way she was able to accomplish so much more with the other students. Meanwhile, Angela and I worked on her letters and numbers and now she recognizes some of them! It made me feel so good inside to know that I helped a child.
A Key Ingredient to Learning
TL Valerie Blackwell, Brehms Lane Elementary School
Can a child learn anything on an empty stomach? No, that's why a dedicated Experience Corps/AmeriCorps member Ms. Mary Williams prepared a full course breakfast for her class. Ms. William also makes flash cards and buys materials like other manipulative and rewards that she uses to in her work to improve student's literacy skills.
Quiet Talks
Ella Campbell, Experience Corps member
I took aside one boy who was acting up in class and had quiet talks with him. After a few times he began to calm down and pay attention to the instruction the teacher was giving. I became his listener. Once he had someone to talk to, he was able to grasp more, participate more in class, and express what he really felt.
Air Letters
TL Roberta Maxwell, Margaret Brent Elementary Middle School
Ms. Mae Owens Takes time to make handwriting sheets at home to bring in for her student's to practice their handwriting. She spends hour's hand printing the alphabet on numerous sheets of paper. Her hand work is pays off: the students in Ms. Owens class have made significant improvements handwriting, thanks in large part to Ms. Owens diligence and creativity. Other examples of Ms. Owens work can be seen in the classroom when she works one on one with a student whom has limited English skills. Ms. Owens writes "air letters" using her fingers to assist the child in leaning to spell and searches the web to find stories he like. The teacher reports that the student's reading and literacy have greatly improved.
A Joy to See the Smiles
Betty Ellis, Experience Corps member
There are times when some of the children may not understand the assignment, so they come to me and ask for help with whatever the problem may be. It is a joy to see the smiles on their faces when they discover that the problem was not as hard as they thought. I feel so good inside to know that I helped to put this smile there!
Count to Ten
Dalles Nichols, Experience Corps member
One boy was so angry that he could not get through one line in his book without getting upset at himself. I never saw a boy with so much anger. I told him, "When you are angry count to ten and breathe in and out ten times." On the last day of school he said to me "You know what? That idea works. Now I always count to ten."
Ms. Fisher's Spelling Club
Mary Dozier , Experience Corps Team Leader
"I like spelling" says Justin Bull, a 7 year old attending William Paca Elementary School. Justin is an articulate, outgoing, well behaved student in Ms. Sauer's second grade class and is one of several students who participate in the spelling club organized by Ms. Janet Harvey-Fisher, an AARP Experience Corps/AmeriCorps member at Wm Paca. Ms Harvey-Fisher conducts a pretest prior to the regular test held each Friday. "If a student gets a word wrong," explains Justin, "that student has to write the word with the correct spelling three times." He further explains that sometimes they play games, and read for details. "Sometimes I get a few words wrong, but mostly I get them right!" says Justin. "I have always liked spelling," he adds. "I want to be Vice President of the United States."
The spelling club has helped the students become successful in passing the spelling tests, thus improving their English and language skills.
Everybody Needs Help
Teresa Gresham, Experience Corps member
One little boy would always resist my help. Day after day, he watched me. One day when I was helping others he came over and said, "I'm ready. Will you help me now?" He needed to see that it was ok to work with me. I knew he needed to watch me with others before he could trust me. He was a loner. When we began to work together I said to him, "See? Everybody needs help." I wanted him to know that he wasn't alone. Now he raises his hand in class and takes risks. He knows it is ok to need help.
There Are Children Waiting for Me
Delores Bell, Experience Corps member
During my short time with Experience Corps I've felt like my life has meaning. I have a reason for getting up in the morning, knowing that I am going to help a child. When they say, "Miss Bell I need some help," or "Miss Bell, will you help me," it gives me a feeling that I am needed. You cannot imagine the joy that it brings me. I now have a purpose to get up in the morning, knowing that there are children waiting for me.
Reaching Beyond the Classroom
The Experience Corps members at Highlandtown Elementary School believe in the following statements from these two great people:
"One person can make a difference and every person must try." - John F. Kennedy
"Small things done with great love bring joy and peace." - Mother Teresa
By pooling together our love and compassion we decided to reach beyond the classroom. We wanted to show that we cared about the other families in the school neighborhood. We came up with the names of families in need. Several were chosen, and we gave away two well-stocked baskets of food for a Thanksgiving dinner. The families received the baskets with lots of cheers and thanks.
Now You're Cooking
Elaine Green, Experience Corps member
I had a child in my class who had very low self confidence. He listened when he heard me say, "Now you're cooking," to children who were doing very well. When the other children heard me say this, they paid more attention to how they did their work. We test them in math and reading, and when we grade their tests the students will all gather around and say to me "Ms. G, am I cooking?" It just warms my heart to know that a little word such as cooking is making a difference. Now this child is cooking, too!
Number of Office Referrals Dropped
Nancy Fagan, principal, Highlandtown Elementary School
The number of office referrals that may or may not lead to an out-of-school suspension has dropped drastically in grades K -3. Last year we had approximately 21 office referrals in those grade levels and this year there are only 7. I know this is partly due to the support of our Experience Corps members.
A Turnkey Operation
Mathew Riley, principal, Cross Country Elementary/Middle School
Experience Corps is great for a principal because it's turnkey and brings proven results. It doesn't take away from my time doing all the things a principal needs to do.
Dramatic Increase in State Test Scores
Mary Fay LaMartina, principal, Belmont Elementary School
Experience Corps contributed significantly to the accomplishments of students in grades K- 3. The most dramatic increase was noted on the reading Maryland School Assessment. We attribute this to the targeted assistance to individual students provided by Experience Corps members at Belmont.
Pleased with Progress
Joyce Barnes, Experience Corps member, Baltimore
I've been a member of Experience Corps for two years. I worked with a little girl who could not write her name. This little girl can now write her name and count beyond 50. My teacher was very pleased in this girl's progress. The girl's mother stopped me in the hall one time and told me how pleased she was with her child's progress since we began to work together.
Helping My Son
Lorretta Williams, Experience Corps member
I was working with a student who was constantly disruptive. I tried to teach him ways to manage his anger. After about two months, his attitude for learning has changed 100%. He now wants to learn and to participate in class.
When his mother came in for a conference, the teacher told me that she said, "The extra help from the classroom tutor is really helping my son."
The Little Perks
Joyce Barnes
Sometimes it's not all about learning. They like the love that they get, they like the little perks I give them. The hugs, the smiles. They like for me to say, 'c'mon, love.'
A Powerful Learning Tool
Matthew Riley, principal, Cross Country Elementary/Middle School
Experience Corps helps to develop a caring culture of young people. It allows children to see that older people have a lot to offer. There's a lot of wisdom there, there's a lot of understanding. There's a lot of love. When we have Experience Corps tutors together with children and teachers, it's a good mixture and it's a powerful learning tool for children.
"To whom that much is given much is expected"
Richard Przybyszewski, Team Leader
Juanita Boyd, Highlandtown 215
Recently while riding the elevator at Highlandtown 215 I noticed Ms, Juanita Boyd carrying two large bags from Subway. When asked what was in the bags, she stated that there were breakfasts for her 3rd grade class. Later that day, I had lunch with Ms. Boyd, and as we chatted she stated she realized that many of her students were not having a proper breakfast. Through her own initiative she quietly talked with her students. Since beginning at Highlandtown 215, Ms. Boyd has purchased at her own expense, breakfast from either Subway, or McDonalds. This is done several times each month. Also after chatting, with her teacher, I was informed, that over this past winter Ms. Boyd had purchased hoodies and sweaters for some of her students. This was done because Ms. Boyd had noticed that many of the 3rd grade class students were coming to school with no outer coats. Ms, Boyd has done all this quietly, behind the scenes, without much fanfare or recognition. After I thanked her for all that she is doing for her students she stated to me "to whom that much is given much is expected." A wonderful testament to all that is good about EC and its members