Our volunteer tutors include neighbors interested in children, parents of children in the program, adults from other United Methodist churches, Key Club members from Senn H.S., students from Loyola University, St. Scholastica H.S., and Wilmette Jr. High, and people from Epworth Church. Tutors come before or after work and in the midst of their college schedule. Some take time out from paying jobs to do volunteer tutoring. More tutors are needed at each session. We talk with parents about their children's report cards and scores on the Iowa Tests and help them understand them.
Some parents come to tutor, which is beneficial to all.
Every year we hold one or two Parents' Nights for the families of each group of children. Following a shared dinner, the children present short plays or recite poems for the parents. In the final Parents' Night of the year each student says a poem and receives a certificate. The evenings were the inspiration for a tri-lingual parents' group forming at Goudy School. We have seen parents go from a passive role in their child's education to overseeing their child's homework.