Finding His Way

Every child is unique.  Each learns in their own way and at their own pace. Sometimes it just takes someone noticing the moment when a little extra help can make all the difference.

When Darius started third grade school had already begun to feel frustrating to him. Reading seemed harder than they did for everyone else. Darius started to believe that maybe he just wasn’t “good at school.”

Instead of asking for help, he began finding ways to avoid the things that made him uncomfortable. Some mornings he complained of a stomachache. Sometimes he just tried to blend into the background during reading time, sometimes her pretended he was too tired.

Elementary school is a time when students are building the foundations for everything that comes later. When they experience gaps or don’t understand things, it can make learning feel much harder than it should and they get discouraged.

Fortunately, Darius had teachers and caring adults who believed in him. They recognized that he wasn’t giving up. He was simply discouraged. With a little extra support and encouragement, tutors at RISE Augusta began working with him in small steps.

Slowly things began to change. Words that once felt impossible started to make sense. Darius discovered that he could read a whole page on his own! Even more important than the skills he gained was the confidence that returned. Darius began raising his hand again in class. His stomachaches disappeared. 

Darius’ story is a reminder that every child is unique. Some children race ahead, while others simply need a little more time, patience, and encouragement. Sometimes the difference between a child who believes they can succeed and one who believes they cannot is simply someone stepping in early and saying, “Let’s figure this out together.”