I got a short-term job at the North Carolina Center for Creative Retirement for the next five weeks. My official job is to assist the class instructors as they teach computering basics to retired seniors. What this entails is standing at the back of the room and looking for a student to lag behind. Then I swoop in with a gentle, “do you need help?” and then show the students what to do on a one-to-one basis. It went very well.
Overall I would say that most of the students were a pleasure to help. They were willing to learn and recognized their own limitations. Occasionally a student would get aggraviated at the assistance as they tried to be independent, but then they would admit to needing help. I understand how difficult it is to admit to needing guidance, but I feel that none of us were judging the students. In fact, I told many of the students how glad I am that they’re learning computing because my dad at 42 can barely use a computer.
I look forward to class resuming next week. At work, I teach computer basics to my elderly coworkers, so I already had some idea on how to approach this job. I’ve been looking to finding a similiar job out in the community at large. This has been very fulfilling work for me because I feel that I’m making a difference in these people’s lives. One woman’s daughters are both going off to college and she wants to keep in touch with them. I’m glad to be a part of that communication.
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