Learn to Read and Read to Learn

An assessment of today's educational system, finds that too many children struggle with learning to read. The failure to learn to read causes long term consequences for children's self confidence and motivation to learn. School performance and lifelong learning is linked to early success in reading.

While there are no easy answers, research shows that certain skills and methods are central to reading achievement.

I am familiar with phonemic awareness as described in the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development website. These include:

As early readers learn these skills, they build on them with increased fluency, decoding, vocabulary, writing and comprehension. Building on their skills and achievements, reading skills are further increased through the use of several frequently documented metacognitive comprehension strategies (John Flavell). Working with individual students to achieve their goals is an exciting challenge for me. Having worked with K-6 for the past nine years, I have found the individual tutoring model to be the most rewarding for me. It is in this type of model that the most progress toward our goals can be made.

Keys to Successful Student Achievement

Positive Environment:

It is important to set a supportive and positive learning environment I will create a quiet neutral place to study, which is free of stress. My primary turoting location in the Council Tree Library in Fort Collins. If I work with a student at their home, we will carefully choose a location in the home that is free of distractions.

Optimism:

I will model an optimistic attitude each time I meet with your student. This will help the student to approach each challenge in a way that they will be successful.

Location:

With each succeeding meeting in the same location, students will begin to associate and attach information to the teaching location.

Choice:

Students love to have choices. They will be more engaged if they are able to have some stake in the task that is given to them. I would like to offer the student a choice of what material they wish to begin with, as well as something as simple as whether to sit or stand. Studies show that the brain is more likely to retain information that is relevant and meaningful. It is important that a student feels that what they are learning matters to them.

Brain Breaks:

After-school tutoring can be a challenge for students. I recommend a well-needed break after school with a nutritious snack before beginning tutoring. The brain is capable of taking in information in limited quantities. Students need to have time to process new learning. During a tutoring session, we will take a short break. This may take the form of a movement activity, or a sharing activity.

District Standards:

I am familiar with the Poudre School District Reading Standards. Before beginning a study plan with your student, I will become familiar with the student's achievement. This will include the challenges that they face as well as their strengths, weaknesses and their learning style.