Reading Is Fundamental

It is natural to fall into the trap of telling a single story about our students and their families. A mindful approach to education encourages us to shift our perspective—to recognize and leverage the unique assets that every student brings from their culture, family, and lived experiences. As Judy Paulick from the University of Virginia shared on the Make It Mindful podcast, "If we go into homes thinking families aren’t doing this or that, we miss the incredible assets they already have." Judy adds, "Families are already engaging in literacy practices, from texting loved ones to sharing stories—teachers can learn from these to enrich classroom experiences." 🧠 So, how do we foster a mindset of asset-based thinking? 1. Build trust through proactive engagement: Consistently connect with families in the way that works best for them—whether by text, email, or phone. "Building relationships creates opportunities to learn from families," Judy emphasizes. "We have to humanize ourselves as educators and learn from the families we serve." 2. Integrate family stories: Bring family experiences into the curriculum. Judy recommends, "Have students create class books based on family stories or traditions—this opens a window into their world." 3. Observe cultural models: Notice how families interact and reflect those practices in the classroom. As Judy explains, "If you see cooperation valued over competition at home, bring that into class projects, like older students mentoring younger ones." 4. Incorporate diverse literacy practices: Judy highlights, "Families engage in literacy practices we might not think of—like reading religious texts, storytelling, or even playing video games together. These are valuable for classroom learning." 5. Leverage community assets: Teachers can learn from the community by attending local events. "Go to a student’s soccer game or attend a neighborhood event. These experiences build relationships and help you understand the assets families bring," suggests Judy. 6. Create culturally responsive literature collections: "Children should see themselves in the literature they read," says Judy. "It’s essential that all students can find their own 'mirror' in the books available to them." Listen to the podcast episode as part of the Be Podcast Network's collaboration with Reading Is Fundamental: https://lnkd.in/gVbr3JM4 👇 Drop your thoughts in the comments and share how you’re embracing a more mindful, inclusive way of teaching. #MindfulEducation #CulturalCompetence #InclusiveTeaching #DiversityInEducation #BreakTheSingleStory

In the newest episode of our National Literacy Month series, I have the pleasure of chatting with Erin Bailey, Ed.D. from Reading Is Fundamental. We discuss: ▪ Erin’s literacy journey as a student and teacher ▪ What brought her to RIF ▪ How to define joy in reading and education ▪ Why joy is a critical goal ▪ Fostering competence, confidence, and engagement ▪ How can joy be measured? Should it? ▪ What educators can do to ignite a joy of reading for their students ▪ What role does joy play in the science of reading?  ▪ Book recommendation: Outside in the Teaching Machine by Gayatri Spivak Listen to the episode at the link below (in the first comment) 🔽

In the newest episode of our National Literacy Month series, I have the pleasure of chatting with Erin Bailey, Ed.D. from Reading Is Fundamental. We discuss: ▪ Erin’s literacy journey as a student and teacher ▪ What brought her to RIF ▪ How to define joy in reading and education ▪ Why joy is a critical goal ▪ Fostering competence, confidence, and engagement ▪ How can joy be measured? Should it? ▪ What educators can do to ignite a joy of reading for their students ▪ What role does joy play in the science of reading?  ▪ Book recommendation: Outside in the Teaching Machine by Gayatri Spivak Listen to the episode at the link below (in the first comment) 🔽

This month on the De Facto Leaders podcast I’m doing a special series in partnership with Reading Is Fundamental for National Literacy Month along with other Be Podcast Network hosts. Here are some questions and topics I’m hoping to answer with this special series: ✅How can we give kids the skills they need to use assistive technology effectively (e.g., screen readers, text to speech). ✅How can we use shared book reading to build language and vocabulary? ✅What do the mandates really say about using terms like “dyslexia” and “developmental language disorder” as school eligibility categories? ✅Actions we can take at the district, community and policy level to address book deserts. ✅What skills need to be taught explicitly? ✅Does "joy" come from learning to read, or do you have to find "joy" in reading in order to learn to read? ✅Unpacking characteristics of dyslexia and developmental language disorder to design effective literacy intervention. ✅Writing instruction: Supporting foundational language skills at the word and sentence-level as well strategic planning. Here’s what you can do right now to support this campaign and ensure you don’t miss any of the interviews: 1.Go to Apple, Spotify, or any other directory you use for podcasts and subscribe to the De Facto Leaders podcast. 2 Leave De Facto Leaders a rating and review. This helps get my show in to the hands of people who need the information. 3. Spread the word about the De Facto Leaders podcast. The best way to do that is to encourage friends/colleagues to search for "De Facto Leaders" on their favorite directory, or tell them to go to defactoleaders.com The first episode in the Reading is Fundamental Series is going live on Wednesday, September 4. Mark your calendars so you don’t miss it!