FROM STRUGGLING READER- TO THIRD-GRADE TEACHER

Tereva Bundy
Jun 15, 2022
3 min read

Updated: Sep 23

"I’m not a good reader."

"I hate reading."

"I’ll never get better at reading."

"Learning to read is just too hard."

As a child, these were the phrases I told myself again and again. But it wasn’t always this way.

THE EARLY YEARS: LOVING SCHOOL

In kindergarten and first grade, school was exciting. I loved singing songs on the colorful rug, learning my ABCs, and playing with friends.

When I got my first book—Where’s Spot? by Eric Hill—I read it proudly every single day. I felt like such a great reader because I could read big words like under and behind.

At that point, I was confident. I believed I was ready for anything.

THE TURNING POINT: SECOND GRADE

Everything changed in second grade.

Suddenly, my classmates were reading chapter books, while I was stuck needing help with almost every word.

When the teacher asked students to read aloud, I prayed she wouldn’t call my name. Friends who once played with me began to tease me. Recess became lonely, and I often played by myself just waiting for dismissal.

At home, I made excuses about homework. At school, I just tried to survive.

THE THIRD-GRADE WALL

Third grade was even harder.

The stories were longer, the vocabulary more advanced. We weren’t just learning to read anymore—we were reading to learn. Since I couldn’t read well, I couldn’t keep up.

I began acting out. I stopped turning in work, joined the “bad crowd,” and wore my struggles like a mask.

Then came the state test.

I hated reading so much that I filled in bubbles at random and turned in the test in 20 minutes. Unsurprisingly, I failed—and I was held back.

I felt like my life was over.

A SECOND CHANCE

Repeating third grade was tough, but I worked harder. Still, I wasn’t on grade level. Sentences took forever to understand, and assignments felt endless.

That year, I gave my best on the state test and scored a 37%. It was still a failing score, but at least I tried. With summer school, I finally moved on to fourth grade.

THE TEACHER WHO CHANGED EVERYTHING

Fourth grade brought a miracle: Mr. Manuel.

He made learning fun and engaging. Instead of endless worksheets, he challenged us to create, explore, and think. He even took us on trips to the zoo, the park, and a college campus.

For the first time, I enjoyed learning without realizing it.

On my reading test, I scored a 45%—not high, but progress. In math, I scored 76%—high enough to be placed in a Talented and Gifted class for fifth grade.

I didn’t feel like I belonged there, but because Mr. Manuel believed in me, I pushed myself to keep trying.

THE DYSLEXIA LABEL

In fifth grade, my teacher suggested I was dyslexic. My mom immediately bought phonics books, determined to “fix” the problem.

But deep down, I knew I wasn’t dyslexic. I simply hadn’t had the right support, and I didn’t enjoy reading because it always felt like a punishment.

That year, I set out to prove I could read. Slowly but surely, I did.

BELIEVING IN MYSELF

I’ll never forget the first chapter book I finished on my own: Horrible Harry and the Green Slime.

It took weeks, but I read all 58 pages and understood it. For the first time, I enjoyed a story from start to finish.

That book changed everything.

From then on, I knew my reading struggles could be conquered—with time, effort, practice, and confidence.

In middle school, I thrived academically. By high school, I had earned a full scholarship to a boarding school. Later, I graduated college, earned a master’s in childhood education, and became a teacher.

MY MISSION TODAY

I became a teacher because I never wanted another child to feel the shame I once felt.

Over the years, I’ve worked with hundreds of struggling readers. With the right intervention, I’ve watched frustrated students blossom into confident learners.

When the pandemic shifted classrooms online, I discovered just how powerful one-on-one tutoring could be. Many of my students jumped to grade level in just 3–4 months. That success inspired me to devote myself fully to online reading tutoring.