What People Are Saying
A Shark in the Swimming Pool
John Settano
Fourth grader Cesar greeted Experience Corps member John Settano with a shrug, as if to say, "Whatever." Fifty-seven-year-old John, a semi-retired commercial financal advisor, had never worked with children before but figured that he was up for whatever Cesar could throw at him.
He didn't expect sharks. At one of their early meetings, Cesar started to tell the story of a shark that he and his father caught while fishing one day. He said they brought the huge, vicious fish home to their swimming pool, and the monster stayed there until his father had to shoot it. John looked at Cesar, and Cesar looked at John - and they both burst out laughing. It was then that John realized that, while Cesar might have trouble with math, he had no trouble using his imagination.
Since then, as Cesar has progressed, John and Cesar have chuckled at his stories. There was one about a beautiful mansion that his grandfather built in Mexico with everything a person could want. There was the story of the barking dog who yapped on cue when Cesar's brother came home but would not stop until Cesar himself came through the door, no matter how long that might be.
The relationship between the finance man and the preteen gives life to the fact that tutoring isn't just working on numbers or letters.
"We laugh a lot, because we both know that his stories are part of his vivid imagination. I just play along," says John.
The pair continued to meet even as the boy's math improved. John says that "it's more than math. My job is to give kids contact with another adult."
The fact that John speaks Spanish (he also plays flamenco guitar and spends a lot of time in Spain) certainly helps in San Pedro School in Marin County where 97% of the schools students are Hispanic. But there are other languages that bring people together - including laughter.
A Star
Maria, Experience Corps member
Maria is a quiet third-grader at Venetia Valley School in San Rafael. She is behind in reading and works with Experience Corps member Suzette Westsmith.
Suzette now admits that she was ready to give up on Maria earlier in the year - since, as a retired teacher herself, she knew that the youngster needed more help than she could provide. She also noticed that the child was tired all the time. Finally, in one of their meetings, the young girl told her why. In a household where there was little routine because both parents worked long hours, Maria didn't get to bed until 10 p.m., and she then insisted on being awakened at 1 a.m. to say good-bye to her father as he headed for work.
Suzette pondered on how to help a sleepy girl who could get little help at home from harried parents. She had worked with challenging cases before. Shed taught prison inmates as well as learning disabled kids. A wiry, gray-haired 77-year-old who seems to have "energy" as a middle name, Suzette watched the girl closely as the class went about its day. The child was listless and uninterested. One day, as Suzette was doing an art project with the class - they were decorating "skulls" for Day of the Dead - she noticed that Maria was intent on her work and looking not the least bit tired.
When Suzette met with Maria the next time, she quietly placed a sketch pad, some colored pencils and assorted markers on the table. "For you," Suzette said quietly. It was obvious that Maria was delighted. While she had always hugged Suzette when she saw her, her embrace was particularly heartfelt that day.
Suzette continues to work on reading with Maria, although progress is slow. Since the youngster responds to oral rather than written cues, there's a lot of tedious repetition of words and phrases. The good news is that Maria's mother now comes in to help in the class with a bilingual volunteer to translate. No matter what happens with Maria, Suzette feels that she'll find her own way.
"When Maria stands up tall in front of the class and shows off her wonderful drawings, she is a star."
A Roll of the Dice
Tossing dice. Playing cards. Picking apples off a tree. Experience Corps member Rosemarie Ellingson has done it all - and with five-year-olds no less. In fact, she says that she'll do just about anything to help the two bright-eyed students, Camilla and Jose, to keep up with the demands of kindergarten at Venetia Valley School in San Rafael, California.
"When I taught kindergarten years ago, all the kids needed to know were shapes and colors and how to count to ten." Now, she says, they have to count to 100, know all their letters, add simple numbers, and begin to recognize basic word sounds. On top of that, in a school where 90% of the students come from homes where Spanish is spoken, just a few speak fluent English.
Of course, her two charges are bundles of energy. They are wigglers and gigglers like most kindergartners. But Rosemarie is not to be outdone by these little folks. She brings out a pair of dice - a sure attention-getter - and, like a casino worker, tosses them on the table. "Lets add up the dots," she says. Camilla and Jose are hooked, as Rosemarie helps them with simple addition. Sometimes they play "Go Fish." The children huddle together like conspirators - playing card games in school? - and, in the process, learn about recognizing numbers. Another time the youngsters take turns plopping Velcro-backed apples onto a picture of an apple tree. They happily put the apples on the tree, count them, and just as happily pluck them off.
Working with Camilla and Jose is literally child's play for Rosemarie. A self-confessed workaholic ("I like to keep busy"), she's volunteered in a probation office, in a hospital emergency room, with the Saigon Baby Lift after the Vietnam War, and with an organization placing refugees from Thailand and Cambodia. She continues to volunteer at Guide Dogs in Marin County and, of course, with Experience Corps.
Completely on Task
Michelle Rosencrans, third grade teacher
The only time of day when every student is completely on task is when the Experience Corps members are here. I see positive changes in all my students. The Experience Corps member in my classroom is the best volunteer I've ever had. She is simply an excellent teacher.
How Could I Have Done that Without Her
Karen DeTore, fifth grade teacher, Venetia Elementary School
Experience Corps members are critical to the success of the classroom environment, and they make project based learning possible. Every Wednesday when my Experience Corps tutor leaves, I think, "How could I have done that without her."