Tutoring at the MET School on November 20, 2014, By Fred Issa

Once again doing my Service Learning in the Inspiring Minds Program at the Met School on November 20, 2014. This weeks main occupation is to review Trimester Exhibitions that each Student must do. Today I reviewed two sophomore students give their presentations to their peer group, teachers, and staff members, as well as in front of their parents.

The first young female sophomore student to gave her presentation was home schooled until high school, so being around a lot of other students at a time was fairly new to her up until only last year. Her name is Ruth, and she just got back from the United Kingdom, where the family was on vacation, and where her Dad was born and raised. Ruth is a very busy young lady, as she takes classes in plastic welding and grinding, as well as doing an Internship in working with younger children in using clay to produce clay doves, as well as putting together plays in a local youth community center, besides coming to school four days a week. She has a good record of being in school almost every day and being on time.

While the presentation was forty minutes long and her powerpoint was basic and well done, and more than enough content and data in her documentation, she was a little nervous as this was her first time ever doing a presentation in front of an audience, she did well. If I were to make some constructive suggestions, I would tell her to initiate eye contact, as well as speak louder and slower. She did have Public Speaking, so she was more confident than any of the other students I have seen speak so far. This is definitely a girl to be going to College after high school to become a teacher.

The second young lady to give her presentation was also a first time sophomore presenter, but she did not yet have Public Speaking training yet. Her name is Naida and she gave Powerpoint and good data documentation in her presentation. Her voice was too low and I was in the last row and could not hear a lot of the presentation. She will definitely benefit from a Public Speaking course, or a very similar Carnegie Course. This young lady also loves children and will also be headed to college to become a Elementary School Teacher. I now have 25.8 hours of Service Learning at the Met, and will continue on until the end of the school semester. I like Tim Shannon's teaching style of firm but fair, and he was a gentle touch with his students in his class and in other classes as well. He does not embarrass his students, but takes them outside of viewing and hearing range of the other students and talks softly while gently admonishing them, looking to correct any negative behavior. He has a lot of patience, more like a parent than a teacher. I intend to return to the Met School next semester if there are opportunities.
Fred Issa