Michael Aymar’s students will be hosting free tutoring for middle schoolers.
Photo courtesy of the Michael Aymar Foundation.
Although school is officially over, that shouldn’t mean children stop learning. Rather than allowing our children to forget prior lessons taught by our teachers, learning should continue in a way that will be fun and memorable. Starting July 9, every Saturday at 10 – 11 A.M. there will be free tutoring workshops, courtesy of the Michael Aymar Foundation. It serves as a support to families during the summer months, in hopes of motivating and maintaining exceptional reading habits for children.
These workshops will not be in a traditional “classroom” setting, as it will be hosted at the West Orange Public Library. It will be more of a Q&A panel, where students can ask past students and volunteers/educators for advice, such as overcoming a weakness in either reading and writing. It will also touch on the importance of being able to speak in public.
“Mr. Aymar was a volunteer coach in the North Jersey Junior Forensics League for over 10 years. He believed public speaking was a fear that middle schoolers could overcome to provide more confidence,” said Amanda Aymar, his supportive wife.
Overall, previous students of Aymar will share stories and memorable lessons that will hopefully assist and spread the word to middle schoolers now. With the hope of passing down their wisdom and tips, students from these free tutoring services will benefit in a positive light. These timeless learning experiences can and will help other generations of kids to have an “aha” moment.
Noel J. Gonzalez, currently a Tax Manager at LS Power Development LLC, was a part of Mr. Aymar’s first 4th grade class at St. Anthony of Padua in Union City, NJ. Gonzalez spoke so highly of Aymar’s energy and performance in teaching literature and poetry. As most 4th graders, being very timid when being asked to read out loud, he stood on top of his desk and began to read out loud, bringing to life the words that were written in the textbooks. For Gonzalez, he instilled the power of the written word, but also of personal confidence. He believed this lesson was very important for students continuing into high school, especially in this age of cyber bullying.
“I believe it was in the 6th grade, Mr. Aymar was my English teacher and he had a parent/teacher meeting with my mom. My parents always pushed me to get good grades, so I was feeling confident about the meeting. Mr. Aymar asked my mom if I could be present in the meeting (typically the students might wait outside the classroom), and I vividly remember him telling my mom that I had an A- but that he could tell that I was not trying my best. He told her that he wanted me present so I could know that he and my parents could only push me so far, and that I would need to push myself to achieve my fullest potential. He taught me that even if we succeed, we should strive to achieve our personal best whether it be a C or A+. As you may be aware, Mr. Aymar started his teaching career later in his professional life. This spring, I enrolled in the MBA program at Caldwell University, almost 8 years after completing my Bachelor’s Degree in Accounting from King’s College in Wilkes-Barre, PA. I credit Mr. Aymar with giving me the needed “push” to pursue this educational endeavor, and can’t thank him enough for teaching me that crucial lesson so many years ago.” said Gonzalez.
Other previous students of Aymar’s had awe-inspiring words to share:
“Mr. Aymar, you always believed in me when I didn’t believe in myself. You gave me confidence when I had none. You completely changed the way I look at school and learning. My writing skills would be nowhere near what they are today without your influence. You coached me through countless papers in in middle school, and even in high school and college via email. I am forever grateful for all the help and guidance you’ve given me over the years. You will always be my favorite teacher,” said Lauren Chrobocinski.
“There is no one that impacted our lives in that small school more than you did. You would read Edgar Allen Poe and Shakespeare instead of sticking to only the textbook. [From] the many classroom ‘beach days,’ yearly picture splash, stream of consciousness, making everyone feel special on Valentine’s Day, battling it out with Brain Quest, our fun class trips, inviting us into your home and [I] can’t forget those delicious brownies your wife would make. Those are just some of the incredible memories me and the St. Anthony family will remember of you. You are a great part of who I am today and those memories of you will forever stay in my heart. A subjective complement completes the meaning of a linking verb and refers back to the subject,” said Lily Santos.
The Michael Aymar Foundation would like to “take this concept to other libraries where there are past students of Mr. Aymar, or where we have volunteer tutors who are passionate about helping middle schoolers see the importance of proper communication both verbal and written. Helping kids at this stage, improves their success in high school and beyond,” said Amanda Aymar, beloved wife.
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