SHINING A SPOTLIGHT ON LITERACY & EDUPRENEURS

     Hey I-Team! Happy June! After such a challenging school year, I'm so excited about summer vacation because now I get a chance to kick back, relax, and finally catch up on some summer reading ya know? I mean, just being able to read a novel and feeling like you're right there in the chapter along with the characters is truly one of the highlights of reading a great book in my opinion...I'm just saying....
And speaking of great books, last week at my school, the librarian was able to secure a grant for over 15,000 paperback books through an initiative called Raising Readers. The books were labeled, organized, and have been distributed  to various Title I elementary schools in the district. And one of the cool things about this reading initiative is that students can trade books throughout the summer at a school site in the district. Specific sites will have a mailbox set up outside the school which will act as a "little library". The goal is to encourage reading over the summer and ultimately a love of literacy beyond that. I LOVE, LOVE, LOVE this idea!!!! Building strong readers is critical in order for them to function in society. This brings me to the point for writing my post.
     Countless articles have been written discussing the impact the pandemic had on learning loss. More specifically the learning loss that students across the country faced this school year in math and of course reading. Now if we were truly honest, literacy has been a challenge for struggling readers years before COVID was ever thought about. But what's even more challenging is when foundational skills aren't addressed in the early years for our youngest learners. 
In a 2009 report by the National Institute for Literacy, it was noted that literacy is essential to developing a strong sense of well-being and citizenship. Children who have developed strong reading skills perform better in school and have a healthier self-image.  
     So how can we address this issue during the early years of schooling? On the Intentional Instruction Podcast, I interviewed Academic Interventionist  and owner of the Tutoring Teacher Learning Center LLC. Ms. Shonda Northern. This episode is timely as both the blog and podcast commemorate Juneteenth  which will be celebrated on June 19, 2022. In honor of this occasion, I also wanted to shine a spotlight on a Black Owned business; one that aligns with the mantra of Intentional Instruction, which is to Educate, Uplift, and Inspire! Check out my interview with Ms. Northern by clicking here.
   
​The Intentional Toolkit
Inside the Intentional Toolkit I've also included a few articles that are timely and are connected to the blog and podcast discussion. To access them just click on the toolkit at the bottom of this page; from there you'll be able to open the PDF. I've also included the email address for the Tutoring Teacher Learning Center LLC. You can access it by clicking on the Tutoring Teacher logo at the bottom of this page. And don't forget to check out this month's podcast episode for additional contact information in case you or someone you know would like to learn more about Ms. Northern's tutoring services. As always, I hope you find these resources useful.
     
Well, that's all for now. But as you take in these warm summer days ahead, I'm hopeful that you'll soak up the sun, take good care of yourselves, and if you're like me, you'll definitely take some time to get lost in a good book. Until next time, go out there and be GREAT!