It started while I was working as a kindergarten teacher in a district that was selected as a recipient of an Early Reading First Grant. This grant was specifically designed to increase developmentally appropriate literacy skills, as the teacher leader received 3 years of intense training in how children learn to read. The methods were clear, children learn through their senses. Our scores increased significantly when we designed a print rich, data-driven classroom through meaningful experiences. They were all decoding by the end of the school year!
I went on to be a Reading First Coach. The first year we were immersed in literacy. It was now my job to teach teachers. The district sent me to Language Essentials for Teachers of Reading and Spelling, otherwise known as LETRS. I am a certified LETRS provider and literacy specialist. This exposure showed me that the English language does have a pattern, but more importantly added the research component of what I witnessed as a kindergarten teacher. Activating the senses was a priority in a developmental sequence, otherwise known as a scope and sequence.
After going through auditory, visual, and sensory motor training in combination with academic remediation, my own son, who was diagnosed with Autism, graduated with a regular education diploma. He even went on to pass the college entrance test. I knew then I was on a mission, I had discovered some interventions that changed our lives and could do the same for many others!
In 2014, I started as Star Island Learning Center, which evolved into Mind Discovery Center. With more than 25 years of experience, this model has helped hundreds of children excel and progress at higher academic levels, allowing them to make huge strides in both their academic and professional lives. It is absolutely a dream career… helping others succeed, believe, and achieve!