But Curington, 34, had teachers who believed in her, staying after school to help her learn. Now she builds confidence in others as the owner and chief executive officer of Fail Me Not Tutoring.
“My goal isn’t just about improving grades,” she said. “It’s really about creating an environment where students feel safe and empowered to flourish in the classroom.”
Curington began tutoring in 2015 as a hobby while earning a master’s degree in education from Wright State University. In addition, she taught fourth and fifth grade classrooms through 2022.
The following school year – her last year of teaching – she became the math specialist at Dayton Public Schools’ Edison Elementary, giving her further opportunities to work with students on a smaller scale. By that time, her tutoring services had become a full-fledged business with its own brick-and-mortar space.
Now Fail Me Not Tutoring serves students from kindergarten through eighth grade, offering one-on-on and small group tutoring. In addition, the Dayton-based business offers a STEM program and classes on topics like phonics, reading and multiplication.
Curington also would like to have a greater focus on partnerships, collaborating with schools, churches and other organizations to help students improve their math and reading skills during the day.
Each member of Curington’s staff is an educator who also knows that teaching involves more than a workbook or simply reading a story, she said.
“That was very important to me because I want to make sure the people working for me understand what education is and how it evolves,” she said.
Deeona Allen’s son, Gamoane Allen Jr., began being tutored by Fail Me Not when he was preparing to meet the state’s Third Grade Reading Guarantee.
“I just wanted him to be prepared,” said the Trotwood resident, who nominated Curington as a Dayton Daily News Community Gem.
Now Gamoane is an eighth-grade student, and through the years he has done both small group and one-on-one tutoring, as well as a STEM program, she said. While Gamoane has never had an issue with his grades, Allen likes the extra support he receives and the extra practice he gets reading out loud and learning to better understand materials.
Allen, a teacher herself, said that other students experienced a “COVID slide” when they returned to school after the start of the pandemic. Gamoane didn’t, however, and his mother credits his tutoring.
“(Curington) really, truly cares about her students,” Allen said.
Curington has watched kids who once struggled to read rise to the top of their class, and it is rewarding to see the higher scores that Fail Me Not students earn on diagnostic and standardized tests, she said.
The tutoring business aims to help students relate to the content in a relaxed, positive environment that is free from frustration, Curington said. She wants students to feel comfortable and engaged and to build their confidence.
“I’m here to make learning fun and break down those barriers,” she said.
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