Carol Johnson, Director of Business Intelligence and Knowledge Management
When the call went out to IQ Solutions staff to volunteer as reading tutors at a local school, I came up with a lot of excuses not to do it:
- I don’t drive to work.
- I have surgery coming up.
- It’s a huge time commitment.
At the same time, I felt a strong pull to get involved. I remembered fondly the day I spent at St. Anne’s Infant and Maternity Home a year ago, volunteering at the day care center. I recalled that my child received services from this same program, the Ruth Rales Comcast Kids Reading Network, and how much it helped her. The Luxmanor opportunity also fit a personal plan of mine: Each year, I try to do something new that’s outside of my normal routine and comfort zone. Becoming a reading tutor seemed perfect.
So I arranged for shared rides with my fellow volunteers and work colleagues, Renee McMullen and She Selvarajah. I have enjoyed the experience immensely, and feel a bit low on the days I can’t make it. I’m not alone: She told me about her experience with the kids:
It makes me happy to know that I’m helping a little child to improve in reading. It has been very rewarding for me. And of course, I enjoy the very cute conversations/comments from my tutee every week.
This is exactly how I feel. The second-grade boy I tutor is friendly, funny, and curious. On the day I arrived, Ethan gave me a big smile and proceeded to tell me that his mother had received a new car for the holidays. Then he asked me all sorts of questions about my family. Each week, he has more questions. Some of them make me uncomfortable: “How did your father die?” Others are delightful: “Does your dog eat your cat?” We read together, of course, and that’s been my main goal there.
But there are plenty of unexpected benefits. For example, Ethan and my children (ages 7 and 10) have started writing notes back and forth to each other. I’ve also met some great people I never would have met otherwise. I will always remember my reading buddy, the fun we’ve had, and the joy of helping him out.
Tags: Community, education, literacy, reading, tutoring, volunteer program