By Leo Shedden

One of the many ways that our Rotary Club helps kids succeed is our Rotary Readers and Tutors program. A few years ago I thought I would give tutoring a try, and it’s been a great experience. One that has been as rewarding for me as it has been for the students.   

Reading to pre-schoolers

My first experience was reading to four- and five-year-olds at the Beatty Learning Center in Ypsilanti.  This first-rate facility was previously a “Head Start” site.

It may have been some time since you have been around children in this age group, for me it was a fun experience.  By prior agreement with the Principal and staff, I would visit particular classrooms once per week and read a book to the students. I would typically visit two classrooms per day for perhaps 20 minutes each.

The students would sit in  a circle around me as I sat in a student size chair.  The teacher and/or students would help choose the book or books for the day. After reading the book, we would finish with an activity such as singing the ABC song. Sometimes, the teacher would select students one by one to stand and recite the alphabet.

I always tried to add a few words to their vocabulary. For example, I might explain the words “author” and “illustrator,” which were often new words for the students. I recall reading a book where the main character was driving a car. I asked who might be driving the car, and on at least one occasion, they said, “It’s the author!”  or “It’s the illustrator!” I hope they know these words to this day.

In general, these kids were very typical kids, ready to learn and have a bit of fun. On occasion it was impossible not to observe some sadness. They would sometimes try to share a hug, but that’s not allowed per the rules.

Tutoring Fifth Graders at Burns Park School

I spent a few years at Burns Park School working with a particular 5th grade teacher who asked me to come back a few years in a row. When you’re tutoring, you’re generally interacting with the kids one-on-one. Typically, we would set up a table and chair in the hallway for a tutoring session.

One year, I tutored a girl who was very bubbly and positive, but somehow had gotten to the 5th grade without fully learning her multiplication tables. I found flash cards and simple drills to be great tools in helping this particular student. After [[how many?]] sessions, I’m happy to say that she was able to multiply like the best of them. 

Tutoring Fifth Graders at Abbot School

Last year, I received a call asking if I would be willing to come to Abbot School to work with four students who were ahead of their fifth grade class in math.

This proved to be a unique and enjoyable experience. On one occasion, my students asked me to attend a fifth-grade student assembly. There was an activity for about six volunteers to come forward and competitively do a puzzle activity in front of the group. The four students I was working with surprised me by volunteering me for the puzzle-solving activity, so there I was doing a puzzle in front of the fifth grade. Fortunately, I did not embarrass myself or Rotary.

These four students came from very different backgrounds, yet had very positive relationships with each other.  We had good times with challenges in algebra, geometry,  the Greek alphabet and the periodic table—there were no boundaries!

Tutoring a Fourth Grader at Abbot Schoo

This year,  I was offered the chance to return to Abbot, and I gladly accepted.  This time it was to work with a student in the fourth grade who was well ahead of his class in math.  This is an experience still in progress, but already there are remarkable observations to be made.

I  was recently working with the student on various math topics to assess where he was and how best he could be challenged.  I had introduced the concept of pi, which we commonly round to the number 3.14.

I was working with the student at a table in an open commons area when the teachers aide stopped by and recited pi to eight digits—3.14159265. (Reciting Pi to several digits has become a bit of a game among Abbot students.) The fourth grade student immediately commented that he thought the next digit was “3”—which happens to be true.

The aide then said she was thinking of what pie she could serve on “Pi Day”, meaning March 14—or 3/14/2025.  I asked the student what was his favorite pie, perhaps apple or pumpkin.   The student said he had never had pie. It turns out the student is a recent immigrant and until two years ago—when he was in second grade—had never spoken any English and had never tasted a pie.