Krista B.
Tutor (pictured with Learner, Paul Whynacht)
Two years ago, I decided I wanted to use my love of reading to make a difference in someone else’s life. I became an adult literacy tutor. Although I have been fortunate not to struggle with reading, I have family members who, due to a variety of circumstances, found reading and writing challenging, even when completing their day-to-day activities. Even with this background, I didn’t realize the impact that two hours of tutoring a week can make in someone’s life.
When I started, I was lucky to be paired with Paul as learning partner. Over the past two years, I have had the pleasure of being a part of his learning journey. Each week, we continue to work on improving his comfort with reading. During our time together, I have watched him push himself to try new things – from applying to jobs with a TON of paperwork to more recently standing in front of a crowd to read about his own learning journey. His courage in sharing his story cumulated with Paul being recognized on the floor of the Nova Scotia Legislature in recognition of Adult Learning Week. There are no words to describe just how proud I was to hear his name being read out, and I remain incredibly honoured to have been by his side.
During our weekly sessions, Paul is not the only one learning. Each week, he teaches me different things. Paul is gifted with the ability to build and create and has opened my eyes to different ways to approach a variety of topics, but particularly home repair. We both enjoy nature and enjoy hearing about different areas to explore. He also loves art and has shared with me many of his paintings. Most importantly, however, Paul inspires me to find the courage and strength to try new and difficult things. His perseverance and consistency in pushing himself to learn has inspired me to do the same, even when there are challenges.
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I am thankful to be a part of the Halifax Community Learning Network. I did not realize what a positive impact adult literacy tutoring would have on my own life. This program is invaluable to both the learners and the tutors, and I look forward to continuing to work with Paul on his journey.