Miss Betty Allen first started primary school teaching in 1950. More than 60 years later, she’s still involved, though nowadays her schoolroom is the Uniting Church in Katoomba Street.
Miss Allen runs the Primary Learning Support Centre at the church. It offers low-cost help to primary students who might be struggling in class.
Every Wednesday, for an hour after school, Miss Allen and her team of volunteers helps Years 1-3 students. On a Thursday, it’s time for Years 4-6 pupils. And all for just $25 a term.
The support centre has helped numerous children from a range of Mountains schools in the five years it has been running. This is its sixth year.
“I know that not every child in a class understands the explanations the teachers are giving,” Miss Brown said. “In a room of 20 to 30 kids, some fall through the cracks and they’re the ones I’m interested in.”
The volunteer tutors all have some teaching background, being either retired or, in some cases, casual teachers.
The tutors don’t set homework, Miss Allen said.
“We concentrate on finding the levels of need for each individual child. “If I can get enough tutors, the ideal is to have one-on-one [tutoring].”
Miss Allen won’t know until the first day of term whether she has enough tutors for this year but she’s always happy to hear from volunteers and from potential students. She can be contacted on 4757 3435.
