Some of the peope who will be involved in the Rotary Learning Centre, an after-school tutoring program, met Friday at Osoyoos Baptist Church, where the program will be held. From left are: Anne Marie Brousseau, Carol Osborne, David Adamson, Brian Rawlings, Bill Saul and Audrie Cox. Brosseau, Adamson and Cox are retired teachers and Osborne is a former teacher assistant. Saul is moderator at the church. Adamson and Rawlings came up with the idea after a game of squash. (Richard McGuire photo)
Osoyoos students who need a little extra help with their studies can now get assistance from volunteer retired teachers in a new program launched this week.
The program operates after school, Monday to Thursday, at the Osoyoos Baptist Church and is called the Rotary Learning Centre because the Rotary Club of Osoyoos is helping to sponsor it.
Tutoring assistance is free and is available on a drop-in basis.
The idea for the project came about after a game of squash.
David Adamson, who recently retired as a teacher in Vancouver, moved permanently to Osoyoos in June. He wanted a way to stay involved in education.
Brian Rawlings, a past president of Rotary, has an interest in children and schooling and has volunteered with the elementary school’s One-to-One reading program.
He also happens to be a member of the Baptist Church, which is right on the route many students take on their way to and from Osoyoos Secondary School (OSS).
“We were playing squash together,” said Adamson. “I think we both had run out of steam and we needed something to do when we were gasping for air, so we started talking about kids.”
From there the idea was born.
Rawlings obtained support from his church to provide the facility and from Rotary to sponsor it.
“The church was an ideal location,” said Rawlings. “And education is one of focuses of Rotary, so this was just a natural fit and the board of Rotary has approved funding for it.”
Adamson clarified that although the Baptist Church is providing the facility and is supportive, it is not a church project and there is no religious element to the tutoring.
The two contacted local retired teachers willing to volunteer a couple hours periodically to help students with problems they may be having with their coursework.
“If kids want to go on to university or college, some of the entrance standards are incredibly high these days,” said Adamson. “Very often the kids will need help getting from 80 to 90.”
It is more difficult than in the past to obtain the necessary grades, he said.
Both Adamson and Rawlings believe this is the first time such a service has been offered in Osoyoos, although there are commercial enterprises offering tutoring.
“But it’s getting expensive,” said Adamson.
He’s taught in schools in Edmonton and Vancouver and all, he said, have had some kind of after-school tutoring program.
“It’s either been at the school or outside of school in co-operation with the school,” he said. “We’ve worked closely together and it’s worked very, very well.”
Adamson said he met with OSS principal Mike Safek, who was supportive of the project.
Although the program is aimed at high school students, Adamson and Rawlings say elementary school students needing help won’t be turned away.
Indeed, some of the volunteer teachers have taught at both levels.
At a meeting Friday afternoon to hammer out some of the final details, the two met with two of the volunteer teachers, Anne Marie Brousseau and Audrie Cox, as well as Carol Osborne, a former teacher aide.
Other volunteers include Eileen Dumont, Ginette Langevin and Anne Murseli.
Together these teachers have taught in a wide range of subject areas. Adamson himself has a doctorate in secondary school education and has taught many subjects in math and science.
Other volunteer teachers cover humanities, English, social studies, languages and arts.
Rawlings and Adamson said they’ve heard from parents and students who are interested in the program, but the two have no idea what kind of numbers to expect.
They’re putting the word out through schools and with posters, but they’re counting on the message to reach students by word of mouth.
“Once people get to know what’s happening, then one kid will tell another kid who will tell a parent,” said Adamson. “I’m hoping that it will snowball.”
It may take a while to become known, but Adamson stresses that it’s not a short-term project.
“We want this to be a thing that goes on for a number of years,” he said. “We want to keep it going if it’s felt to be a positive for the kids.”
RICHARD McGUIRE
Osoyoos Times
