Hope Ministries (the former Hope Rescue Mission) sends out a newsletter periodically. The last one mentioned a need for tutors in their Learning Center. I sent an email to Laurie, the administrator, and heard back from her immediately. We arranged to meet and she described the options to me. I was happy to work with anyone at any level.
Laurie said that my email was an answer to her prayers. She had been discouraged about some issues in her own life and at work and she had asked God to give her one sign that he had heard her prayers. And then I emailed! It felt good to be the answer to someone's prayers--and a bit awesome to be what she considered a sign from God!
T, my student, and I have worked together four times. We are focusing on math skills preparing for her to take the Test of Secondary Completion--the new GED in Indiana. We began by diagnosing her errors on the TABE (Test of Adult Basic Education) and have worked from there. I have been happy to use jmath.net again--an online program developed by one of my former colleagues, Jay Snyder.
T is quick and accurate (grade level 11. on math computation) but I need to be careful not to push too fast. There are unexpected gaps in her skills--like knowing what a rectangle is or how many ounces in a pound. As always, it's a balance between being efficient about our time together but giving her a chance to assimilate the knowledge and review.
This has been a very good experience for me and a way to use the skills and experience I have had in adult education for many years. Working with just one student and only two hours a week is easy but rewarding.
However today I had a reminder of the frustrations of adult education. T is unable to meet with me this week due to a death in the family and an emergency pass to travel out of state to a funeral. Will she come back to Hope afterwards? Will she be affected strongly by one more death in her family? Even if she comes back, will she forget what she has learned because of the time off?
I am disappointed but know this is so typical and sad for those who live life on the edge in this way.
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