Thursday, April 19, 2012

The Power of Encouragement

           My Peabody experience was everything I expected and more. The first night my team and I went to orientation, I was already excited for the simple fact that I absolutely love kids. I was excited about just the thought of being a part of helping these kids with something so important. Personally, I remember those who helped me with reading, and I was elated that I would have the opportunity to help someone else. I knew that it would have everything to do with their attitude, so I would just be there to influence them in a positive way.
            I remember my first day walking into Peabody with one of my teammates.  Although we were given instructions on where to go, we were still lost. After finding where we were supposed to be, we were introduced to our kids. The enormous smiles on both of their faces were priceless and a moment I will never forget. Needless to say, our first session was successful, so successful that it made me wonder why these kids needed a tutor. I would soon learn that not only would I help them with reading, but that we would develop a relationship. When I saw them for the next tutoring session, they would have stories that they were waiting to tell me. Coming back from breaks, they would joyfully explain to me what they did. From then on, seeing my little kids, as I call them, would become one of the highlights of my week.
            To sum it up, I truly enjoyed my experience at Peabody.   Although when I initially asked them if they enjoyed reading, the answer was no; but, I can say with confidence that their attitudes have changed. They realized that learning and friendly competition can be fun. Besides, they weren’t the only ones learning. While they were learning to strengthen their reading skills, I learned that encouragement goes a long way. When they realized that someone believed in them, they felt that they could accomplish whatever they put their minds to. These little girls taught me a life lesson that will help me in my future plans and goals.
 Adrienne McKay
Class of 2015
           

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