Partnership Educators,
Ed Bray stormed the beach at Normandy during World War II, earning two purple hearts. And yet, the toughest thing the 89-year-old said he had to face in his life was his illiteracy. For decades, Bray went to extraordinary efforts to keep his inability to read or write a secret. While on the job at an Air Force base, he had a coworker help him with documents. At home, his wife did the same for 62 years until her death in 2009. Finally, the determination to shed the shame and learn how to read broke through. "I want to read one book," he said. "I don't care if it's about Mickey Mouse. I want to read one book before I die."
In early 2013, Bray found Professor Tobi Thompson at Oklahoma's Northeastern University. It wasn’t due to a lack of trying that Ed was unable to read. Many people have tried to teach him, but frustration would settle in, and eventually, Ed would throw in the towel. Finally, a few years ago, a friend recommended a professor from Northeastern State University, Tobi Thompson, to teach him.
Although Ed held a negative attitude toward his ability to read and even told Tobi that she was wasting her time, the professor did not give up. She started Ed with sight words – the way kids start in Kindergarten. Within a few weeks, everything was starting to click for Ed. Her patient and dedicated attitude helped Bray accomplish what he never thought possible. In February the veteran read his first book, a grade-school biography of George Washington. "It just makes me feel good," Bray said. He's since gone on to read three books and has no plan to stop now.
Never forget the power of success and the overwhelming feeling of accomplishing something that you thought you couldn't do. Many of our students have feelings of doubt and use many means to cover up their "shame" and embarrassment. Ed stated that he counted reading as the toughest challenge in his life. Knowing his history within the armed forces we might disagree. Thank you Ed Bray for your service to our country and thank you, Professor Thompson, for your service to Ed. And thanks to all of you who are looking for ways to get past our student's shame of failure, or embarrassment and by having a "patient and dedicated attitude" to help those students who need and deserve it.
Have a fantastic weekend,
Rob
Redding Elementary School District