On October 25, 2026, the AYLUS Roslyn branch volunteered as teacher assistants at the Chinese Cultural Association of Long Island (CCALI) from 1:30 p.m. to 5:00 p.m. to assist students and teachers with their daily tasks, including schoolwork, preparation, and other responsibilities, while ensuring everything remained organized and efficient.
The first part of the volunteering experience involved assisting students and teachers with their assigned tasks. Our responsibilities began with welcoming each student and helping them get settled and prepared before class started. During this time, the teacher would provide worksheets, class assignments, or homework for us to distribute or collect. While the students settled in, the teacher would often play videos introducing basic Chinese concepts to help them review and strengthen their understanding. We also assisted by accompanying students during breaks or taking them to the bathroom, allowing the teacher to focus on teaching and managing the class. Typically, each class had around one to three teaching assistants who worked together to ensure that lessons ran smoothly and that students could make the most of their learning time.
The second part of the volunteering experience involved cultural classes. These classes offered a variety of activities, including dance, arts, chess, diabolo, and martial arts. I was assigned to assist with chess, where I had the opportunity to watch the students build their thinking skills. At the same time, I helped supervise the students and ensure they could get a good understanding of the game and have a fun time.
Volunteering as teaching assistants provides us with valuable experience in understanding the responsibilities of a teacher. It also helps us develop important qualities such as patience, teamwork, and responsibility. Additionally, it allows us to interact with enthusiastic students and support their learning to help them succeed in their classes.
Reporter: Neal Zheng
Karina Shao (3.5 hours), Chloe Chen (3.5 hours), Chloe Liu (3.5 hours), Lerine Zhang (3.5 hours), Kayden Lin (3.5 hours), Neal Zheng (3.5 hours), Yuna Zhang (3.5 hours), Gia Zou (3.5 hours), Aidan Li (3.5 hours)
