Hi all! Welcome to Reading with Ms. Jones. I'm Amber, a middle school reading teacher, rare disease advocate, and reading/dyslexia specialist. I live in Oklahoma with my husband Aaron and our two kids, Holden and Henley.
My journey with reading started as an elementary book worm, progressed into an undergrad English degree and a master's degree in reading, and is now evolving into training as a dyslexia specialist and reading advocate.
It all started when I accepted my first job as a middle school teacher and realized many of my students couldn't read. It baffled me because my students ranged from gifted to special needs, but a large percentage of all populations could not read and comprehend the words. I began reaching out to other teachers across the nation, and I realized this is a problem everywhere. I tried every reading and comprehension strategy I could find, but my kids still couldn't comprehend the text on grade level.
When I look back on my early years as a teacher, I always think of this quote by Anita Archer, “There is no comprehension strategy powerful enough to compensate if a student cannot read the words.”
A couple of years after beginning my career as a teacher, I learned about The Science of Reading and how our brains learn how to read. While some kids can naturally piece the skills together, the majority need explicit instruction. This was a huge turning point in my career. I figured out that my students didn't understand how to break down sounds in words. They made it through so many years of school relying on their memory to read. It finally made sense! When the pictures in books go away and the words become more complex, relying on memory alone fails.
My fantastic administration supported our team as we reevaluated what our reading classes look like at the middle school level. Watching preteens put the pieces of the reading puzzle together and transform into confident readers is one of the highlights of my career so far.
Parents began reaching out and seeking 1:1 tutoring for their struggling readers. Families from all around the country are desperate to help their children become strong, confident readers. After my schedule became completely booked for months in advance, it was clear that I needed to bring in help. That is when I began training other teachers to step in and help me fill this urgent need.
Thank you for reading my first post and supporting me on this new journey. Stay tuned for future posts about all things reading.