Texas Teachers Volunteer To 'Launch' Students To Success

A middle school in Lake Jackson, Texas, is providing a launching pad to success for its students through a grassroots afterschool program, reports The Facts.

Created in September by a fifth-grade math teacher, Tracy Grotte, the Launching Pad program connects teachers with Rasco Middle School students who need extra help. Approximately 15 teachers volunteer their time in the library to help students maintain their grades and give them extra boost needed to complete their work.

Students can bring their homework and get help from teachers, or just sit and read, Grotte said. The teachers who volunteer to spend an hour in the library with students --most of whom are not in their own classes -- are giving of themselves and their time simply to better the students' performance, she said.

Students who bring their homework have the added benefit of learning new concepts from different teachers with different approaches.

Snacks are donated by the community, but many come directly from the teachers' pockets. An average of 35 to 40 students attend the program, which is offered every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from the end of school to 4:30 p.m.

Though time spent with the students in the library could be used for grading papers or writing lesson plans, the teachers are happy to give their time and see that it makes teaching during the school day go much more smoothly.

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