CPS

I have been tutoring Deacesa on Wednesdays for about a month now. I pick her up after work and we go to the library in Newport to go over her homework. I am amazed at the stories she tells me about what goes on in her classrooms and the teacher's lack of interested in their success.

She is in the 7th grade and I had to show her the proper way to take notes. The proper way to write out equations in math. I also showed her the basics of using an assignment notebook and how much easier it is to stay organized with folders; things I had no idea a 7th grader would not already be doing out of habit.

I looked over all of her past tests and homework assignments and everything is simply marked right or wrong. There are no corrections, suggestions for improvement, nothing that would help her better her grades.

Yesterday she told me she had a substitute teacher for math. The sub decided not to teach because he didn't know how to do the math. Now I'm no math wiz but the math that she is working on is not hard. Give me 10 minutes to look at the chapter and I can teach it. I have been doing it each week in our tutoring sessions. Instead the children rapped, the teacher rapped, followed by a discussion on 'baby momma drama.' Is this really the best that Cincinnati Public Schools have to offer? It's definitely a wake up call for me.

I became interested in being a mentor because I knew that there were children out there that did not have the advantages that I did growing up, but I really am shocked to see just how bad the intercity's school system is. I am looking forward to their next Parent/Teacher conference because I will definitely be in attendence. I have a feeling they won't like me too much when I'm through. It's inexusable to allow a child's education to slip through the cracks. Her course work is in no way preparing her for a real highschool and most certainly not preparing her for higher education.