Since the spring of 2019, Sejjad has been an active volunteer in more than one program. From After-school Tutoring in Ypsilanti and Ann Arbor, to Summer Writers Club, and even field trips, Sejjad always brings his best to the table.
For example, over the summer of 2019, Sejjad worked with an emerging writer in Writers Club, a six-session program where students brainstorm, write, revise and publish their work. Sejjad worked one-on-one with the program’s youngest student, a six-year-old writer in a group full of older elementary/middle school students. Sejjad was the best possible person to have working with this young writer, because of the way he balances a calm and caring approach to relationship-building with a gentle push and kind refusal to back down. The student’s initial hesitance to write his story, despite having lots of ideas, was combated with Sejjad’s teacher-level of patience as he used multiple approaches to figure out what would work best for this student. Step by step, the two worked together to bring the student’s Pokémon fan fiction to life.
His dedication to working with students continued after the summer program as he returned to take part in After-school Tutoring in Ann Arbor. To this day, Sejjad still continues to jump into any tutoring situation wholeheartedly, bringing the same caring and calm presence that he brought over the summer. Although Sejjad is a future English teacher, he is the kind of tutor who will fearlessly tackle any subject that students bring, from spelling words, understanding multi-step homework assignments, and even practicing addition.
Sejjad has demonstrated his skills and patience time and time again, in different environments and with different students. Not only does he know how to help a student navigate the task at hand, but his calm demeanor allows for students to comfortably complete their work without distraction. He is never one to feel deterred when a student feels frustrated or has a complicated homework situation.
In between his busy schedule of attending the University of Michigan’s School of Education, writing for The Michigan Daily, and supporting After-school Tutoring (always with a cold brew coffee in hand), Sejjad also finds time to support our Field Trips on Wednesday and Friday mornings.
Sejjad, thank you for the time you put into our young people and all the work we do here at 826michigan. We would not be able to do it without the help of valiant volunteers like you. We’re looking forward to welcoming your future class of students on a field trip one day!
