Journal

9/15: I am having trouble completing my first step (contact the administration building regarding green space in the township) due to their hours. They open after I arrive in school and close while I am at soccer practice. They do not appear to have an email address and do not have a recordable message. Until I think of a solution, my project is on hold. 9/22: I decided to scratch the entire idea of doing anything with plants and planting--it seemed almost silly to try to plan the garden with no allotted space and going into winter. Instead, I have decided to take a more ethical route. I have decided to serve my volunteer hours with the Free Library and will observe the children who come there after school. Most children who go to the library after school have parents who work late, and many need help with homework during their time at the library. I intend to spend some of my volunteer hours organizing and implementing a program at the library where one or two high school aged 'peer tutors' would go to the library three days per week to help the students with their homework. I hope that this program will help the students stay on task and understand their schooling material better. My research project will hopefully be on the effect on students of peer tutoring, provided I can procure enough information to substantiate said project. I hope also to film some of my peer tutors at work in order to visually show how my program is effective and worthwhile to keep at the library. 9/24: I visited the library today asking the probability of actually starting the program at the library. The woman I spoke with said that she thinks it would be a lovely program and to start it, all I would need to do is send a letter to the head of the library board presenting my idea. I hope to finalize and send in the letter by the 3rd of October. 10/2: I finished drafting my letter to the director of the Free Library. I intend to show it to Mrs Ward for formalities and then to Mrs. Marie at the library to hear her weigh in on how I present my topic. Hopefully, if all goes well, I will be able to leave the letter with Mrs. Marie to give to the director of the library. Assuming my idea is approved, I will be able to begin finalizing how I will recruit tutors as well as speak with the children in the library and log ages, grades, and struggle subjects. Hopefully, by beginning my program in this way, I will be able to include the right mix of tutor skill sets every day my program is run. If by chance the program is not approved, I will still tutor the children at the library by myself and serve my hours that way. I will still do my project on the effects of peer tutoring, and will only have personal reflections rather than that of the group of tutors. I feel as though having only my reflections will be detrimental to my conclusions and their relationship to my research, but I cannot force the director to approve my project, so I will adapt as needed. 10/8: I visited the llibrary today after school to meet with some of the children there and talk to the volunteer directer, Marie. The children seemed very interested in the idea of having a bit of help with their homework after school. I submitted my proposal to the director today as well. Marie seemed impressed and assured me she would safely deliver my proposal to the director as soon as possible. Hopefully the program will begin in two weeks if all goes well. I have compiled most of my materials: pencils, pens, paper, folders, internet access codes for the computers in the library and most importantly, I have recruited a couple of my friends to be preliminary volunteer tutors for whenever the program begins. My next step would be to compile course lists for each teacher in the elementary, middle and high school, so that my tutors will be well informed about the type of work expected of the children being tutored. 11/28 I have been out of school for the past month with PCS, but I am excited to begin working on my project again! I have created flyers advertizing for my program, as well as sign up lists to see how many students are interested in working with me and the other tutors. I have also drafted a letter for the e-blast that I can send whenever I solidify dates that I can be at the library to tutor (I am going to try to be there at each session for the beginning of the the program, at least). I will be visiting the library later today to speak with the students regarding what subjects they find most challenging and would need help in. By doing this, I can choose tutors who can cater to the specific needs of the students. 12/5 The program officially begins on Thursday!! Mrs. Marie in the library, who has helped me plan so many aspects of my project, explained that even if I do not get many people on the first day, those that do show up will appreciate the homework help greatly. My program will be called "Homework Helpers" and I have decided to do my best to make it sustainable and a way for students to help other students. I have created an email address for the program and hope to eventually create a wiki completely devoted for the program depending upon its success. I only intend to bring one other tutor with me with a skill set opposing mine. If numbers exceed our capacity I will ask more tutors to attend, but I do not expect many more than 5 or 6 to attend. 12/8 The program has begun (finally)! Today at the library, the "Homework Helpers" program began! I am so very excited, especially because of the initial success of the program. I brought only one tutor with me today, which was perfect as there were 7 kids who came. Thankfully, most of their questions were easily answered and they were able to accomplish a great amount of work during the two hours. They all said they would come next week, provided I consider bringing them some sort of food (the librarian said I was welcome to bring dumdums). I am excited for this coming Thursday and to take images to portray the early success of the program. 12/15 Today was the second day of volunteering and teaching at the library to help teach the kids. The same group of girls came from last week. They were all very excited about getting homework done so that they could watch TV when they got home (this was not a goal I promoted but it was good motivation!) I took most of my pictures for my power point today; I only need about ten more, which I will take on the 12/22. I realized it would help to have three tutors total attend, so I have enlisted the help of some of my friends. After winter break, I intend to try to recruit 11th grade tutors who are interested in helping younger students and perhaps completing volunteer hours. Final: I feel as though my program is over all a huge success. I have students who consistently attend the program as well as a host of eager tutors who really want to help the students. I will begin advertizing for tutors and advertizing in the middle and elementary schools to hopefully make my program grow as well as make it more sustainable. As long as some children are learning and tutors are being effective educators, I believe the program may very well continue until long past my graduation.