What People Are Saying
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!
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!
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.
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.
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."
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.
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.