By: David Peters, Director of GED
One of the reasons I enjoy my work at Literacy Services is that it provides me with a daily opportunity to see people at their best. Adult students bring a commitment, intensity, and earnestness to their effort born out of necessity and a desire to grow.
The tutors are volunteers. Yet, despite all the other things they could be doing with their time, they return week after week and year after year to continue addressing the need manifest in the lives of the students.
The combination of dreams, determination, and sometimes desperation brought by the student mixed with the guidance, encouragement, and the gift of a tutor’s time often yields something special. This is true in the case of many of Literacy Services’ student/tutor pairs. One such pair is math tutor Richard Reid and High School Equivalency Diploma (HSED) recipient, Charleen Scott.
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| Charleen and Richard diligently studying together, often for hours at a time. |
In order to satisfy the criteria for earning the HSED, Charleen needed to complete the content of a math class at 80% or better. I asked Richard to work with her to help her be successful.
Richard, a math tutor at Literacy Services since 2006, struggled in math at an early age. Eventually, turning weakness into strength, he became a math teacher and a specialist in after school tutoring programs for kids having trouble in the subject. His own difficulties with math have given him a special window through which to view his students’ challenges.
“Whenever I work with a student, I explain my own history where math was my worst subject.” Richard recalls, “The minute math was mentioned, I was afraid because I’d been ridiculed by teachers.”
The two began working together a month before the class began. They met for three hours a day, five days a week. Richard would often take Charleen home since without an income, bus fare was hard to come by. He took her to MATC so she could enroll and helped her find the classroom. He spoke with the instructor to get permission to sit in on the classes with Charleen, so that he would know exactly what was being taught and how.
So, for its duration, Richard and Charleen attended the class from 8:00am to 10:00am Monday through Thursday. Each day after class they came to Literacy Services to spend anywhere from two and a half to five hours in tutoring.
Although she was unemployed at the time, Richard observed, “Charleen is a person who has a really, really good work ethic. She was never late to class. She was always there. I was really amazed at her dedication.”
Keeping such a demanding schedule required amazing dedication from Richard as well. Beyond the act of simply devoting the time, Richard had to battle through ongoing health issues. On one occasion, he collapsed in the parking lot at MATC twice while on his way to class. After making his way back to his car where he rested for a few minutes, he then continued on to the class and afterwards, to Literacy Services for tutoring.
His commitment struck a chord with Charleen.
“It meant a lot to me. I felt like he really cared because he saw the potential in me. He was coming here every day. If this man can be here everyday and he’s sick, I know I can do it. That’s what made me believe more in myself. I cried. I’m not going to lie. I cried when I got by myself and thought about it.”
“Richard’s a good guy. When he works with you, he sticks with you to the end. That’s what he did with me. He stuck by me. He’s just a caring person. He was there every step from the beginning to the end. I really, really appreciate that.”
What does having a secondary credential mean to Charleen?
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| Charleen’s work ethic paid off! |
Less than three weeks after earning her HSED, Charleen got permanent, full time employment and is now considering a degree in nursing.
She learned about more than mere academics, however.
“I was never a consistent person. By coming here I started to be more consistent. I started coming every day. Now, I’m more consistent in life with my job and everything. I don’t want to miss a day. I feel like it’s an important part of anything, to be consistent at what you do.
This place taught me that. It taught me a lot of things.”
A smile slowly spreads across her face as she adds, “I’m just happy.”
Volunteer Opportunity: GED Tutor
The GED Program is looking for more tutors, like Richard, to assist students with the rigors of GED preparation. Interested persons should call 414-344-5878 for more information.
