Written by Maria Duque, 2024–2025 English Literacy Tutor
My student Roshina and I had been working together for a while, focusing on improving her reading fluency. She already knew her letter sounds and could easily sound out words, but sometimes her reading fluency was a bit choppy. One day, as we were finishing up a lesson, Roshina looked up at me with excitement and asked when we could do more story reading. Her eagerness caught me off guard. I realized we had spent so much time focusing on the building blocks of reading—sounding out words, recognizing sight words, and building her vocabulary—that we hadn’t spent much time reading for fun.
After speaking with my Literacy First Coach, we agreed to make reading stories the focus of our lessons. Roshina’s face lit up when I told her, and I knew this was exactly what she needed. From then on, we began spending more time reading short stories at the end of our lessons. It wasn’t just about getting through the words—it was about enjoying the stories and becoming more confident in her reading.
One day, during our walk to and from her classroom, I asked Roshina what books she had been reading. She told me she loved Pinkalicious and Junie B. Jones. A few days later, I saw Roshina holding a graphic novel from The Baby-Sitter’s Club series. It reminded me of how much I loved those books when I was younger. It also made me think about how Roshina was branching out in her reading choices.
That evening, I remembered that my daughter had a Pinkalicious book on her shelf that she didn’t read anymore. It was well loved, but my daughter had outgrown it. I asked her if I could give the book to Roshina, and she agreed. The next day, I handed the book to Roshina, and her face immediately lit up. She hugged it tightly to her chest, excited to have a new story to read.
After our lesson, I asked Roshina if she wanted to read the book aloud. I watched her carefully read through the pages. She took her time sounding out the words she didn’t recognize, and I could see how proud she was of herself. On our walk back to her classroom, I noticed that Roshina was holding the book close to her chest, carefully navigating the hallway with it in one hand. She looked as though she was protecting something precious. It was clear how much she valued that book, and I felt happy knowing I had given her something she truly appreciated.
A week later, Roshina approached me with a big smile. She told me she had finished the book. She loved it and couldn’t wait to read another one! Watching Roshina grow as a reader has been one of the more rewarding parts of being a tutor. I saw her confidence growing, and she was beginning to read more fluently. It was a reminder that reading isn’t just about the words on the page—it’s about connecting with the story, enjoying the experience, and building a lifelong love of books.
Maria Duque is currently an AmeriCorps member who began serving with Literacy First as an English Literacy Tutor in fall 2024. Before joining Literacy First, she worked in local film productions, photography, and administrative support. She discovered her passion for teaching while helping her daughter learn to read, which inspired her to pursue a role in education. She hopes to continue working in the field as a reading specialist. In her free time, she enjoys going on long nature walks, reading, and exploring new restaurants and bookstores. Connect with Maria on LinkedIn here.