{"id":142145,"date":"2025-05-07T20:01:56","date_gmt":"2025-05-08T01:01:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/?p=142145"},"modified":"2025-05-07T20:07:31","modified_gmt":"2025-05-08T01:07:31","slug":"tutoring-at-gigis-more-than-teaching-our-participants","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/2025\/05\/07\/tutoring-at-gigis-more-than-teaching-our-participants\/","title":{"rendered":"Tutoring at GiGi\u2019s: More Than Teaching Our Participants\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Volunteering at GiGi&#8217;s Playhouse can be an incredibly fulfilling journey.&nbsp; As a volunteer literacy and math tutor, you can expect to share your knowledge, help students grow their skills, and maybe gain some teaching experience along the way. The bonus is how much you will learn\u2014and how deeply you will be impacted by the incredible individuals you meet.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">GiGi\u2019s Playhouse is more than a learning center. It\u2019s a vibrant community built on acceptance, belief, and celebration of potential. Every program offered here is free to families, and each one is designed to meet individuals with Down syndrome where they are\u2014helping them build confidence, independence, and essential academic skills. These academic skills are sharpened and formed in our Literacy and Math programs. &nbsp;<br>&nbsp;<br>As a Literacy and\/or Math volunteer, you can have the privilege of helping participants improve their reading, writing, and mathematical skills, fostering a love for learning and empowering our students to reach their full potential.&nbsp;<br>But don\u2019t take our word for it! This is what Jeff, one of GiGi\u2019s Wausau\u2019s volunteers, had to say about his experience as a Literacy volunteer:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">&nbsp;\u201cWhat is a challenge you\u2019ve overcome while volunteering?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">I think my biggest challenge was getting past the idea that I had nothing to offer. I didn\u2019t know what to expect when I started volunteering and that was a little scary too. I just decided I would do my best, not demand perfection of myself and see what happens. What happened is I made a friend who I really enjoy spending time with. It has been really fun to see Corbyn grow and learn and to be a small part of it.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"487\" height=\"647\" src=\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/files\/2025\/05\/Corbyn-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-142149\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/files\/2025\/05\/Corbyn-1.jpg 487w, https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/files\/2025\/05\/Corbyn-1-226x300.jpg 226w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 487px) 100vw, 487px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">As a tutoring volunteer, your primary role is to assist participants in developing their reading and writing abilities and\/or math skills.&nbsp; This involves:&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>One-on-One Tutoring: Tailoring lessons to meet the unique needs and learning styles of each participant.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Creative Projects: Integrating art, music, and games into lessons to make learning enjoyable and engaging.\u00a0<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Volunteering at GiGi&#8217;s Playhouse comes with its own set of challenges. Each participant has different abilities and learning styles, requiring patience, creativity, and adaptability. However, the rewards far outweigh the challenges. Witnessing the joy on a participant\u2019s face when they master a new skill or the pride they feel when they read a book or solve an equation independently is incredibly fulfilling.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhat would you tell someone who is considering volunteering at GiGi\u2019s?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">You are needed and you have a lot to give. Just jump in and allow yourself to embrace what happens when you do.\u201d &nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-full\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"347\" height=\"361\" src=\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/files\/2025\/05\/Corbyn2-1.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-142148\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/files\/2025\/05\/Corbyn2-1.jpg 347w, https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/files\/2025\/05\/Corbyn2-1-288x300.jpg 288w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 347px) 100vw, 347px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Okay, but how much time is involved with being a tutor? That\u2019s a fair question!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Each tutoring session is 45 minutes to an hour and does require some preparation time on the part of our tutors. You will be given training and guidance as you start your journey into tutoring through the GiGi\u2019s Playhouse network. Tutoring is broken up into 3 sessions per year (10-15 weeks) and our next session is this summer from June 2<sup>nd<\/sup> through August 10<sup>th<\/sup>. You have until May 18<sup>th<\/sup> to sign up to be a summer tutor!&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-columns is-layout-flex wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-8f761849 wp-block-columns-is-layout-flex\">\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:66.66%\">\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">\u201cWhy do you volunteer at GiGi\u2019s?&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\">Because I want to contribute to our community in a meaningful way.\u201d&nbsp;<br>\u201cI\u2019ve been working with Corbyn for the past couple of years. Corbyn is the best thing about it. I love his positive energy and enthusiasm for life.\u201d&nbsp;<\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-column is-layout-flow wp-block-column-is-layout-flow\" style=\"flex-basis:33.33%\">\n<figure class=\"wp-block-image size-large\"><img decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"1024\" src=\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/files\/2025\/05\/literacy-pic-768x1024.jpg\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-142150\" srcset=\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/files\/2025\/05\/literacy-pic-768x1024.jpg 768w, https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/files\/2025\/05\/literacy-pic-225x300.jpg 225w, https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/files\/2025\/05\/literacy-pic-1152x1536.jpg 1152w, https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/files\/2025\/05\/literacy-pic.jpg 1440w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\"><strong>Please feel free to reach out and ask questions about becoming a tutor or about volunteering in another capacity today!\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">For more information on our Literacy program click <a href=\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/one-on-one-literacy-tutoring\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/one-on-one-literacy-tutoring\/\">HERE!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"has-text-align-center wp-block-paragraph\">For more information on our Math program click <a href=\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/one-on-one-math-tutoring\/\" data-type=\"link\" data-id=\"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/one-on-one-math-tutoring\/\">HERE!<\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p class=\"wp-block-paragraph\"><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Volunteering at GiGi&#8217;s Playhouse can be an incredibly fulfilling journey.&nbsp; As a volunteer literacy and math tutor, you can expect to share your knowledge, help students grow their skills, and maybe gain some teaching experience along the way. The bonus is how much you will learn\u2014and how deeply you will be impacted by the incredible&hellip;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":342,"featured_media":142150,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"wpo365_audiences":[],"wpo365_private":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[252,251,234,239,246],"tags":[247,240,20,270],"class_list":["post-142145","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-community","category-gigis-playhouse","category-programs","category-special-education","category-volunteering","tag-community","tag-education","tag-gigis-playhouse-wausau","tag-volunteering"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142145","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/342"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=142145"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/142145\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/142150"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=142145"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=142145"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/gigisplayhouse.org\/wausau\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=142145"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}