Volunteers We’re Talkin’ To: Jerry and Evelyn Baruch
We hope you enjoyed our interview with Melinda Trauman two weeks ago (click here to read it), and we have an exciting double volunteer interview to share this week. Evelyn and Jerry Baruch are a wife and husband team that have been with KOREH L.A since 2005. They are currently volunteering at Rosewood Avenue Elementary in West Hollywood.
What is one piece of advice you think would be most useful for a new volunteer?
E: Allow time to get to know your student and for your student to know you. The first day should be used as a "get-acquainted" opportunity and to get a feel for the child's interests.
J: The orientation, (first meeting), should set the tone for both the KOREH volunteer, as well as the student. Exchange of personal data from both such as family members, birthdays, interests, etc., is essential. In this way, we get to know each other, making the relationship comfortable with a give-and-take feel instead of a classroom "teacher/student" atmosphere.
What is one challenge you were confronted with when volunteering, and how did you solve it?
E: The biggest challenge I faced was with a student who seemed easily distracted and a bit hyper. Shortly before the semester ended, it was casually mentioned to me that she had mild ADHD. By then it was too late to adjust my approach with her. I did learn a valuable lesson: If possible, get this kind of information in advance.
J: Sometimes, the 45 minutes spent with the student doesn't seem long enough. However, any more time and the student's attention wanders. So, I try to keep the student interested in the reading material provided by the school by adding my personal experiences and observations relating to the material, if any. I also bring additional reading material from my personal collection that is suitable to his grade level. If time permits, a "Word Game" that is simple, as well as educational, [can be fun].
What books are the most popular with the student(s) you work with?
E: Most of my second grade students have shown a preference for chapter books. The Amelia Bedelia books by Parish, and Poppleton series by Rylant were favorites.
J: Chapter books, depending on the student's interest, i.e., adventure, mystery, fantasy, sports, etc.
If you could change one thing about your volunteer experience, what would it be?
E: I would ask the teacher to let me know if my student has any specific learning challenges or problems that I should be aware of.
J: I would volunteer twice a week but my schedule does not permit me to do so.
Both Evelyn and Jerry give excellent pointers about the first day of volunteering. Many of our volunteers express that they are both nervous and excited about their first day. But just remember that both you and your student are probably nervous, to some degree. As Jerry points out, exchanging personal details can help you connect to the individual you are meeting. Getting a more complete picture of each other will certainly put you both at ease and you will be even more excited to learn even more about this person through the course of the year!
Also, please note that KOREH does not intentionally match volunteers with students that have learning disabilities. School coordinators are instructed to only match volunteers with students that are one to two reading levels behind. We would encourage volunteers to notify a school official if they believe that their student has a learning disability, but would also encourage you to remember that kids are often just kids and might have a shorter attention span than an adult does!
Thank you Evelyn and Jerry for your dedication to KOREH and all your hours spend with LAUSD students!
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