Ellen
and I go to Harlem to mentor our scholars.
How bad is it to admit that I don’t particularly enjoy this program?
It’s
not the students. They are dedicated and
hard working. It’s just the program
could be so much better and so much more meaningful. Ellen and I leave each session more
frustrated than enlightened.
First,
it’s horribly redundant. These kids are
capable and computer-savvy. Yet the
school administrators walk them through each step in agonizingly slow motion. They re-explain what has already been
explained and understood. And worse, they re-do what has been done the prior
session.
Second,
the well-intentioned and good-hearted leader shouts when she is addressing the
class of nine students (not 900). And,
she talks to the students as if they were kindergarteners, not high school
juniors. “OKAY, CLASS, CLAP TWO TIMES IF
YOU CAN HEAR ME!!” I want to shout,
“YES, THEY CAN HEAR YOU. SO CAN THE
RUNNERS IN CENTRAL PARK, A MILE AWAY!”
And
finally, too much time is taken up talking about things that can be done in the
absence of the volunteers. “REMIND YOUR
PARENTS TO COME TO OUR MAY 23 MEETING ON COLLEGE. I WILL TALK TO THEM IF THEY DON’T WANT TO
COME. THEY MAY BE EMBARRASSED BECAUSE
YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT THE PROCESS THAN THEY DO.”
Should the students really be told this?
I
want to help my student weed through thousands of colleges and find the best
ones for her to consider. Unfortunately,
I don’t have enough time, since half of each 90-minute session is spent on the
peripherals.
If
only the administrators would let the volunteers do what they are qualified to
do, it would be so much better for everyone.
CLAP
ONCE IF YOU AGREE.
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