Hanging up their hats: After 33 years of tutoring, Mark and Lindy Carnovale are moving on.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
After three decades of tutoring and more than four decades of teaching in total, Mark and Lindy Carnovale are preparing to retire from the Shepparton Tutoring Centre.
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Their journey began in the late 1980s when they were mulling over the prospect of tutoring and Mr Carnovale stumbled upon an advertised tutoring position at the site of the centre.
Much to his surprise, the woman who was running the centre asked Mr Carnovale if he’d be interested in taking over, revealing she was moving later in the year.
After working at the centre for a few weeks, Mr Carnovale decided to give it a go.
For the first three years, he attempted to juggle teaching and tutoring, an endeavour he labelled as “hectic”.
He was drawn to the personal and rewarding nature of tutoring, where he could make a direct impact on a smaller group of students.
“I love teaching, but in a classroom it’s hard to be everything to everyone, you just run out of time, especially with the children that are falling behind,” Mr Carnovale said.
The centre thrived, expanding from a handful of students to a flourishing enterprise with increasing enrolment.
Mr Carnovale decided the juggle was no longer possible, and had to choose between teaching and tutoring.
“It was a difficult decision, we both love teaching, and school is a terrific place,” he said.
Thirty-three years later, Mr Carnovale is comfortable in saying he made the right choice.
Mrs Carnovale said when the couple first got together at Burwood Teachers College (now Deakin University), they never envisioned working in tandem at the tutoring centre.
“We had three young kids at that time, one in kinder, a toddler and a new baby, when we took it on,” she said.
“I taught for another two years and then left because it was busy enough here that we could both work here.
“With the tutoring, it just naturally fell on to us working with each other, and for us it worked but for others it probably wouldn’t.
“It’s worked well, we’ve been a good team.”
Passing the torch: Mark and Lindy with new owner Daniel Hall.
Photo by
Megan Fisher
Now, after 33 remarkable years, the Carnovales have decided to embark on a new chapter of their lives.
From witnessing struggling students gain confidence to seeing remarkable academic transformations, the couple have touched countless lives through their dedication to tutoring.
They have received countless heartfelt letters and messages from former students expressing their gratitude for the invaluable support and guidance that helped shape their futures.
“We’re going to really miss all the individuals, but we’re also going to miss having young people in our lives,” Mrs Carnovale said.
“Coming in here every day, we hear some great stories, the kids chat to us about everything, there are funny things and there are sad stories, so we kind of become a part of their lives and they become a part of ours.”
Mr Carnovale revealed that, at one stage, the tutoring centre had seen three successive generations benefit from its services, with the Carnovales tutoring the children of former students whose parents were also once under their tutelage.
“If you enjoy working with people, this is a fantastic occupation,” Mr Carnovale said.
“This gives you a lot of joy, a lot of laughs, and you are helping shape our futures and the future of our workforce.
“Teachers can have a bit of a negative stigma attached to them from parents, but when we came here, all the parents and kids were so positive.
“Their self-esteem picked up and ours did too, because we felt valued.”
Although bidding farewell to the tutoring centre and the young individuals they mentored will undoubtedly be bittersweet, the Carnovales are ready to embrace new experiences.
Adventure: Mark and Lindy with their new motorhome.
Photo by
Contributed
With their children settled in Melbourne and Geelong, and with the arrival of grandchildren, they are seeking to prioritise family time and pursue their passion for travel, having just purchased a motorhome.
Their legacy will live on through Daniel Hall, who has been entrusted with the responsibility of carrying the torch and maintaining the esteemed reputation of the Shepparton Tutoring Centre.
As the Carnovales sail off into a well-deserved retirement, the Greater Shepparton community will forever be indebted to their unwavering commitment to education and the positive impact they have had on generations of students.
