Tutoring Small Children at School.

[Big Daddy's Kitchen]

As anyone ever done this at all?

I tutor children between the ages of 6 and 11 at one of Boston's public schools. It's a very rewarding job to me, because I get to give back to the community what I learned years ago!

I help the kids learn what I learned when I was THEIR age and in school. I tutor usually 4 children in a day for about 45 minutes for each one. I help them with their reading skills.

I truly hope to be able to tutor the same kids who I tutored before they left school for the summer!

One particular young boy who I tutor thinks the world of me. He likes to read mainly about science, nature and animals. He has difficulty with some words, but I help him with them.

We've beccome attached to each other, and we like each other a lot. He sometimes feels a little embarrassed at times when I ask him to read a little. Of course, I read to him and the others as well. I told him that I wouldn't poke fun at him, that I had trouble reading as well when I was his age.

It was very painful to me to have to say goodbye to them for the summer, especially THIS person. While attending the school's cookout for them, he came up to me multiple times and just gave me a hug. When they were about to go back to their rooms, he saw me crying a little, came up and hugged me again! We said bye to each other.

I told him that I want to tutor him some more when they come back to school. It's really nice though, to be able to share with them what I learned in school years ago!!

[KYHeirloomer]

Good on you, Big Daddy! I've nothing but respect for folks who do things like that.

I have a problem though. I'm very paternalistic, and love working with kids. But, given the state of the world today, I'm afraid to.

I used to be a certified black powder instructor with the 4-H, for instance. There's no way you can teach a 12 year old girl how to hold a rifle without, in the process, touching her. When I announced I would no longer do that unless a parent was present, that ended my teaching.

[Big Daddy's Kitchen]

I wouldn't want to teach ANYONE how to hold a rifle or a gun, much less a child - boy or girl!! That to me, is teaching them how to be violent, and there is too much of that in the world today!!

[Cook Chatty Cathy]

Tutoring is such a wonderful and much needed profession. I know it makes a world of difference to the children and in many cases you have such a positive impact on the little ones for life!

[Big Daddy's Kitchen]

Yeah, plus I've already gained their respect and politeness.

One little boy, at times will do gross things like put one of his fingers into his nose and then into his mouth! Or he'll pass gas! Blatently, right in front of me!! Then he'll look at me with a smirk on his face. He has no shame in his game! Haha!! I'm not sure if he's trying to get attention or not.

I asked him why he does those things and he wouldn't tell me. But him and the others pretty much like me and they always greet me when they see me. They come up to me and give me a great big hug!

[chubbyalaskagriz]

Children are our greatest resource and spending time with them is something I enjoy- and something I admire in others as well.

I don't tutor children, per se- but for years I have read stories to and given cooking demonstrations for kids in my niece's and nephew's classrooms. (see new Avatar- me, my nephew and his 20 class-mates at an Alaskan story-hour where we learned about moose & whales, and ate Alaskan Blueberry Muffins.)

A word on kids and guns. While I empathize what what you offer, BigD... and while I certainly recognize the concern over potential dangers of guns in the hands of people everywhere, and the crime that often results... In my opinion, I don't think the answer is to pretend guns do not exist. Rather, we must instill responsibility, duty & safety where they are concerned.

In urban areas the crime that takes place that sometimes involves guns- is horrendous and must be dealt with. To some degree, violence- and even gun violence even occurs outside urban areas too- and this is a severe issue that needs addressed and remedied everywhere. But guns are here and have a purpose other than violence and crime, too. Guns have uses other than robbery, murder and making sure drug-deals go smoothly.

I was raised in rural Illinois, 3 hours south of Chicago and 3 hours north of St. Louis. I love living in a quiet, natural setting with relatively close access to huge cities. But much of my rural lifestyle has incorporated healthy, necessary use of guns. (Just last month my Dad had to shoot an over-aggressive, possibly-rabid skunk that got into a neighbor's dog-pen and threatened to harm the dog's new pups.

I also lived in Alaska for 13 years where I was a chef at wilderness lodges and remote site Alaskan work-camps for the oil, commercial-fishing and mining industries. I likely don't have to tell anyone how much a part of life guns are in Alaska!

There is violence and crime everywhere- especially in huge cities where there's a huge concentration of people. Much of the violence and crime that occurs is even taking place with guns. But to over-regulate or prohibit use of guns by a moose hunter in Alaska- a farmer or a deer hunter in rural Illinois, or Kentucky, or Georgia or Mississippi- because gangs use guns in Philly, NYC, Chicago, Boston or DC is missing the mark. Very respectfully, that's not dealing with guns properly at all- IN MY OPINION.

[Big Daddy's Kitchen]

I THOUGHT that your avatar is of a classrom of little kids.

[mrsjimmyp]

I admire your willingness to help kids. So many nowadys don't have any Guidance.If parents would stand up and be a parent those kids would not turn to Gangs and violence.This world would be in a better place if the children were not neglected and forgotten.

Very well said Kev. Here in Mississippi kids are taught respect for guns at a early age. I live way out in the country on a gravel road 7 miles to the nearest town. Never know what kind of Varmit will come along. So yes I have a gun and know how to use it to protect my family and animals. Criminals don't have respect for anyone or anything. Taking their guns away won't do anything. They will just go out and get more.

[Big Daddy's Kitchen]

I truly hope and pray to God that those kids don't go sour and become gangbangers, drug users or start packing guns, or alcoholics and start drunk driving. God forbid!!!

I want them to have a very bright outlook and a very positive future.

With all this blasted violence and shootings going on during this hot summer, I shutter to even listen to the news at times for fear of hearing that one of these innocent little kids who I tutoring or even the ones who I met and became friends with at the school, might have gotten shot in a gang war!!! I'd be so heartbroken and devasatated if any of them were!!!

They are the sons and daughters that I never had. I love them all and don't want any of them to become victims of violence and gang war!!

[Mama Mangia]

I've tutored from 5 through college level. Including teen-age prostitiutes, e-drug addicts and rehabilitated ex-cons. I taught for years as well.

I loved it. Never mattered to me who it was!