Tutoring program helps prepare Blazers for mandatory tests

Starting the week of Jan. 12, IMPACT at Blair, Diversity workshop and other volunteer students will tutor ESOL students in preparation for the mandatory HSA tests that they have to pass as a result of the No Child Left Behind Act.

Tutoring will be held during both lunches. Volunteer students will tutor ESOL students one-on-one. "I think it's most effective if students help other students," said Ralph Bunday, sponsor and organizer of the tutoring program.

The focus of the program will be to teach ESOL students the language of the tests, not the subject. Bunday says he will try to use visual images to help teach the meaning of all the words the tests use.

Bunday says that his motives for running this group are to ensure that Blair passes these tests so that it won't fail to meet its "adequate yearly progress" (AYP) as stated in the No Child Left Behind Act. If a school doesn't make AYP toward its state's goals, they may be forced to comply to restructuring measures aimed at getting them back on course to meet the State standards. The act says that "if a school fails to make AYP for 4 consecutive years, the school district must implement certain corrective actions to improve the school, such as replacing certain staff or implementing a new curriculum."

Bunday believes that Blair needs to come together to prevent a second failing year. "Blair is an educational community. The students need to get involved. A community is best run if all of its members are supporting the community," he says.

If you would like more information on the program, or if you would like to volunteer as a tutor, please contact Ralph Bunday at Ralph_Bunday@fc.mcps.k12.md.us or IMPACT at Blair at impactblair@yahoo.com.