On September 21st, 2025, the AYLUS Roslyn Branch volunteered at the Chinese Cultural Association of Long Island from 1:30 PM to 5:00 PM. Our jobs as volunteers in the Chinese school were to become teachers’ assistants to minimize the work for them and give a helping hand.
As teacher assistants, we ease the teacher’s responsibilities while creating an engaging, fun, and learning environment for the children. To begin the class, we greet the teacher and the kids who walk into the classroom with a smile on our faces and help the kids unpack to gather the learning necessities they need for the class. This helps them stay engaged in the lesson. Beginning the class this way could help set a positive tone and a comfortable mood for the students to be ready to learn. Throughout the lessons, we assisted with various class needs, including escorting students to the bathroom, distributing classwork sheets, monitoring the classroom, printing extra copies, answering any questions the students may have about classwork or homework, and more. In the Chinese school, there’s a reward system that allows kids to participate, earn coupons, and bring them to the school store during break time to exchange for prizes earned. Additionally, we provide support to each student who may need help with classwork, ensuring that no one falls behind in the lesson. This allows the teacher to be fully concentrated on teaching, knowing that every student in the class has a helping hand. At the end of the class, we help the kids pack their belongings, say cheerful goodbyes, and convey a positive attitude to ensure that both guardians and students know that this school has an enjoyable and comforting community they can look forward to returning to. Even though these tasks may seem easy to handle, they still allowed the teachers to be less stressed in small matters and focus on the education they give to their students, which is their main duty as teachers.
Overall, having the duties as a TAs, gave us insight on what difficulties teachers face in the classroom and helped us develop patience, empathy, and a deeper appreciation for the effort required to create a meaningful learning experience. Despite the challenges, this opportunity gave us a rewarding experience to support young learners while contributing to a positive environment.
Members who participated include: Sofia Chen (3.5 hours), Joy Zou (3.5 hours), Abigail Zhao (3.5 hours), Rita Meng (3.5 hours) Joanna Huang (3.5 hours), Ethan Liu (3.5 hours), Shinree Zhang (3.5 hours), Ryan Lin (3.5 hours) Jaimie Zhao (3.5 hours) Charleen Fu (3.5 hours)
Reporter: Shinree Zhang
