May 2024 Best of All

In May, we’re ramping up for our annual run walk and summer programming but we also close out our spring one-on-one session. All of the highlights below are somehow connected to the spring session.

Participant Best of All

Math is hard for some, and word problems are even harder. Lisa worked on money skills and general math this session. Her tutor Katelyn decided that word problems were a great way to make the math activities similar to actual life events by using word problems. Lisa loved the word problems as Katelyn wrote them using Lisa’s family members’ names. In one session, Lisa worked through 2 word problems using addition independently. Way to do your Best of All, Lisa! As Lisa would say, “you go girl!”

Volunteer Spotlight

Luke has been participating in math tutoring at GiGi’s Playhouse on and off for many years. This session he had a few great-big Best of All’s!!!  Luke conquered touch-math 5 AND wrote his first addition equation independently. Luke’s dedication and support from Mom and tutor Mikki helped make this possible. Let’s hear it for Luke!!! Also, let’s hear it for Mikki! Mikki joined the tutoring team last minute to replace a math tutor who had to withdraw.  She jumped right in and got her training done in less than a week and was ready to go. Her student Luke was thrilled to meet a new tutor and the two immediately built a good relationship. She not only tutored Luke in person here at our Playhouse but also tutored an individual virtually with the Virtual Playhouse.

Sadly, we did not get a picture of Luke and Mikki together during the spring session but the good news is they will see each other again soon for the summer session!

Playhouse Inspiration

For the last literacy lesson of the spring session, Matthew (adult, level 3 in purposeful progressions) asked the tutor to read to him for a change of pace. Matthew was able to summarize the stories well. The cool part of the lesson was the discussion of how punctuation (the other skill he worked hard on this session) affects how things are read aloud. How punctuation changes the way you sound when reading and how it can increase the understanding of what is being read. What a fantastic way to practice reading, listening, and grammar all at the same time! Well done Matthew and Jane!

The bonus inspiration for this pair was being able to visit the local news station and tour the newsroom. Andrew Stutzke from WQAD was happy to have them visit and took the time to show them around AND let Matthew do some work on the green screen too!

What a pleasure it was getting to meet Matthew from GiGi’s Playhouse. He recently did a project on weather. David, Charles, and the rest of the team gave him and his family a front row seat to GMQC @11 and he even got to do some green screen magic!

From Andrew Stutzke’s Facebook

YOU can submit your Best of All stories and moments too!

These stories are typically chosen by staff but we’d love to hear from you too! If you see or hear something worth highlighting, please let us know!

309-762-7529 or email quadcities@gigisplayhouse.org

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