About Me
“Phonics is boring,”
they say.
“It’s just another pendulum swing,”
they say.
“Students won’t be as engaged,”
they say.
Nah. Nope. Not at all.
A COLORFUL teacher who implements evidenced-based literacy practices COLORFULLY (literally AND figuratively) can make all the difference.
–-and a COLORFUL Classroom isn’t just about aesthetics; it’s a vibe.
The truth is, our nation is in the midst of a literacy crisis. Only 33% of 4th graders are proficient in reading (NAEP 2022). Yet, research suggests that 95% of ALL children can be taught to read by the end of 1st grade with the right type of instruction (Moats).
While we’re talking literacy, when we look at the math, something doesn’t quite add up.
The discrepancy is far too large because for far too long, students have not been receiving the right type of instruction.
So, let’s change the statistics, once and for all.
I’m Michelle! I have over a decade of experience in literacy-centered roles – both as a Reading Interventionist and Instructional Literacy Coach. Let’s just say, I eat, breathe, and sleep all things literacy.
Even with my background, I have a little secret for you. I wasn’t always teaching reading “correctly”.
In my Reading Interventionist Era (okay, Swiftie), back in 2013, I had one foot in the Structured Literacy door, and the other in a Balanced Literacy one – without even knowing it. I look back at my notes from a decade ago on dyslexia, reading in the brain, and the importance of teaching the code, and I could pinch myself for not having my eyes fully open. I wore rose colored glasses and trusted a broken system..
We assessed reading levels, but then I always dug deeper to pinpoint phonics issues. Yes, I was doing some things right. I delivered explicit and systematic phonics instruction to my most at-risk students “who really needed it”, but then used Guided Reading and LLI to my “cuspier” intervention kiddos who supposedly “were ready for it”.
So real talk. Let’s chat about these two groups of students.
Those who Received Structured
Literacy Intervention:
We were finger tapping, skywriting, and reading decodables before it was cool & there was ever a buzz about SOR. Kids were making progress. However, I’d scratch my head as to why their skills didn’t transfer back in the classroom.
…Well, it was pretty much apples and oranges… or maybe even oil and water.
Those who Received Balanced
Literacy Intervention:
Volume, volume, volume! Exposure, exposure, exposure! In the primary grades, we often saw huge gains, but essentially, we taught students to be fantastic memorizers and guessers.
By 3rd, 4th, and 5th grade, they’d be back in intervention because they couldn’t get past beginning chapter books. Why? The pictures went away. The words got bigger. The texts got longer. The strategies that they were equipped with, didn’t quite work anymore.
WHAT we teach and HOW we teach it matters.
Hindsight is 20/20.
Know better, do better.
Now, I’m on a mission to help build teacher knowledge and capacity because you deserve to feel confident and equipped to meet ALL of your students’ needs and change the statistics.
It’s time to not only teach WITH color in multisensory ways, but also BE colorful – showing up for our students with rich vibrancy and brilliance.
After all, a passionate and knowledgeable teacher ultimately will make the biggest impact on students’ literacy development.
Whether you’re a first year teacher or twenty years in, it’s never too late to grow your teacher knowledge.
Through reliable resources, practical professional learning, and colorful coaching support, it’s time to joyfully show up for a job you love and set your students up to have literate lives.
Teaching students how to read has never felt this good.
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Phonics & Morphology Terms
Every Teacher Needs to Know
