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Volunteer 3 Ways to Volunteer/Volunteer Training & Information Session /Teacher Resource Center Meet Some Volunteers I also love teaching because I co-teach with my daughter, Jennifer Crescenzo. Co-teaching gives us a chance to work together, share ideas, and bring different perspectives to the work. In fact, the idea of having students read and discuss well-written essays was Jennifer's. As a film maker, she has learned the value of "show-don't -tell" in getting a point across. We have tried to incorporate that into our teaching by showing good writing, not just talking about it. My favorite part of AoH, however, is when one of our students passes the GED. Knowing that Jennifer and I have helped a student learn a skill and that they have been able to use that skill to pass the GED is a great feeling. Often we get thank-you notes, hugs, cards, visits, or messages from students who have succeeded. The AoH staff is also wonderful about sending thank-you cards and providing little treats (like Valentine's candy) to the volunteer teachers. Those expressions of thanks carry well beyond Tuesday and often make a whole week special.
In the four years that I've been teaching at the Hope, I have learned a lot. From my students, I have learned about patience and perseverance. I've read stories about students' passions for drawing, writing poetry, singing, weightlifting, and child rearing. I have heard students talk about growing up in war-torn El Salvador and overcoming drug addictions in poverty-stricken neighborhoods of DC. I have also learned about the similarities that unite people despite their differences. I see how hard my students work to improve their skills and fulfill their dreams, and I'm inspired to work hard to improve my skills and fulfill my dreams. From my co-teachers, I have learned about academic things and the art of teaching. Last term, I taught science for the first time with someone whose background is in environmental science, and I learned about the actual chemistry behind air pollution. This term, I'm teaching basic writing with a speech therapist, and I've learned about the importance of being able to speak as a precursor to being about to write. In my efforts to teach as much as possible to as many as possible, I have gotten burnt out sometimes and have subsequently taken breaks from teaching. I've gotten frustrated with students' irregular attendance or inability to understand what I was trying to teach. I've gotten overwhelmed by what I used to think was the main challenge before me: to equip all students-some of whom might not have had more than an eighth grade education or might have serious learning disabilities-with good enough skills to pass the GED. In time, however, I came to see that the school is about much more than just graduating GED students (although, don't get me wrong, I love to see graduations!). The school is about bringing people together to learn from each other and support each other. Even people with severe learning disabilities can expand their vocabulary, learn to better organize thoughts and communicate, and improve their life skills in general. Students and teachers alike can always improve their skills, regardless of what level they start out at. Most importantly of all, people can share their hopes and dreams with each other, thereby learning how important it is to (a) have dreams, (b) work toward those dreams, and (c) believe that the dreams can be achieved. I've come to believe more strongly than ever in the Hope's mission statement: that the most important subject of all is hope. Only hope can strengthen us to pursue our dreams; without hope, the dreams die.
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Paula Roberts
Beth Hatch