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RRCNA Membership Spotlight: Rachel Spellman
Learn about your colleagues from across the country who do whatever it takes as part of the Reading Recovery Community! Rachel was able to attend LitCon this year because of a generous financial award from the Foundation for Struggling Readers.
What is your favorite thing about Reading Recovery?
I have many favorite things about Reading Recovery, but my favorite is working one-on-one with children because of the strong connections and advances we are able to make. What a luxurious opportunity it is to have 30 minutes alone with a student to read and write. I treasure this time of my day and always look forward to the next.
Share a favorite Reading Recovery memory.
A favorite Reading Recovery memory was working with a very reluctant new student, George. I even made a “Reading License” for George after a couple of days of working together to instill more confidence. After our RAK sessions, he was showing signs of accelerated progress! Mary Fried visited our school that same year and even worked with George; she has gone on to share George’s work (in HRSW after RAK) in some of her talks.
What is your favorite book?
My favorite children’s book is Soft Child by Joe Hayes.
What do you like to do for fun?
Well, in the summer I do enjoy reading for pleasure, but during the school year, I enjoy spending relaxing nights and weekends at home with my family. For fun I will walk the dog, take in the fresh air, appreciate the beautiful place that I am lucky enough to call home, and just enjoy the small things.
Thank you to our Associate Members and development partners who generously sponsored 2022 – 2023 financial awards
Geri Stone Memorial Fund – Tenyo Family Foundation Grant – Debby Wood Grant – Dr. Olson PD Grant – Teresa Douglas PD Award
THE JOURNAL OF READING RECOVERY
Spring 2024
Constructing a More Complex Neural Network for Working on Written Language That Learns to Extend Itself by Carol A. Lyons
Reading Recovery IS the Science(s) of Reading and the Art of Teaching by Debra Semm Rich
Predictions of Progress: Charting, Adjusting, and Shaping Individual Lessons by Janice Van Dyke and Melissa Wilde
Teachers Designing for Context: Using Integrity Principles to Design Early Literacy Support in Aotearoa New Zealand by Rebecca Jesson, Judy Aitken, and Yu Liu