What a rewarding experience!

Hello! My name is Melissa Favata, and I am a math and literacy tutor at GiGi’s Playhouse in Hoffman Estates. I am a blended pre-kindergarten teacher for Woodstock District 200, and have been teaching for 8 years.  A close friend, who tutors for the center, told me all about the wonderful programs provided through this organization, and thought that I would fit right in. Volunteering for the past year as a math and literacy tutor has been a fantastic experience I have had the opportunity to tutor four students since signing up to volunteer and it has been so rewarding.

This session, I am working with a highly motivated 13-year-old girl, who is funny and outgoing. We started the session working on what multiplication is, and now she can recite math facts from the 1, 2, 3, and 5 times table. Seeing her eyes light up when she has mastered a concept is the best feeling a tutor can have, luckily for me she has mastered something new each class. After working with my student for one session, her sister told me at home she has seen progress in her learning abilities and motivation to work and that her teachers have said that my student has made improvements in her school work. Hearing that I made such an impact working with her only confirms my love for teaching and why these tutoring programs at GiGi’s Playhouse are so valuable.