The Wesley Tutoring program takes place in the Wesley Community Center, which is adjacent to the Wesley Clinic. Medical students tutor children in elementary school (K-5th grade), helping with reading, writing, and math skills. These children come from very low income families and greatly look forward to working with tutors.
Before starting, volunteers must attend a brief orientation which will cover ground rules and expectations.
TIPS FOR SUCCESS
It’s amazing what kids can get excited about if
you’re excited. Always be positive and motivational, and provide feedback that is specific
Discourage complaining and distraction
Don’t be afraid to assert
reasonable authority
Attention spans are very limited, so you may have to come up with creative ways to keep the kids engaged
Test understanding. Have them explain back to you and ask them questions about what they've learned
Do not do their work for them, this will not help them learn
Tackle what’s realistic for the kid and the time frame
Do not let bad behavior slide. We are not just there as tutors
Be consistent
It is perfectly okay to work with the same student frequently
Keeping 1-2 kids to a table is really helpful
BASIC POLICIES
Program Director and Afterschool Program Coordinator: Josh Daniels (jdaniels@wccphx.net)
Stay off your cell phone around the kids
Dress appropriately. Casual clothing is acceptable. Look presentable - no revealing clothing, etc.
Never be in a room alone with a kid
Never let kids sit on your lap; hugs are okay at
the shoulders, not the waist
Sign in/out into UofA Binder in the front desk with each visit
If a child is not respecting you, other kids, or
the tutoring space, report immediately to the program director
Report any mention of abuse or violence directly
to Johnny IMMEDIATELY
If you have an emergency and can’t attend
Wesley, you must e-mail the program leader Jeffrey Wang (nakhaie@email.arizona.edu) ASAP. Otherwise, you must provide a 24 hour cancellation notice to prevent being docked CHIP hours
WHAT TO EXPECT ON YOUR FIRST DAY
The front desk will tell you where you need to go. Please arrive a few minutes early (just on the first day!)
Bring a copy of your fingerprint clearance card, government-issued ID (eg license, passport), and UofA ID
Make sure the front desk shows you where the volunteer UofA sign in sheet is
SCHEDULE
Address Location #1:
Golden Gate Community Center - 1625 North 39th Avenue Phoenix, AZ 85009
To enrich the learning of underserved K-8th grade students with one-on-one tutoring through the Wesley Afterschool Program
To provide positive interactions between underserved youth and medical students, in order to enrich both medical students' understanding of the lives of these children as well as to expose the children to careers in medicine early on
To enhance the teaching skills of medical students, as they will be teachers of some form in their profession
Program Leadership
Jeffrey Wang E-mail: jkwang@email.arizona.edu
My name is Jeffrey Wang and I am currently a first year medical student at the University of Arizona College of Medicine - Phoenix. I completed my undergraduate Microbiology degree at the University of California, San Diego and worked at the University of California, San Francisco as a laboratory assistant for two years before being accepted into the UACOMP Class of 2020. Please feel free to contact me with any question regarding this wonderful program.
