Pictured left to right above are Denese and Carol.
This feature was written by student Denese and her tutor Carol.
Denese’s thoughts on getting started with tutoring and meeting Carol
On Sunday morning, I have Sunday school with my church, and in school, we read scripture out of the Sunday school book. I always wanted to read, but I was ashamed of my reading, so I went to my local library to ask them if they had any literature on adult reading.
The library clerk said, “Yes, I will get it for you.” She printed the information out for me. I took it home and called and talked to someone about getting help with my reading. She asked me some questions about myself, and I told her. She said that right now, we are in the Covid 19 pandemic, and we are not meeting person to person, but I will be talking to you in two weeks.
I received a phone call asking me if I can meet with her at the library. So I went, and she went over everything that I needed to know about my tutor. [Denese also received an assessment.]
Carol called me, and we met at the library on February 18, 2022, and my life changed. My reading skills are much better. Thanks to Carol for all you do for me.
Carol describes her work with Denese.
I met Denese as a new student on February 18 at the Odenton Regional Library.
Denese was so open and honest about her struggle to read that I was determined that we would find a way to help her. Her goal was to be able to read out loud in her Bible study at church. We started to review her first Bible study lesson, I gave her some tools and sent her home with homework to practice. We practiced the reading in our next session and worked on the more difficult words together. That next Sunday, she read out loud in front of her Bible study group for the first time! The next time we met, she proudly showed me dozens of congratulatory text messages about how well she had read!
I have watched Denese improve in her reading abilities with every week’s work. She is diligent about completing her homework.
In addition to our workbook work, Denese experienced a first in her life. She got her very first library card and checked a book out of the library to read on her own! She enjoyed that book so much that we started each session together with her proudly giving me a summary of what she had read. I was filled with pride that Denese was finding the same love of reading that I have always had.
Denese has been successful because she is willing to do the work. She is so motivated, and it inspires me greatly. Reading is a lifelong skill, and Denese has proven that it’s never too late to learn.
