Service Learning

Tutoring at Soccer Without Borders

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Realizing the Power of Mentorship during the Pandemic

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Soccer Without Borders (SWB) is a unique program because it combines soccer with academic coaching and preparation. Many students are immigrants or refugees and may face linguistic, economic, cultural, and social barriers. Combining academic support with soccer, which teaches teamwork, confidence, and many other important lessons on and off the field, helps the children and teens to thrive.

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Service Activities: 

SWB Academic Tutor

Shriver Center’s PRAC 096 Service Learning & Community Engagement (SLCE) course

• Fall 2019, 45 hours

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As an SWB academic tutor, I helped students to understand and complete their homework via Zoom. I also practiced English with the students by utilizing ESL (English as a Second Language) games including Pictionary, Scattergories, Family Feud, and a variety of Kahoot quizzes. I also completed SLCE reflection assignments.

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Reflection

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My experience as a Soccer Without Borders (SWB) tutor has broadened my perception and understanding of the greater Baltimore community. Through tutoring with SWB, I had great opportunities to talk to and work with students, graduates of the program, and coaches. I learned about the struggles and triumphs faced by students and their families, who previously lived in different countries. Listening to students has made me more aware of global cultures and customs, as well as global conflicts and challenges forcing many people to search for better lives in new countries. It has also made me more aware of Baltimore’s refugee community, and how each person has their own experience, yet we all are connected and share similarities.

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This is linked to my challenge because solar energy is making an impact on refugee camps. Recent introductions of solar energy to refugee camps help to power water pumps and provide lighting, thus improving health, sanitation, and safety for people in Jordan, Kenya, and other locations. As solar energy becomes more economical and accessible, it will help improve the lives of people around the world, especially the world’s most vulnerable populations.

 

During this pandemic, everyone is facing challenges, and societal inequities are more apparent. Due to tutoring via Zoom, I have become more aware of the technological disparities in society. Not everyone has the privilege of consistent internet connection vital to learning virtually and to spaces where one can focus solely on academics. This pandemic highlights these inequities, and I hope to make a positive impact on leveling the field for all students. 

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This experience has taught me to be more patient and flexible; it has also shown me how important mentorship is. During this semester, I shared my experience as an undergraduate mechanical engineering student. This helped encourage students and illustrate how the subjects that they were learning are useful. Simply sharing my experience and encouraging students helped motivate them through this difficult time. Consequently, I have witnessed how mentorship has the power to encourage and empower young people. This experience has inspired me to continue mentoring throughout my career and to hopefully improve the school systems into one that instills life-long curiosity.

 

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Learning Objectives: 

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Flexibility

Technological difficulties were common when tutoring via Zoom, but I learned to be flexible and utilize resources like the chat feature, an alternative device, and adapt to what audio and/or video was available. Likewise, different students have different coursework, which I did not have access to beforehand, so I found resources online and took everything step-by-step. Also, sometimes the academic tutoring time was canceled or shifted due the 2020 election, a ransomware attack on the school system, and other reasons. In all cases, I altered my schedule.

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Teamwork

At times, I co-tutored with other academic tutors or coaches.

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Community Engagement

Through Zoom tutoring sessions, training, and the SWB FootGolf Fundraiser, I connected with SWB students, staff members, and the greater community supporting SWB.

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Civic Agency

Working with students and coaches will allowed me to connect with others and be an active member of the SWB community, who encouraged academic learning and practicing English in a fun way. As a tutor, I also assumed a mentor-like role, I further realized the importance of supporting younger students as they continue to develop confidence and resilience.

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Capacity for Reflection

I reflected upon my performance and continually improved the efficacy of my teaching methods. Teaching is all about relationships, and I realized how supporting individuals makes an impact at a local level, like small ripples, yet these ripples can create huge waves of positive change.