Location: Brazoria, TX
Education: M.Ed., CALT, LDT
Years Experience Teaching: 26
Years Experience In Dyslexia: 6
Teaching Experience
It took me a while to finally find my true teaching passion. I had always wanted to help kids learn to read, and I spent many years helping them in all content areas: I taught self-contained 4th grade for 13 years, a few years of 5th grade ELAR & social studies, a year of 5th grade math. When we started departmentalizing, I did 5 years of 4th grade math, science and social studies. As much as I loved teaching math, I missed reading, so I branched out and discovered dyslexia instruction. I fell in love with working with dyslexic kids as well as dyslexia therapy. I received my training at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital in Dallas, and became an “official” Dyslexia Therapist in August 2019. I have been working as a Dyslexia Specialist in public schools since 2016.
Professional Affiliations
ALTA
Programs Trained In
Take Flight
Reading by Design
Age Range You Feel Most Comfortable With:
2nd grade and up
Why did you decide to become a CALT?
I remember being in Sunday school when I was in elementary school and reading out loud. There were kids in my class who were older than me who couldn’t read well. From that point on, I wanted to help kids learn to read. It took me 20 years in education to finally get on the right path to really help struggling readers, but it has been the best change in my career! I love when that “light bulb” starts to come on as my students are able to crack the reading code and make sense of the lines and scribbles on the page.
Favorite moment working with dyslexic students?
One of my favorite moments is when we are reading connected text and a student gets to a word with a suffix on it and stops. I always prompt them to cover up the suffix and read the base word. Then I tell them to put on the suffix and put it all together…and they get the word!! Many times they look at me like, “That was it? That wasn’t so hard!” What’s even better is when they remember on their own to cover up the suffix to help them read the word.
Your goal when working with kids with dyslexia?
My goal for my dyslexic students is to become confident readers. Many times when we are working on coding words and it’s time for the student to read, they may still be stuck. Once we’ve worked on it, I always tell them to “Read it with confidence!” I also aim to build their confidence in themselves. Often they come to me so discouraged at their inability to read, but as we work and build those reading skills, it’s so fun to see the excitement when they find they can read!
Your teaching style, personality?
I like to build a strong rapport with my students and let them know that I love them and believe in them. When they know that their therapist/teacher loves them, they are more willing to keep trying and doing-even when it’s hard. I like to spend a few minutes at the beginning of lessons just talking about their day and getting to know them. During lessons, I am firm, but kind, and work diligently to stay on track,
Any family details?
I have a husband named Kevin who is the Worship Pastor at our church. We have 2 boys, William and Eli. And we have a bunch of animals…5 guinea pigs, 4 rabbits, 3 dogs, and 2 parakeets.
