Location: Texarkana, Texas
Education: M.Ed., CALT in training
Years Experience Teaching: 20
Years Experience In Dyslexia: 14
Teaching Experience
I began my teaching career in high school special education. I taught life skills and provided on the job training for my students. After four years, I switched to the middle school level, but I was still teaching special education-life skills. I stayed home for the next 12 years raising my four sons. When I returned to teaching, I taught elementary special education. The year after my return to teaching, my supervisor approached me about getting trained in dyslexia intervention and I have never looked back! This year is my 15th year of providing dyslexia intervention to students.
Programs Trained In
Take Flight
Phonics First
Age Range You Feel Most Comfortable With:
I like all ages!
Why did you decide to become a CALT?
I was trained in Take Flight almost 15 years ago. Due to some circumstances beyond my control, I was unable to get my CALT certification at that time. Fast forward 13 years and the state of Arkansas had created an initiative to get as many teachers as they could get trained in Take Flight and become CALT’s. The training was paid for by the state so I decided to go through the training again so I could sit for the CALT exam. It had always bothered me that I did not complete the process.
Apart from that, I have always loved working with students’ with special needs and different learning styles. I think that the greatest gift you can give someone is the gift of reading.
Favorite moment working with dyslexic students?
I love the look in my students’ eyes when they realize that they are actually reading independently for the first time! It never gets old. Many students come to me with their confidence beaten after many years of feeling that they are just unable to learn how read. I love giving them their confidence back!
Your goal when working with kids with dyslexia?
I want them to know that we are in this together. I want their confidence to grow as we grow their skills. I want them to feel relaxed enough with me to try anything even though they might make mistakes sometimes. Being an avid reader myself, I want them to get to the point where they look forward to reading and do not always see it as a chore.
Your teaching style, personality?
I love building relationships with my students. I want them to know that I care about them personally as well as academically. I am structured, but I like to have fun too! I love to create games that are educational as well as fun for my students. I am very calm and encouraging. I love what I do and I try to pass that excitement about education and reading on to my students.
Any family details?
I am married and have four adult sons ages 19-29. They are all pilots or pilots in training. In my free time, I enjoy READING, hanging out with friends and family, cooking, playing word games and travelling. I have two dogs and three cats. There is a good chance you will see or hear from them during our lessons!
Any extra anecdotal info you want to add?
I live in Texarkana which is a city right on the border of Texas and Arkansas. We have a spot downtown where you can stand and have your picture taken with your feet in two states! I live on the Texas side of Texarkana, but I teach on the Arkansas side.
