My husband tells me that the first blog on a person’s website should be an introduction and bit of a story about oneself. So, here it is.
I decided in 3rd grade, in Mrs Kovac’s class, that I wanted to be a teacher. She was everything amazing in a teacher: we all knew the boundaries and rules, but they were implemented with kindness and fairness; learning was fun and vibrant and interactive; differentiation was evident but never in any way that made us feel different and every individual was embraced and valued.
During high school I realised that I possessed a strong love of English and enjoyed making meaning of texts, creating texts and frankly everything to do with language and how we can manipulate it to make meanings and share our thoughts, feelings, ideas and visions. Since high school provided the opportunity to specialise in this, I tool that path – as soon as I completed 12th grade I entered university and understood a double degree in Arts and Education.
It wasn’t until a later teaching post in a lower socio-economic area that I first really encountered situations with students English language skills below that expected of their age. Significantly lower. Third grade reading skills while sitting in my eighth grade classroom. I was, at the time, ill equipped to help the student and I felt downright horrible about it. Thus commenced my education around teaching reading, spelling, vocabulary and writing, to those still developing these fundamental skills. I openly admit, I probably took longer to become good at teaching these skills that my students did to learn them, but I am incredibly glad to have them.
Not only have I had the opportunity to tutor and teach students, in classes, small groups and one on one situations and see their confidence and self belief grow and their love of reading and learning in general flourish, I’ve also been able to support my own children in their literacy development. When we relocated to the USA from Australia in 2020, it meant cutting my son’s kindergarten year in half and placing him into first grade significantly behind his peers. Australian schooling runs in line with the calendar year so he had only completed a single semester of kindergarten (called Prep in Queensland) and we had to make the decision whether to start him over again in kindergarten in August or push him forward to first grade. It was a terrifying decision, as I’m well aware that being behind in school can cause significant distress for students and have long term implications.
Having seen many of the struggles of students firsthand, and watched their transformation as learners and individuals, I am incredibly proud to be starting my own business to support learners and support families in seeing this exciting growth for themselves. While, of course, all families and parents can develop these skills themselves – and I would be more than happy to support this very learning myself – as I’ve mentioned, I am aware of the battle ground overcoming such difficulties can create for families and am excited to help ease this as much as anything else.
So, it is with equal parts terror, joy and positivity that I start this journey to support the many learners and families I hope to meet in the coming months and years.
Reading is a passport to countless adventures.
Mary Pope Osborne
Best wishes, Carolyn
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