Memphis Striving Readers is dedicated to enhancing literacy across our community. We offer a variety of programs designed to support children and families in their reading journeys.
Our initiatives include:
- Tutoring: Personalized tutoring sessions that cater to the individual needs of students, helping them improve their reading skills and confidence.
- Family Reading Nights: Engaging events that encourage families to read together, fostering a love for literature and learning.
- Volunteer Training: Opportunities for community members to get involved and make a difference by becoming trained literacy volunteers.
At Memphis Striving Readers, we believe in the power of literacy to transform lives and strengthen our community. Join us in our mission to promote reading and learning for all.
Writing to Us: What to Include and What to Expect
Many of the people who get in touch with Memphis Striving Readers are parents wondering whether tutoring could help their child, neighbours who want to volunteer, or teachers looking for reading support beyond the classroom. A short message is often the easiest first step, and a little detail at the start helps us point you in the right direction more quickly.
Helpful details to share
- Who the support is for: a child's age or grade, or whether you are an adult reader yourself or a family member.
- What you have noticed: for example, trouble sounding out words, reluctance to read aloud, or strong decoding but weak comprehension.
- Your part of Memphis: knowing the neighbourhood helps us think about locations and times that are realistic for your family.
- Availability: after-school hours, evenings or weekends.
If you are writing about volunteering, mention any experience with children, teaching or mentoring, but don't worry if you have none. Volunteer training exists precisely so that caring adults without a teaching background can learn practical methods for reading with young learners. You can read more on our volunteer page before you write.
A note on privacy
Please avoid sending sensitive information such as school records, medical diagnoses or identification numbers in a first message. A general description is enough to begin a conversation. If a child has a suspected learning difference such as dyslexia, a school psychologist, paediatrician or reading specialist is the right person to carry out a formal evaluation; community tutoring works best alongside that kind of professional guidance, not in place of it.
While you wait
Reading together for even fifteen minutes a day makes a real difference. Let children choose books that interest them, talk about the pictures and story, and praise effort rather than speed. Our resources section has more ideas for reading at home, and the programs page explains tutoring and family reading nights in more detail.