Get Up and Go (Tutor)!
by Amanda Keegan
Let's face it - the New York City public school system is not the best in the country; it may even be one of the worst. Little funding, old schools, inadequate materials, underpaid teachers, and large class sizes are just a few of the most common problems. You consistently read or hear about the poor condition of city schools in the newspaper or on television, but until you spend your Saturday mornings with the students that attend them, your vision is skewed. While volunteering at The GO Project, a volunteer-powered organization that tutors inner city public school children, I noticed that these students are months, maybe even years, behind the academic standard. With the odds against them, you would think these students would have little hope for their academic futures. But spend an hour with any one of these students and not only will you be inspired by their eagerness to learn, you will also become even more determined to help them succeed.
While at a school-sponsored volunteer fair, I decided on a whim to give up my Saturday mornings for three months and spend some time tutoring a couple of third grade boys. Having no prior tutoring experience and lacking the necessary patience and persistence of an elementary school teacher, I knew I was setting myself up for failure. But when that first rainy Saturday morning rolled around and the comfort of my bed was all too appealing, I forced myself to get up and make my way over to The Grace Church School on Fourth Avenue - a very expensive, posh, and oh-so-private school. This ornate building was one of two sites for The GO Project, and would soon become one of my favorite places to go every week. I was immediately introduced to my students: a couple of nine year old public school boys, who like myself, looked like they had just rolled out of bed. Three hours of math and reading lessons later, I was woken up to the crisis that exists in the public school system of New York City as I witnessed first-hand the result of poor academic funding and a missing presence of mentorship.
Unfortunately, the less than remarkable academic environments of the city's school system prevent its youths from receiving a quality education. In the meantime, the state of New York requires each of these students to take standardized tests every year to determine if they are ready to go onto the next grade level. This paradox seems to be creating a cycle that will continue to ignore the needs of the teachers and schools and in turn, "punish" the students by preventing them from advancing. Although moving on to the next grade level is an absurdity for many of these children, we need to recognize who is at fault for their slow progression. The state determines the funding and supplies for these schools, which is less than adequate for the large number of students in the system. It also administers the exams which produce results that prove that they are not giving public schooling enough attention. Luckily, there are organizations in the city that provide extra help for students who are struggling to keep up with their academics. The GO Project is just one of these outreaches.
Coming from a New England town where, personally, I believe the school system is lacking, seeing these kids struggle against even greater odds was disheartening. As a tutor, I recognized the importance of a strong role model and teacher figure in the lives of these students. A great teacher can turn even the most dire situation into a learning experience with a little determination and hope. I believe that the root of the New York City public school system's problems is its lack of qualified, exemplary teachers. Most teachers would prefer to skip over the large class sizes, old schools, and the urban lifestyle of the city's students, and head straight to the decent-paying jobs at private schools. But what happens when the best trained teachers try to avoid the New York City public school system due to security concerns? Slots are filled with less than qualified job seekers; the beginning of a student's downward spiral.
When I turn on the news and see a purposeless war being fought and funded by American tax dollars, while knowing that we cannot provide a quality public education for many young students, I wonder if we are putting our money in the right places. If urban school systems provided better benefits and salaries for its teachers, then perhaps they would attract the best trained pool of applicants. It's about time for us to pay more attention to the future of this country by investing in the education of our youth. In the meantime, I'll do my share of tutoring.
Sources:
For a list of sources, email the writer at amandakeegan@crossingsmagazine.org.
