Left to right: Annie Wilkerson, Joan Thorseth, Diane Hagerty, and Clara Claggette visiting the African American Museum in Washington, DC
Two AACLC tutors and a pair of sisters exemplify just how much teamwork can pay off. When significant vision problems forced tutor Joan Thorseth-a seasoned special education teacher-to not only retire but give up driving, fellow tutor Dianne Hagerty provided wheels for the two of them. Now Dianne and Joan schedule separate but simultaneous literacy sessions with sisters Annie Wilkerson and Clara Claggette.
Both Annie and Clara had long wanted to improve their reading skills. Born into a large, hardworking farm family, it proved difficult for the two sisters to juggle the demands of schoolwork with burdensome farm chores and long walks to and from school. Their home also lacked electricity, so doing homework at day’s end was difficult. As adults, Annie and Clara devoted themselves to raising families of their own, but never lost the desire to improve their reading skills.
Dianne supplement’s Annie’s Laubach lessons with teaching internet research skills and providing additional reading material that ranges from information on pertinent health issues to books about famous African Americans. They all enjoyed a recent visit to the African American Museum in Washington D.C.
Like Dianne and Annie, Joan and Clara work with Laubach readers, and also are tackling the Challenger series. Clara feels that her growing reading skills have boosted her confidence in many day-to-day situations, both at home and at church. Her husband now hands her the family’s medical bills to decipher!
