College Preparation for Disadvantaged Students

Hello our great supporters,

 On behalf of Darfur Women Network, Inc., DWN, I would like to thank you for your support and share with you great information about the progress on our education program.  I believe that we are in a great positon regarding tutoring. We appointed two program coordinator and assistant to run the program. We have our math teacher ready, our English-critical thinking and reading as well as writing. We also have our SAT prep Instructor ready. Below you see our math teach laid out his goal and his schedule. I will share the same when we receive the others’ teachers.

Here is a plan and date from our great volunteer teacher:

1. I'm very comfortable with tutoring algebra/algebra 2, but I've never taught Geometry.  So, if nothing else, I'd prefer to begin tutoring with Algebra and then we can determine whether or not I'm the best fit to tutor Geometry down the road.
2. To begin, I'd probably start with an initial pre-assessment just to see where your students are - I don't want to waste time teaching something they already know, or (vice versa) skip something essential that they haven't mastered yet.
   1. This would probably be some kind of Algebra I end-of-year assessment
3. Speaking of essentials, I've listed the standards that I think are most essential for your students to know.  These are the need-to-know standards in my opinion.  
   1. a.       Solve for variables and inequalities

b.      Graph and interpret linear functions

c.       Systems of equations

d.      Simplify and solve rational equations

e.      Solve and graph quadratic equations

f.        Logarithmic and exponential equations (Alg 2)

g.       Sequences and series (Alg 2)

h.      Permutations and combinations (Alg 2)

i.         Polynomial equations (Alg 2)

1. Let's talk logistics.  How long are these tutoring sessions scheduled to last?  Is there a particular period of time?  Do they need to be the same every week?
   1. I figure the set-up will fall somewhere along the lines of:
      1. Introduction of new material/pre-assessment
      2. I do/ We do/ You do
      3. Students should work in groups of 3s/4s
      4. Exit slips to determine proficiency
      5. Are we allowed to give homework (would be very minimal - maybe 3 questions per lesson)
   2. Finally, in terms of dates/availability, here's my schedule that I know:
      1. 4/9 = open all day
      2. 4/16 = I'm booked 11am-4pm with other obligations - anytime before/after is free
      3. 4/23 and 4/30 = open all day
      4. 5/7 and 5/14 = closed - I'm out of town for work
         1. I could meet on 5/11 or 5/12 though, anytime after 5pm
      5. 5/21 = closed, but I could meet on 5/18 after 5pm
      6. 5/28 = closed, but I could meet on 5/25
      7. We can determine June dates afterwards

We decided to have it on Saturdays from 2-4pm. We also have Fridays after school we will work with students to learn English and SAT Prep.

We used Indianapolis Muslim Community Association building to run our tutoring. However, we have provided learning materials to help the teachers to achieve their goals.

Thank you

Happy New Year to all, I wish it will be a year of success and peace. We in Darfur Women Network, DWN, enthusiastic that we raised $500 during our Year-End-Campaign. We have a great social media team who helped DWN to reach out to more people. The partnership with Global Giving had a positive impact on DWN, we are so grateful.

Last year we focused on English, but this year we need to teach Math and English to prepare tenth grade students for SAT. It is very challenging for students because this year we focused on both Math and English instead of like last year. This year, our students are not comfortable with the Math that they learned at school. Most of the students scored high enough to apply at Indiana University Purdue University and some applied to Purdue University and we are waiting for the result. However, the students look confident.

This time, we will accept students from tenth and eleventh grade to attend English and Math tutoring. Then, they will explore SAT materials. Now, we have some volunteers from Butler University and some English and Math teachers to provide writing, critical reading and thinking, and reading for vocabulary and math as well.

This year, the students need to work harder to score high on SAT because the last class had a better opportunity to study math and English rather that the current students.  We will start in Februray and later will decide if we should and could continue in the summer.

 Thank you so much for your support.

Any advice, recommendation, feedback will help us to help those students to achieve their goals.

Thank you you