Tutoring Program
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Every Monday after school, approximately twenty Brookline High students visit the Mather Elementary School in Dorchester to work one-on-one with approximately 40 kindergarten to fifth grade students. We have also recently begun to tutor three days a week at the High St. Housing Family Center. Tutors inspire a life-long love of books and strengthen literacy skills through a combination of partnered reading, structured games, art projects, and thematic trips. The program also trains Brookline High School students to become leaders, tutors, and positive role models. We work to foster an appreciation for service and social justice in high school students, and an example of such for the elementary students. See the reflections from Brookline and Mather staff below.
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FOR STUDENTS TO APPLY:
If you are a student and would like to tutor, please apply and, once accepted, submit a signed parent permission form. Tutors will need to read and sign the Tutoring Manual prior to starting their service each year.
Stay tuned for links to the application, parent permission form, and tutor manual once the 2019-2020 school year begins!
Stay tuned for links to the application, parent permission form, and tutor manual once the 2019-2020 school year begins!
Reflections on the Program
"When I volunteered to chaperone for the Brookline Literacy Partnership, I was simply trying to 'do my duty' and support my friend Roger Grande, but when I got to the school and watched what happened at the Mather between our students and those kids, I realized how lucky I was to be connected, even in a small way, with this program. The eyes of the Mather students lit up when our students arrived, and they were excited to pick out the books they would read, sometimes dragging their reading partner by the hand. What may be most amazing is how much this program is truly student-led; the BHS students are organized, mature, focused. They even debrief their experience on the way home in the van, sharing strategies to try to deal with challenging students or situations. I wasn't just impressed, I was inspired." Mary Burchenal, English Department Chair
“The Brookline Literacy Partnership After School Tutoring at The Mather School provides our students with one to one literacy tutoring that they wouldn't be able to get otherwise. The tutoring allows our students to have someone read with them and help them build literacy skills. More than 60% of our students don't read on grade level, and many are English Language Learners who don't have parents who can help them learn literacy skills, so the free tutoring that BLP provides helps our students become better readers and learners.” Maura O'Toole, Mather School Librarian
“The Brookline Literacy Partnership is everything great about BHS. It's highly motivated kids, donating an afternoon, working with kids to develop their love of learning - it doesn't get much better than that as a teacher. It is a magical, wondrous moment watching a room full of young people embracing the value of learning. Every time I chaperone to help the program, it is invigorating to my teaching!” Malcolm Cawthorne, History Teacher
“The Brookline Literacy Partnership After School Tutoring at The Mather School provides our students with one to one literacy tutoring that they wouldn't be able to get otherwise. The tutoring allows our students to have someone read with them and help them build literacy skills. More than 60% of our students don't read on grade level, and many are English Language Learners who don't have parents who can help them learn literacy skills, so the free tutoring that BLP provides helps our students become better readers and learners.” Maura O'Toole, Mather School Librarian
“The Brookline Literacy Partnership is everything great about BHS. It's highly motivated kids, donating an afternoon, working with kids to develop their love of learning - it doesn't get much better than that as a teacher. It is a magical, wondrous moment watching a room full of young people embracing the value of learning. Every time I chaperone to help the program, it is invigorating to my teaching!” Malcolm Cawthorne, History Teacher
