Meet the Staff at DRC!
Everyone meet Kimberly, the Executive Director of Dyslexia Reading Connection and a math tutor. She has been here for 4.5 years. Prior to joining DRC, she worked in higher education for more than 13 years in roles from Enrollment Counselor to Dean to Campus Director. She is married and has two daughters, Maddy and Abby. She loves softball, and she coaches her youngest daughter’s year-round team.
Why do you tutor?
“I love math. I’m a math nerd. I know too many people who struggle with math, even so much as to hate it. I want to help change that for my students. We need to learn how students process numbers so we can help them see math differently. Through the use of manipulatives and games, math can be fun. One of my favorite math subjects to teach is introductory Algebra because there are so many different ways to get to the answer. Each time I teach it, my students always do the steps in a different sequence than I would, but we always arrive at the same answer. I love learning how our students learn. My students are teaching me at every tutoring session.”
What keeps you at DRC?
“Helping the students grow in their skills, abilities, and confidence is the ultimate reward.”
How does tutoring make you feel?
“Some days tired, but most days electrified and energized. When you work with a student and you see the light bulb go on, it is the most exciting feeling.”
Can you highlight an experience at DRC that brought you reward (i.e., graduate, an ‘ah-ha’ moment, a compliment from student or parent)?
“I had one just yesterday. There is a 2nd grader I’m working with who is a little nervous about 2nd-grade math and worried about whether or not he is ready for it. He is one week into school, and he is working on 2 + 2 and 8 + 8, but in tutoring, we are working on 493 + 624. Just yesterday, he not only solved the problem perfectly, but he read the answer aloud to me (in expanded form: one thousand one hundred eleven). At this point in 2nd grade, he is far ahead of his peers, and we couldn’t say that 6 months ago. I’m honored to be a part of his journey.”