When my father, Odysseus, and his men sailed off to the Trojan War, they were confident their gods favored a quick victory. Instead, the siege of Troy lasted ten years. After Troy fell, the survivors made their way home to Sparta, Mycenae, Pylos, and elsewhere in the ancient Peloponnese. Neither my father nor any of his troops arrived home with the rest. We waited for years as the news grew worse. Odysseus was dead, we were told,or imprisoned, or, worst yet, he had married another woman and abandoned my mother Penelope, my brother Telemachus, and me.


If he is alive somewhere, his thoughts may wander to Penelope and Telemachus, but he won’t be thinking of me. I am the daughter he doesn’t know exists. Odysseus went off to the Trojan War when his son, Telemachus, was barely old enough to walk. His wife, Penelope, was a teenage bride, and is now a young wife, mother, and queen who has to try to rule Ithaca without him.


I was born seven months after he left. I am a hero’s daughter and a princess of his realm, but I have lived my entire life without a father. I’m nineteen now, and still waiting.


All over the world, and throughout history children grow up as I have. This website will focus on the children of those men and women who have gone off to fight America's wars, and provide information and resources for all who care about military families and want to help.

Wednesday, September 8, 2010

Free Tutoring for Military Families

Free tutoring for military children is being funded by DoD, working through a professional online service, www.tutor.com. 

Eligibility is for all active duty military service members, deployed military reservists and National Guard members and DoD on active duty. All their dependents are also eligible.
Tutors are available 24/7 year round (except major holidays) for help with math, English, science and social studies, from the fourth grade level through first-year college courses. They can also help with essays and test Adult learners can get back-to-school and career help, including GED prep and resume writing.  
The online classroom includes a chat window and a two-way interactive whiteboard where students can draw with a mouse. They can also send files to their tutor or browse the internet together. Students who like a particular tutor can work with the same person again, subject to availability.  The average session is about twenty-five minutes long, but students can work with a tutor for as little as five minutes or as long as an hour.
The tutors must meet specific requirements and undergo training. They must possess strong content knowledge in English, math, science, or social studies at the level they tutor. They also must demonstrate the ability to explain concepts to young people of a variety of ages within an online environment.  They must have graduated from an accredited US or Canadian College or University degree program or be currently enrolled in one of these. They are also required to pass more than one subject exam in the application process.
Tutor.com is a paid service, so others can sign up as well.  For eligible military, the service is paid for by DoD funds. For more information, go to www.tutor.com.
Posted by About AART at 7:55 AM

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