On Tuesdays here at FHS, our very own math teacher Ms. Lilly Amoon offers an after school tutoring program to help students needing extra help with math. As Ms. Amoon herself said, math can be intimidating and difficult, which is why this program is such a valuable asset for struggling students.
One of the reasons the program is so important to Ms. Amoon is because she acknowledges that some students may not have the resources to get extra help outside of school.
When asked if there was a noticeable growth amongst the students she’d helped tutor, Ms. Amoon said, “I don’t teach most of the students that have come to Tuesday tutoring. They are in other classes, so I don’t see their test and quiz grades or any possible growth in their work. However, I have had a few students mention that the tutoring helped them pass a test that they were worried about. Just this week, an excellent student came by for tutoring and we worked on preparing for their test the next day. They came back a few days later to tell me that they had earned a great grade on their test. I am always so excited to hear this from students and so proud of the work that they are putting in! I hope the tutoring is helping the students that come, even in just gaining more confidence with the material.”
Many students agree that it’s incredibly refreshing to see a teacher put so much effort into their students. I was also curious about what Ms. Amoon considers the most rewarding part of being a part of the math department/offering extra help to students in need, since it is such a large feat to take on as a teacher and she said, “It is extremely hard to answer this last question, because there are so many rewards. I love the work that I get to do everyday. I enjoy meeting students and getting to know them. I enjoy building a class culture that is hopefully enjoyable to the students. One of the most rewarding parts of this work is watching as students grow into their own. I love when students start to enjoy their work and start to feel confident in their skills. Like when that student came to tell me that they had made a great grade on their test, that just makes me so happy. I know how hard these students are working and the effort they are putting in, so their success and excitement brings me a lot of joy. I have been lucky enough to have some students say that my class has changed their opinion of mathematics, that they enjoy math now or at least don’t hate it as much. That has been an amazing reward.”
In my opinion I hope that the Tuesday tutoring program tradition is one that continues to grow and help even more students in need. If anyone reading this is struggling with math I would highly suggest looking into this program.
