A Free Tutoring Service: Preparing For the Future

                Cleophas Mike McAlpin.../Director/Volunteer Tutor/Webmaster

Lesson Review C-14 February 5, 2003...It seems we move from City to City with our miraculous Organization. And now, it's Carson, California!  Photo Album Page 67         Letter To Curtiss Middle School   

 Someone asked if there were students of Carson in the Free Tutoring. See below for answer! Carson Students ......below!  Some Parents, too!     

Students and Exams   Beautiful People of Carson    An exam after a Field Trip   A Geometry Exam   for  Michael Jewel of Carson    Lessons and 

more Lessons for Devin of Carson   Please allow mouse pointer to scan photos for "pointing hand"! Some of the photos are linked to Lessons in this Website!           The Students meet Mayor Jim Dear and Council Member Harold Williams    on Jan. 20, 2007

  (click on photo) Pam Pitcher, Parent to Donald    (click on photo) Doctor Cheryl Browne: Parent to Lauren; Tutor

    Click photo:  Future Carson Sports Heros...Jordan and Steven in back row!  

A Trio of Student  Power from Carson, California: Ashlyn, Desiree of Curtiss Middle School and, Ava  of Carson High School....Total number of students present on this night: 12

These young ladies joined the Tutoring Service a little more than a month ago. They have already impressed me with their excellent work habits and their dedication to making good grades. They come over with books, pencils and paper in hand, ready to do all that they can to excel in their respective schools.

I assisted Desiree with her Algebra One homework from Curtiss Middle School. It involved solving "inequalities". We worked together until Desiree understood and did all of her homework.

Brittney was one of the first students to arrive because she appreciates one-on-one tutoring in her Algebra Two homework. We again graphed straight lines from her workbook. I listened to her and felt very proud when she said, "Each and every time I come over here, I leave feeling very, very smart"! Brittney will never forget that all that is required in graphing straight lines is to know a point on the line and the slope of the line. She knows the equation of a straight line, y=mx +b, and she knows how to manipulate an equation to obtain the equation of a straight line. Brittney is now ready to move on to better things. I will use her to teach the others below her. Brittney is only 16 years of age, but already on the verge of graduating from Carson Christian High School in Carson, California in June of 2003!

DeVaughn (14) of Carson worked diligently, as he always does, on his homework.

I set up a Spanish Class. I will require each and every student to learn at least 20 Spanish words at each Tutoring session. That would mean 60 words per week! I had several students write words in English and then Spanish that related to what was seen in our meeting room. I had all of the students to listen to Asia, 14: of Carson, as she led the class in Spanish. Asia seems to be knowledgeable about Spanish at Drew Magnet School and I had her to practice the students on the Spanish Language. As a review,  each student was called upon to point the finger at another student; the selected student had to tell the meaning of a Spanish word on our dry erase board and then point to another student. The students had a great time learning new Spanish words! It should not be long at all before all of us are speaking Spanish fluently. Our Spanish Tutor, Mrs. Marci Williams, will be returning soon to solidify our knowledge. She has recently given birth to a set of twin boys! She can't hardly wait to return to us. She is an Edison School teacher in Long Beach, California.

I assisted the 12-year old Denea of Carson with her percentage problems, her decimal problems, her fraction problems and her scientific notation problems. Denea comes over with an older brother and works diligently on her homework each and every tutoring session. Sometimes, she gathers the nerve to ask me questions and now the questions are coming more frequently and more rapidly. I am here to assist each and every student, regardless of age, as soon as the shyness wears off.

Some teachers seem intimidated by our presence in the lives of students. Teachers must be made aware of the fact that we are in existence to assist them!!

Educators! Please communicate with us on ways to elevate the grade point averages of our students. We all work for free!!!

Counseling is an integral part of our program. I had each student write down the subjects taken and the names of their  teachers. I will personally speak to each and every teacher to let them know of our program and our efforts in assisting the students. Some of the students tell me that the teachers go too fast, or have accents that they have trouble with, or refuse to review when a point is missed. It is understandable to me why such instances occur; some schools are simply overcrowded and teachers can not take the time to stop and explain to every student. That is where we come in. We do have the time, because we meet 3-4 times a week for as long as it takes. One of our students asked me to meet more often than 3 times a week. I told her to also come over on Mondays, Fridays and Sundays, if that is what it takes for her. We are committed to this task... And, we do it for free!

  Isaac at age 17

The students spoke to our former student, Isaac: 20, via telephone. Isaac is incarcerated, but not forgotten. I take him an allowance at least 2 times a month. Sometimes, some of the students accompany me to the "Twin Towers" County jail near downtown Los Angeles to leave Isaac $20 or so. Isaac spoke to at least 4 of our students on this night. He was extremely happy to know that we all care about and love him. Isaac will be returning to civilian life in less than 3-months and we stand ready, willing and able to continue our study of electricity, as we did before his "fall from grace". He has fallen, and he has nearly paid his debt to Society. It is up to us to assist Isaac with a "new beginning" when he returns to us in a few months. Another of our students, 17-years old, is now 6 months pregnant and we see and talk to her whenever we get the chance. She is doing well and in a facility for pregnant teens. We will welcome her back with open arms when she has the baby. Cachet, 20-years of age, lives in Carson and wants to become a nurse. She will be joining our tutoring service next week. She now attends Pasadena City College and has asked permission to join our group. She, along with others, are welcome to join. Cachet desires to have our Doctor Cheryl of Kaiser meet with her to discuss nursing and we will set that up...pronto!

Some students need more counseling than others. Some have yet to understand that this is a serious learning environment and its reputation will not be jeopardized by those who do not care to do well in school. It is for this reason that one or two students will not be allowed to return to the tutoring service until they realize that they are here to learn and not "fool around". We have moved to a higher intensity level and it is no place for the "faint of heart" or the "rabble rouser." Students will be given a chance to excel and do the right things in school. They will not be encouraged forever.

Our new student, James of Carson, was reviewed on his English assignment. He has been grilled on basic math. He has been told of our expectations of him. If he is not willing to do our will, we will move on to other students who truly want to excel!

Tutoring Activities: Tutoring on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday afternoons for over 4 hours per day,  is not all there is to it.

I visited Banning High School on yesterday and spoke to 2 counselors to our students. I got a printout of grades made on last semester and teacher comments about our students. A couple of the students did poorly while others did extremely well. Those students that did poorly have been aptly warned and those students that did well have been rewarded. I visited the classroom of our Volunteer Banning High Teacher, Ms. Mary McAlpine, and spoke briefly to her class about staying out of trouble. "Shooting dice" on campus can illicit a stiff fine of $350 from the Criminal Justice System, or 30+ hours of Community Service. One of our students is now serving his "Community Time." Parents will be required to pay an additional $60 whether community service is done or the fine of $350 is paid.

Parents will indeed become very irate at his or her child when such foolishness and a waste of valuable time occurs.