MARYSVILLE — Having a classroom volunteer can be a big help; having one with two decades of experience as a teacher can be a boon.
Carol Albright takes her commitment seriously.
Retired and a grandmother of 10, she spends several hours three times a week at Allen Creek Elementary School in Marysville.
Much of her career was teaching special education in Arlington. She has found that experience translates well to students enrolled in basic education classrooms. Some just need a booster shot of instruction, a different approach to grasp a concept in a one-on-one setting. She can be found with them at a table in a commons area outside their classrooms.
Albright volunteers for kindergarten teacher Diane Mittelstaedt and first-grade teacher Carroll Knapp.
She comes prepared, having considered the teachers’ objectives and what might click for each child based on her own observations of how they learn. She jots down notes in a spiral notebook and provides regular feedback to the teachers.
The other day, she was helping first-grader Landen Resch identify two-digit numbers.
She drew two houses on a small whiteboard. One was designated as the house for 10s; the other for ones. She placed seven Lego-like pieces in the 10s house and nine in the one’s house.
Landen was a quick study.
“That’s 79,” he said.
“You are so smart,” Albright told him.
They seem to enjoy each other’s company.
In many cases, Albright gets to help children crack the complex code that is learning to read the English language. There is much to learn, whether it’s dropping an “e” and adding “ing” or sounding out words, such as shouted or because.
She also makes time to knit hats and scarves for low-income families.
There’s a sense of balance and purpose to Albright’s routines.
“I have had a good life,” she said. “I want someone else to have a good life. This is a little something I can do in that area.”
Her husband, Tom, feels the same way. It is why the retired Methodist minister serves on the Marysville School Board and why he leads a foundation to help students in Kenya attend a Methodist university there. He’s also a police and fire district chaplain.
Around Allen Creek, Carol Albright’s contributions are valued.
“Mrs. Albright is very knowledgeable, professional, and patient with these young learners,” Knapp said. “(She) works seamlessly with me in the classroom … She is very perceptive about student needs and keeps detailed records of her instruction and student outcomes. I’m so grateful for all of Mrs. Albright’s help.”
Eric Stevick: 425-339-3446; stevick@heraldnet.com.
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