Tutors Help Young Students to Read

Nordhoff High School students are getting the chance to learn some fundamentals of teaching through the Reading Rangers program at San Antonio Elementary School.

The six-week reading intervention program matches high school tutors with elementary students who are reading at least two grade levels behind.

“Participating in this program has helped me understand the importance of discipline and what it takes to learn language,” said Lauren Woods, 17, a senior who previously worked as a volunteer with bilingual and autistic children.

Lauren, who plans to become an educator after college, said she believes it takes discipline both to teach and to learn.

“This experience has definitely strengthened my desire to become a teacher,” she said.

Senior Doug Higson said the boy he has been paired with has a single mother and two sisters at home, but is without a male role model.

“I help with studying for tests or with the homework that his mother says he won’t do,” said Higson, 18. “It’s my job to enforce the homework because his mother can’t get him to do it.”

He said the boy’s mother appreciates the support Higson provides.

In general, the high school tutors believe they are making a difference in the lives of the youngsters they tutor.

“I like the tutoring because, in many ways, I see parallels between Cindy, who is my student, and me at her age,” said senior Stacy Koire, 17. “When I was her age, I was not encouraged to read and I really had a hard time reading until one teacher recognized that I needed help. I think knowing what I know about reading difficulty, I am a lot more patient with my student and am willing to work with my elementary school buddy until she understands the concepts she is reading.”