Last year, waiting for our Silver Sneakers class to begin, a classmate and I were discussing volunteer work. She said her husband volunteered with the READ Center. I expressed interest. She got me the contact information and I signed up for a training class. I was hooked. Unfortunately, shortly after the training, coronavirus hit and I paused my involvement. I followed up in the fall of 2020 with a second training class and soon got started tutoring one-on-one through Zoom.
I am so glad I did. I was matched with a fascinating young woman who is driven to improve her life. She is motivated to get her driver’s license, get a better job, and help with her son’s schooling. She works full time and has a four year old child, but she still manages to find time to do her homework and make improvement.
I love it when she gets excited about some of the reading assignments. After just a few sessions, she is doing practice on-line Learner’s Permit tests – and she has taught me a thing or two about Zoom along the way!
At first, I was concerned that I would be unequal to the job. But I find that if I keep educating myself, tweaking my lesson plans, following my student’s lead, and remaining flexible, we make progress. To my relief, I found I can depend on Chris Miller for needed guidance.
I really look forward to working with my student in person. I hope that the READ Center and I share a bright future.
Sign up to be a READ volunteer tutor and help someone achieve their goals.
