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The
Chalmers family. Kendra and Mike want to help other children receive
the help their children did.
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Tutoring available
for the child who needs help
“My daughter came home from school crying,” said Kendra Chalmers. “She
had just started first grade… she told me first grade is too hard! I
wish I was smart like my brother!”
What the child didn’t understand was her brother had received tutoring
over the summer. He was one of several children who had been struggling
and benefitted from a tutoring scholarship. He moved onto third grade
and over the past several months has been getting A’s and B’s.
“He’s happy in school now,” Chalmers said. “I immediately called his
tutor, Mr. (Bob) Robinson, and set up tutoring sessions for my
daughter… She ‘graduated’ last month. Her teacher told me at her last
parent–teacher conference… she’s doing fine; whatever you are doing,
keep it up.
“In addition to helping my daughter, Mr. Robinson had helped me to
understand what I needed to be doing at home. He has been a godsend.”
According to Robinson, there is no special formula; it’s simply helping
with the basics. “Our teachers are excellent,” he said. “I’m a sub and
there is no way I can do what they do every day. Some kids, however,
need an extra boost… and it usually goes back to the basics: reading,
grammar and math.”
He added family has much to do with it. They reinforce what children
learn in the classroom… reading to them, having them read, working with
letters, words and numbers. Some don’t know what they need to do;
others, for various reasons, aren’t able to provide that support.
That’s where weekly tutoring sessions can help.
According to the Ohio Department of Education, 32 percent of all
students entering college need remedial coursework in English, math or
both, Robinson said. “While that’s down from 37 percent in 2014, we’re
talking about nearly one-third of all students going to college.” And
those are just the students pursuing post-secondary education!
“Students can learn the basics at any age – even as adults – all they
have to do is to want to do it. The little ones though, K-2, are where
it should start. Almost without exception, they want to learn. They get
frustrated because for some of them it is sometimes too hard.”
With his retirement from journalism and The Early Bird, Robinson will
be concentrating on his teaching at Edison, substituting and tutoring.
“I can’t begin to meet the needs of all the students who need help,” he
said. “Kendra, and her husband Mike, want to do what they can to give
other kids the opportunity their kids had. We’re exploring the
possibility of setting up a non-profit so we can get other state
licensed substitutes and teachers involved.”
Weekly tutoring sessions run $50 a month, although family income will
be taken into account. Right now space is limited, but as long as space
is available, no child will be denied because of family resources.
Donations are accepted. To find out how you can help or to inquire
about your child, send an email to editor@countynewsonline.org.
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