Prior to founding Wellspring tutoring, I taught English as a second language to refugees and immigrants from all over the world. I continue to work with the refugee population on improving their literacy skills. I am involved with a wonderful organization called Hope4refugees. They assist Burmese and Thai refugees in relocation, language acquisition, and life skills. (www.hope4refugees.org)
I recently became involved with the Boys and Girls Club of Greater Dallas. This stellar non-profit organization offers mentorship, education and career development, health and life skills, and much more to at-risk youth. I am currently leading a full 12 session SAT prep workshop as part of a pilot program for university bound students for whom private tutoring is cost-prohibitive. As the program expands, I will continue to lead workshops throughout the school year. (www.bgcdallas.org)
In January, I will begin working with at-risk students within DISD to improve TAKS scores, making it possible for these high school students to graduate. Through a grant funded by the No Child Left Behind Act, I will be focusing on helping English Language Learners acquire the skills they need to be successful on state exit exams.
On a personal note, my work with English Language Learners and at-risk youth has rekindled my faith in human nature. I witness compassion and tenacity not often found in teenagers. These kids are coming from dire circumstances, yet they refuse to give up. Their scores show appreciable, if not remarkable growth. My work with these students has made me a better teacher and a better person.
