Married with children who are not children anymore. An education professional, having taught from Pre-K through Middle Level; an entrepreneur of sorts of language learning, having been trained as a Reading Recovery Teacher and Small Groups Reading Interventionist; most recently, over the last five years, my role has grown and developed into that of Literacy Coach; now I’m taking Literacy into the other parts of the curriculum, because, why would I not? My research and mentors who have studied longer and harder and have more evidence than me have guided me along the way–and this way is very natural– to spread this way of “literate thinking” into everything else learnable. What, you may ask, do I mean by “literate thinking”? What that looks and sounds like to me, is to intentionally make use of the skills, strategies, behaviors and everything quantifiable that one can bring to the table in the subject being studied and learned. This especially includes being verbal and challenging oneself to use the vocabulary associated with the subject matter, learning meanings to a fault so that conversations containing the vocabulary can be held with automaticity at some point.
I am journeying into Montessori land, diving down deep, got my wet suit, oxygen tank and flippers; not sure when I’ll be up to get sunlight, but it’s on my daily radar!
I am revisiting being Interventionist with Reading Recovery, Small Groups Literacy Intervention and Instructional Coaching as my armor. Adding to my armor Montessori knowledge, research and educating myself more about and utilizing information/teachings from Maria Montessori and the American Montessori Society.
And I am on Pinterest as myself, Teresa. Of particular interest you may find my Coaching Reading and More and Teach: Pre-K through Grade 8 Boards.
Finally, this WordPress Blog has it’s name because I know for a fact that two coaches, teachers, or people into literacy’s heads, or more, are by far much greater, stronger, and more effective than just this coach’s head…so please, coaches, let me hear your take on “literate thinking” or whatever is on your plate or mind. Calling all coaches, teachers, literacy people too…
StormBrain 101: Literacy Growing Life 