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Looking for a reading tutor, help for your struggling reader, or more information about what we offer?

Please visit http://about.me/beaconliteracy for social media links, as well as a link to our website.

You may always contact us directly at 615.553.2851 or info@beaconliteracy.com.

Have a great day!

Mark Twain. Game on.

Well, I've just picked up a copy of Mark Twain's Autobiography. I have to say it's a little intimidating. We'll see how long it will actually take for me to pick it up, and then actually get it read. Would love to hear your thoughts, opinions, insights, and factoids on the book and on the man himself. I will do my best to keep you posted on my progress.

And the winner is...

How fun is it to be me? Can I have a little brag post? The Tennessean asked for submissions to a contest - they wanted an essay on "Why I Love My Job in Education." Well, that's easy! So, I entered. And, I won. Good times...so, here is my little essay - perhaps it will give you a little insight into why we do what we do, and why I love my job so much:

I am living a dream. My family came across the Beacon Literacy Program while seeking out solutions for my sister’s reading difficulties. I had the opportunity to learn everything there is to learn and to offer the program for the first time in the U.S. Thousands of students later, Beacon is in several schools, outreach centers, and offered privately. What’s so fun about my role in that? I am able to interact daily with administrators, teachers, tutors, parents, and students. I can provide students with resources to help them become successful and confident readers and prepare them for life’s demands. I am able to offer parents real solutions to the stress and struggles of having a child with reading difficulties. In short, I am able to teach children to read without all the red tape. It is the joy of my life to see the look on a child’s face when they finally have that “ah-ha!” moment and realize that they can read and be successful. I watch my students and parents stand taller, smiles beaming across their faces as they can finally breath and simply be. Teaching is an honor and a privilege. I love my job.

Support our Tennessee teachers

http://wapp.capitol.tn.gov/apps/billinfo/BillSummaryArchive.aspx?BillNumber=SB0113&ga=107

Above is a link to the summary of a bill introduced to the Senate Education Committee by Sen. Jack Johnson, R-Franklin. Read the bill. Inform yourself, write to your representatives. Though I consider myself quite conservative on most fronts and don't agree with every stance that the NEA/TEA takes, I will say this: the teachers union works to protect teachers and their rights. There are too many teachers in Tennessee to take this away from them, and we all know that teachers do not make enough money to go out and hire a private attorney if they feel that they have been treated unfairly. We all how likely it is that teacher pay, etc, would remain somewhat stagnant were it not for the TEA and those willing to stand up for them. Our teachers put in long hours (despite popular opinion on that subject), work in conditions that would often frighten a UFC fighter, and have families and lives of their own. Please read the bill. Speak out. Let your teachers know you respect what they do and are willing to support them.

We love success stories!

Received this note from the Literacy Council of Sumner County yesterday, and just had to share. These are the reasons we do what we do. Thank you, Margie & staff for all of your hard work and dedication!!

Cindi, I just wanted to tell you it has been very exciting with our adult students. They are all about the same level, and have all reached the same point. Katrina's new student has made tremendous progress in 2 lessons and he and his wife are extremely pleased. He is about 21 and graduated from Central via football. Mark is in his 40's and has been to 2 adult programs. After several weeks he is finally understanding how to use his recorder at home and voila! Tom is beginning to make sense of it all and feels that repeating the lessons is good for him; my Hispanic student is finishing book 2 and it has helped so much with his spelling, pronunciation, writing and vocabulary. All the students have said the same thing, they realized they could do the lessons so much more quickly than before and I assure them that is a good thing! I am seeing smiles and sparkles in eyes and it is all good. I know you don't see the adults too often so wanted to share. They have all worked so hard and failed so many times before, it is really a thrill to see the switch turn on. They look me in the eyes, they smile, they talk, they are not afraid to be wrong, they love catching their errors, as they know that means they are learning. It is all GOOD. All but the hispanic man are at kg level. Thank you, thanks to Wendell, and thanks to Philip!

Building Successful Schools

An article in The Tennessean this morning highlights a poll taken by Vanderbilt University emphasizing that most Tennesseans do not favor a link between teacher pay and student test scores. This is a long running debate in Tennessee, so I won't bore you with the list of pros and cons of each. Just with my opinion on the matter. Our schools spend a great deal of time preparing students to take (and succeed in taking) standardized tests. Does this take away from actual student learning? Would the students learn more if teachers did not have to work so hard to ensure that the students are ready for these tests? Well, I suppose that depends on the teacher. The Tennessee Comprehensive Assessment Program (TCAP) Acheivement Test covers a multitude of facts and concepts. The goal of the test is to determine if students are meeting grade level standards and, basically, learning what they are supposed to learn. So, the teacher must ensure that the students master the state standards in order to perform well on the test. Is that a bad thing? No, not necessarily. The problem comes when the teacher runs out of time to allow students to learn on their own through creative, hands on classroom techniques because he or she must ensure that they "cover everything." A good, experienced teacher know how to do both. She can find fun, effective methods of allowing students to discover the facts and master the ideas and concepts through a wide variety of activities, lectures, thoughtully planned field trips, individual and group projects, and by encouraging engaging extracurricular activities and reading. Some districts, some schools, and some teachers simply do this better than others.
So, what does it take for a school or classroom to be effective? Well, it takes a village.
School systems and state and federal governments must support our schools, the teachers and the students in their efforts. Sure, part of this can be measuring academic gains. Bonuses for teachers? Sure! We all know they are not paid enough. But let's dig a little deeper and ensure that our teachers are recieving the training and support that they need to teach that wonderful bunch of students in their hands. Give them information, opportunities for growth, and a real support system. Ensure that class sizes are appropriate to fit the subject matter, the age of the students, and the demographics and ability levels of the children in each individual classroom.
Teachers must actually care about the children and the outcome of the time spent in the classroom and beyond - and most do. Good teachers learn as much as they can about their students, their environments, their learning styles, their support systems, etc. And feed off of this information. If something is lacking, they must take the time to find a way to fill the void - do they need an outside tutor? Do they need assistance with getting good, nutritious meals? A quiet place to do homework? Is there an instructional area where they are lacking or just need a little extra help mastering? And what can I do about it?
Parents must be ACTIVE participants in their child's education. Speaking as a parent, this can be difficult at times. We all have seasons. The bottom line, though, is that these are OUR children. We are responsible for their behavior, their successes and failures, where, how, and with whom they spend their time. So what do we do? Volunteer at your child's school. Even if it is only an hour a week, a month, or a year or during weekend activities. This not only helps the teachers and staff to do their jobs more effectively and efficiently, but it fosters a relationship between yourself and those involved in your child's education. It opens doors to communication that might otherwise be lacking. It helps you to be a part of your child's world. You will know what their school day "looks like" and what goes on in the building. Check the homework. Help with the projects. If you can't do it, find someone willing to help you. Can't find someone?? Ask the guidance counselor. Attend PTO/PTA meetings (yes, I know they can be a drag - GO ANYWAY!)
Students must care about their success. They must complete assignments and learn to take responsibility for their work and behavior. We can't do it for them, but we can teach them to do it. We can ensure they get the rest and nutrition they need. We can set boundaries and limit distracting activities (you all know what I'm talking about!) If we don't teach them to be responsible, productive students, who will do that for us once they are out on their own?
So, whatever part of the village you may be, don't wait until the world slows down, and things "level off." Believe me, it won't happen; there will be something else next week. The opportunity to teach a child and change a life is right now.