America Reads/ America Counts, housed by the Center for Community Partnerships , is a federally-funded work-study program that partners Penn Students with students in two local West Philadelphia Elementary Schools.  The program's aim is to increase math and literacy competency of students in grades Kindergarten through Eighth Grade.  Our two partner schools are Charles R. Drew Elementary and Henry C. Lea Elementary.  Both schools are located close to campus, and our tutors work in these schools five days a week.  Our core group of thirty-seven Penn tutors is working in both the classroom setting as well as the after school programming.  Many of our tutors have been involved in the program for their entire Penn career and have formed lasting bonds with teachers, students and administrators at the schools.

The program focuses on working in the areas of math and literacy.  During the school day our tutors are assisting the students in independent and guided reading, as well as math concepts in preparation for the state and national testing that take place in the spring.  A number of our tutors also work in the after school program at Lea Elementary.  In this setting, the tutors provide students with one-on-one homework help and focus on math and reading skills.  Many tutors have also developed strong relationships with their students, and some even spend time with their students outside of the school setting.

To adequately train our tutors for their work, we provide trainings on math and literacy curriculum mandated by the schools.  We also offer Classroom Management and Conflict Resolution trainings to assist tutors in handling any problems that may arise in the classroom.  The majority of trainings are conducted by teachers and administrators who are a part of the Philadelphia School System.  The program is committed to providing the most useful services to the teachers and students, and we are eager to be utilized where we are most needed.

Our tutors become staples in the lives of many students, teachers and schools.  The tutors provide academic support for the students and sometimes administrative assistance to the teachers.  AR/AC tutors also assist in maintaining stability in the classrooms through their consistent work and weekly presence.  Many of our tutors plan on pursuing a career in education, and some are even given the opportunity to teach a lesson or two in the classroom.  Due to the high rate of teacher turnover, the presence of our tutors often assists the substitute teachers in maintaining control of the classroom.

The Penn students who tutor for the program are very diverse, yet they all share a strong commitment to improving the education of the students in West Philadelphia.  Many students who tutor in the program have been doing so since the beginning of their undergraduate career and many refer their friends and classmates as well.  The program is constantly seeking to improve its effectiveness and views the West Philadelphia community as central to these advancements.  America Reads/ America Counts aspires to be a constant in the lives of these schools and we are deeply invested in the success of the students.

For further information, feel free to contact the Program Coordinator Jessica Kim, M.Ed. at arac.coordinator@gmail.com or at the Center for Community Partnerships at 215-898-5351.

 

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