Penelope’s Best of All: Growing Through Tutoring at GiGi’s Playhouse San Diego

Many school-age individuals with Down syndrome face extra challenges in school and may fall behind their peers when the right support isn’t available. At GiGi’s Playhouse San Diego, we believe every child deserves the chance to succeed. That’s why our free one-on-one tutoring programs in math and literacy are designed to give students the personalized help, consistency, and encouragement they need to thrive.

“Penelope enjoys tutoring very much. She looks forward to her sessions with Miss Jane every Saturday and reminds us of her appointment.” – Penelope’s Dad

Meet Penelope

One shining example is Penelope. Penelope participates in GiGi’s Playhouse San Diego’s Math Tutoring Program—and she absolutely loves it!

Through her consistent sessions with her tutor, Miss Jane, Penelope has not only strengthened her math skills but also formed a wonderful bond built on trust and joy.

Progress Through Tutoring

After a number of regular tutoring sessions, Penelope’s parents began to notice real improvements in her math skills. They shared, “We have noticed improvement with her addition and subtraction. Penelope is successful when she has patterns, routines and processes in place. This is what encouraged us to pursue tutoring.”

This consistency and individualized approach are exactly what make GiGi’s tutoring programs so effective. We see it again and again: when individuals with Down syndrome are paired with dedicated tutors, they gain both academic skills and confidence. Penelope and Miss Jane are one of many pairs who show how powerful these ongoing connections can be.

Her parents also added, “We look forward to continuing her tutoring, and we are excited to see the progress continue. Thank you for your support, please keep up the good work and thank you for what you do for our community!”

We here at GiGi’s certainly agree and have seen the benefit of constituency among our participant and volunteer connections. This can been see throughout all of our meaningful programs but even more so in our one on one tutoring. GiGi’s Playhouse San Diego has had the pleasure of host many ongoing tutoring pairs such as Penelope and Miss Jane and can see the growth within each pair.

Penelope’s parents also added, “We look forward to continuing her tutoring, and we are excited to see the progress continue. Thank you for your support, please keep up the good work and thank you for what you do for our community!”

A Tutor’s Perspective

Miss Jane also reflected on her time with Penelope:
“I want to thank you for allowing me to spend time with sweet Penelope. Some “best” moments include her teasing me by putting on my glasses when I’m not looking, staring up at me with a serious grin, hoping I won’t notice. Watching her cheerful nature as she continues to work through our little math exercises, always with a smile is a real joy. She’s truly a delight and I have really enjoyed our time together!!!”

Why Tutoring Matters

Penelope’s story is one of many that show how critical tutoring is for individuals with Down syndrome. With the right support, patterns, and encouragement, students can grow academically and build the confidence they need to succeed in school and beyond. Tutoring provides more than just academic help—it gives our participants the opportunity to develop problem-solving skills, establish consistent learning habits, and experience the joy of mastering new concepts. For many children, these one-on-one connections with caring tutors make all the difference in fostering independence and a lifelong love of learning.

If you are interested in GiGi’s Math and Literacy Tutoring as a volunteer or participant, please reach out to sandiego@gigisplayhouse.org for more details.