Confidence First: How We’re Rethinking Teaching in Our Community Programing
From Resistance to Resilience: How We’re Shifting the Way We Teach
As a Community-First Program, we’ve always known that teaching goes beyond books and test scores. Recently, we’ve uncovered something even deeper—something that touches every subject we teach and every child we serve: confidence.
Many of our kids come into our programs with a big energy, a loud voice, and what looks like boldness. But as soon as we introduce something new—whether it’s learning to read aloud, tying a shoe properly, or perfecting a forehand swing—we begin to see the cracks. What first appears as “I already know this” is often a shield. And when that shield drops, we see the truth: they’re unsure. They’re scared to be wrong. They’re afraid that not knowing makes them less than.
The Community Literacy Events and Enrichment Program is an evolving curriculum, and as we continue listening to our students and watching how they engage with lessons, we realize we must constantly adjust our approach.
So we’ve adapted.
We now teach with more intention and care. We normalize not knowing something and celebrate the learning process itself. In reading lessons, on the tennis court, and in daily social interactions, we reinforce that not knowing is the beginning—not the end—of learning. We reward effort, praise small wins, and give them room to grow. Whether a student is just starting or taking a skill to the next level, every step is recognized.
Tennis has been a key part of this journey. By placing kids on teams and giving them matching gear, structure, and responsibilities, we’ve created a space where they feel seen and supported. And now, we’re proud to share that two of our teams have been invited by USTA to attend special events! Our Red Ball team will travel later this month to compete and grow alongside other young players, while our Team Spark, made up of older, more advanced yellow ball players, will represent our program at a higher level. We are thrilled to celebrate these milestones and share these moments with them.
More details to come—but for now, we are celebrating how far they’ve come and how deeply they’ve grown. Confidence isn’t something they have to fake anymore. It’s something they’re building—every practice, every page, every swing.
