Above and Beyond Her Job

By Anne Marie Destruel

Elayne Bernstein is the woman who taught me how to cope with my dyslexia. Throughout my elementary school years, high school career and future goals she has helped me progress from a struggling individual to a self-confident and productive young woman. Thanks to Elayne’s patience and love of teaching, I have not only learned how to adjust to my learning needs, but also to be the persistent, optimistic, and adventurous person I am today.

First grade was the time when most of my classmates were reading children’s books such as the Cat in the Hat or the Nancy Drew mystery series. While most of my classmates created words out of letters in the alphabet, I struggled with telling the difference between letters and numbers. Night after night my mom and dad would try and read with me. I would try to memorize, instead of reading, the words on the page. I was constantly placed in the lowest level reading group with two other students while most of my friends were in the above average reading groups. I attempted to make sense of reading. I struggled with the concept that letters could form words. Unfortunately, I was left with the same hopeless feeling every time I tried to read.

The beginning of second grade, I was placed in the same reading group with the same two kids. To my horror I realized that the same kids who had struggled, just as I had in first grade, were beginning to read. I was mortified that I still could not read. Whenever I was called on to read in class I could feel everyone’s eyes on me. I could feel my cheeks burn and the tears blur my vision as I tried to “read” what was in front of me. My school’s reading specialist felt I needed outside testing. To my frustration I was diagnosed with dyslexia. At the age of seven I was mad that I had a disease that did not make me feel sick but affected my ability to learn.

My mom and dad took me to meet Elayne Bernstein. Elayne tutored children with learning disabilities. The four of us sat in Elayne’s living room. I listened as they discussed dyslexia and how she would help me. The following Tuesday at 7:15 in the morning I was sitting at a school desk in Elayne’s downstairs classroom. She handed me a pencil without an eraser and asked me to write my name. After I wrote my name on the paper I asked her why she did not have erasers on any of her pencils. She smiled down at me and said, “This way you can’t erase your mistakes. You will have to look at them and learn from them. If you make a mistake you put brackets around the mistake. You will learn that practice makes PERMANENT”.

Elayne was very patient with me. We began by learning each letter in the alphabet. I had never comprehended that each letter had a certain sound. From there, I was able to actually read small words not just memorize them by sight. I wanted to do better not just for myself but for her. Elayne tutored me every Tuesday and Thursday morning from 7:15 to 8:15. I would leave Elyane’s house and go to school. I had already completed an hour of learning while my classmates were having breakfast and getting ready for school. I did extra homework and spent my time trying to read whatever I could find. For the first time, I was actually learning and knowing why words sounded the way they did. I met with Elayne during the summer while most of my friends went on vacations or played outdoors. I even began to read books Elayne had given me. Elayne attended my yearly grandparents’ day at school and even cheered me on at sporting events.

Sixth grade was my time to shine. I was more than caught up with the rest of my class in reading and writing. I noted that my lessons with Elayne either seemed repetitive or effortless. I remember going to Elayne one morning and her telling me that this would be our last tutoring session. A small part of me was happy that I could sleep in Tuesday and Thursday mornings. However, an even bigger part of me did not want to leave Elayne. During our last tutoring session, Elayne gave me a lesson in not just reading and writing but in life. She told me to never stop believing in myself and that I would always be her “shooting star”. At the end of the lesson she gave me one of her favorite books, The Phantom Tollbooth by Norton Juster. For many reasons this book has become one of my favorites also.

Although I do not see Elayne as often as I would like, I constantly hear her caring words whenever I am in a tough situation. While I practice tennis or diving I can hear her say, “Practice makes PERMANENT!” There have been times when I have wanted to give up on myself, but I will find myself looking at The Phantom Tollbooth and hearing Elayne say, “You’re my shooting star”. I am grateful for all the early mornings I spent with Elayne. Without those mornings I would not have tried one of my favorite hobbies, diving, due to the fact that I am afraid of heights. She encouraged me to read new books which helped to stimulate my curiosity. Elayne taught me how to be self-confident even though there were times when I felt anything but confident. Her boost of assurance has provided me with opportunities such as being Tennis Team Captain and becoming part of a community organization called Tomorrow’s Leaders’ Today. Elayne taught me the ABC’s of life.