When I think about the moment I fell in love with reading, I vividly see my grandmother with a bountiful bowl of grapes and reading her newest romantic novel. She was such an avid reader, it made me curious about what exactly I could find between the pages of all books. From that moment, reading was my life; whether it was “Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone,” or “Dear God, It’s Me Margaret,” y
ou could always find me with a book. It built such an imagination that, today I know it’s what let me still dream big about all the possibilities in this world. I’m an instructional reading coach, teacher, and curriculum writer. With most of my time spent in the classroom, I was always on the search for curriculum materials that would address the Common Core Standards and provide the necessary content knowledge for African American students. I often found myself using resources that students couldn’t relate to or had little interest in – and we all know what happens when students don’t “buy in”; it becomes almost impossible to teach what’s between those pages! As I transitioned to coach other educators in elementary reading this year, I realized this problem was widespread, the frustration was not just limited to my own classroom. Teachers were working diligently to engage students with culturally relevant materials and effectively help parents understand the new shift with common core standards. Based on this revelation, I birthed the idea of the “Creative Reading Coach” – a spot where educators and parents can find rigorous, culturally relevant, and engaging instructional materials, for their child. Through building these resources, it is my goal to make sure each product aligns to state standards and thoroughly displays content knowledge for students of color. As you utilize this site, I guarantee that each these products will engage, inspire, and invoke a desire to comprehend across multiple text types. I’m excited to explore this journey and thank you for letting me be your coach!
