Welcome L is for Literacy: Where Research Meets Classroom Reality

How I Got Here (And Maybe You Did Too)

There’s a realization that emerged from my years in the classroom: teaching children to read isn’t simply a professional responsibility—it’s the heart of my purpose as an educator. The path to effective literacy instruction, however, had many more twists and turns than I anticipated. I see that knowing smile—you’ve been there too, haven’t you?

Remember sitting in those teacher prep classes learning all about balanced literacy approaches? I sure do! I made those anchor charts with such care. I leveled my classroom library like it was my personal mission. I believed, with my whole heart, that surrounding kids with good books and opportunities to read would be enough.

And then… there were those kids. The ones who just weren’t getting it, no matter how many reading strategies I taught them. The ones I’d lie awake thinking about at night.

Sound familiar?

My “Wait, What?” Moment

Everything shifted when I became a Reading Interventionist. Suddenly, those struggling readers weren’t just part of my day – they WERE my day. There’s nothing quite like sitting across from a sweet third grader who still can’t figure out the word “cat” to make you question everything you thought you knew about teaching reading.

So what did I do? What any dedicated teacher would do – I started searching for better answers! My journey began with learning how to properly assess students for dyslexia. I realized these struggling readers weren’t just “developing slowly” – many needed specific, targeted support.

That led me to Orton Gillingham training, which completely transformed my understanding of reading instruction. I slowly started shifting my intervention groups away from the familiar Balanced Literacy approach to these more structured, systematic techniques. The difference in my students’ progress was impossible to ignore.

The real turning point came when I attended the Plain Talk About Literacy and Learning Conference. Sitting there surrounded by researchers and practitioners, it hit me like a ton of bricks: many of the reading strategies I’d been teaching for years weren’t just ineffective – they were actually making it harder for some kids to become successful readers.

I came back to my school with a mission. I started advocating with our administration to replace the Balanced Literacy curriculum we’d been using for over a decade with one aligned to the Science of Reading. (Let’s just say I became that teacher in staff meetings – you know the one who keeps bringing up the same topic until people either listen or avoid eye contact in the hallway!)

This Isn’t Just Another Teaching Fad

Let’s address the elephant in the room. If you’re thinking, ‘I’ve been through three different reading initiatives in five years,’ I hear you. I remember sitting through those same presentations, wondering if this was just the latest trend that would disappear before I’d even had time to create new lesson plans.

But here’s the thing that made this different for me: The Science of Reading isn’t a shiny program that comes in a fancy box with a hefty price tag. It’s decades of research that finally explained what my teacher brain had been wondering all along: How do kids ACTUALLY learn to read? Why do some approaches work better than others? And most importantly – how can I reach EVERY student, not just most of them?

What I Wish I’d Known Sooner

Looking back, I can see the holes in my early literacy teaching. I was all about beautiful literature and meaning-making (which absolutely matter!) but I was missing crucial pieces of the puzzle.

Remember teaching kids to look at the pictures when they got stuck on a word? Or to skip it and come back? Or my personal favorite – “What would make sense there?” I had the best intentions, but I didn’t realize I was actually teaching some kids to guess rather than decode.

The real eye-opener came when I started using structured literacy approaches with my struggling readers. Kids who had been stuck for YEARS started making progress! Not just a little progress – real, measurable growth. Their confidence grew right alongside their skills, and for many of them, reading transformed from something to avoid into something to celebrate.

This wasn’t about adding more worksheets (please, no). It was about understanding how literacy develops and providing systematic, explicit instruction in how our language works. Because while literacy absolutely includes comprehension, vocabulary, and developing a love of reading – none of that matters if students can’t efficiently identify the words on the page.

Who I Created This Space For

I’m guessing you’re squeezing in this reading between planning lessons, grading papers, and maybe trying to eat lunch in those precious 22 minutes you have. Perhaps you have a student who keeps you up at night because nothing you’ve tried seems to help them progress with reading. Or maybe you’re sensing there’s a better approach to literacy instruction out there, but you’re not sure where to start.

This space is specifically for:

• That classroom teacher who wants to help EVERY reader, not just most
• The reading specialist trying to make sense of conflicting approaches
• The literacy coach looking for ways to support teachers through changes
• The veteran educator who wants to understand the “why” behind effective practices
• The new teacher hoping to build on solid ground from the start
• Anyone who’s ever looked at a struggling reader and thought, “I will figure this out for you”

My Promise to You

I promise this won’t be a place where you feel bad about what you didn’t know before. (I’ve had plenty of those “why didn’t anyone tell me this?!” moments myself!)

Instead, I’m here as a fellow teacher who’s been in your shoes:

• I’ll break down research into “here’s what to do Monday morning” advice
• Share practical strategies that work in real classrooms with real kids
• Give you explanations that make sense when talking to colleagues and parents
• Create a space where we can learn together (because I’m still learning too!)
• Help you feel more confident in your literacy instruction, one step at a time

Real Classrooms, Real Challenges

What makes shifting our literacy instruction so tricky isn’t understanding the research—it’s figuring out how to apply it when you’ve got 26 kids, a district-mandated curriculum, and about 10 minutes of prep time!

I remember sitting in professional development thinking, “This sounds great, but HOW? How do I fit this into my already packed literacy block? What about the curriculum my district spent a fortune on? What will the third-grade teacher think if I don’t send these kids up with beautiful reading journals?”

That’s exactly why this space exists. Together, we’ll tackle questions like:

• “How do I incorporate these approaches without throwing out everything I’m doing?”
• “What small changes will make the biggest difference for my students?”
• “How do I help the kids who are really struggling while still teaching everyone else?”
• “What do I do when my assessment data doesn’t match what I’m seeing in class?”
• “How do I explain to parents why I’m teaching differently than they remember?”

Let’s Figure This Out Together

Whether you’re reading this during your prep period (bless you) or late at night when the house is finally quiet, I already know something important about you – you’re the kind of teacher who never stops learning for your students.

I believe that effective literacy instruction is the greatest gift we can give our students. It opens doors that would otherwise remain closed. Through this blog, we’ll explore what works, troubleshoot what doesn’t, celebrate our successes, and build a community of educators who are committed to helping every child read.

Ready to dive in? Refill that coffee cup (mine’s a chai latte) and let’s transform how we teach reading – one evidence-based strategy at a time. Because if there’s one thing I know about teachers like us, it’s that we never give up on finding better ways to help our kids succeed.

We all have blind spots in our teaching knowledge—even in areas we teach every day! Our quick Science of Reading quiz helps you discover yours in just 5-7 minutes. Get immediate feedback on your current understanding across 6 essential literacy categories, with the option to receive targeted resources based on your results. Knowledge is power—especially when teaching reading!