Teacher Uses O-G to Reach New Heights with Students

Scott Fisher’s enthusiasm is contagious. "The thing I love most about teaching is that moment of discovery, when children make connections and their little brains explode," says Scott, who teaches kindergarten at Asheville’s Isaac Dixon Elementary. "You can see it in their faces.  It's priceless." Scott also believes the Orton-Gillingham (O-G) training he recently went through is priceless. "O-G training has had a huge impact on my understanding of both the English language and developmentally appropriate teaching practices for reading and writing."

On one hand, Scott uses it in the classroom in his small group work. "I’ve also been incorporating O-G principles and activities into my whole-class Fundations curriculum, which covers phonics and language development. I’ve got a much stronger grasp on the spelling patterns of our language, which makes me better prepared to answer students’ questions. O-G supplements make my lessons much more enjoyable for students."

He’s seen the O-G approach impact non-dyslexic students as well. "So far, the O-G additions I’ve made have really hit home with my high flyers who were sometimes bored with whole-class phonics instruction. I simply slip slightly more advanced rules and patterns to those students who are ready, while reinforcing basic phonetic instruction for the entire class."

All students seem to appreciate Scott’s daily warmup. "In our Fundations curriculum, we warm up daily with drill sounds, repeating the letter name and keyword and sound of many letters (it sounds like "K, kite, /k/!"),” he says. "Because O-G is a multisensory approach, our trainer and O-G Fellow Susie van der Vorst recommended I added a tactile element to the drill.  Now my children are all repeating the drills while simultaneously using two fingers to trace the letter on the carpet.  They are engaging their visual, auditory and kinesthetic/tactile senses, strengthening the pathway to the brain."

Incorporating the O-G approach in the primary grades is critical according to Scott. “Everything about a student’s career hinges on those first few years."

Scott is thankful to OpenDoors of Asheville for inviting him to participate in O-G training. "For people like me, with a huge curiosity and thirst for understanding, it’s been a very rewarding experience. In my mind, every teacher should be given the option to learn the O-G approach."

OpenDoors Uses O-G Approach as Tool to Help Children Rise Above Poverty

Jen Ramming had no idea that volunteering in a third grade classroom would change her life. “The dynamics fascinated me,” she recalls. “I asked the teacher what I could do to help. One day, she asked me to take three boys, who were disruptive, out of the classroom. We went to the library for books and curled up in the hallway where we took turns reading. Although I realized they were clearly bright and capable, not a single one of these young boys, whose lives had been touched by multi-generational poverty, knew more than five words by sight. One knew the alphabet, but not the sounds. They were learning to read while other kids were reading to learn.”

Before long, Jen had taken one of the boys under her wing, signing him up to play soccer on her son’s team. Knowing his family’s precarious situation, she made sure Jamer always had enough to eat, and went out of her way to pick him up for games. “The soccer team embraced this young man and his family, offering rides, taking him on family outings and even vacations. Essentially, we became extended family.

Other children followed suit. “Suddenly, there were nine boys and girls, each from a family dealing with the challenges of multi-generational poverty. We were opening doors and the kids were walking through. I felt like we had something going that was replicable for other children.”

From that germ of an idea, Jen helped create a board of directors with a group of concerned parents and professionals from varied fields. Together, they founded OpenDoors of Asheville  to help local children reach their potential through individualized networks of support and a host of educational and enrichment opportunities. These opportunities, which range from tutoring to summer camp, are designed to help children begin to invest in themselves and ultimately break the cycle of multi-generational poverty. Jen is proud to serve as the organization’s executive director.

Having spent time observing Jamer, Jen’s friend Dr. Marcy Sirkin, who owns Arden Reading Clinic North, had a gut feeling he was dyslexic. She then asked colleague Dr. Deirdre Christy to evaluate him. As suspected, Dr. Christy confirmed he was bright and profoundly dyslexic.

With that knowledge in hand, Jen began learning about Individualized Education Plans (IEP) and how to navigate the system and advocate for him. “It didn’t take me long to realize how overlooked and underserved this child had been.”

With Jamer already so far behind in reading, Jen knew a remediation plan had to be put in place. Based on research and conversations with Dr. Sirkin, she believed the most effective solution would be to access an experienced Orton-Gillingham (O-G) tutor.

Jen likes to say she became an O-G groupie when she saw Jamer’s progress. “In one year, he jumped two full grade levels in reading. By the time he was in 8^th grade, and being exclusively homeschooled in Orton, he was getting the equivalent of A’s and B’s. If you give children the tools, they become readers who want to learn.”

Jamer’s progress clearly illustrated the benefits of O-G’s multi-sensory approach to teaching reading and writing. Knowing O-G would help OpenDoors children achieve significant gains, the organization began laying the groundwork to fund teacher training within the Asheville City School District that served her young clients.

Drawing on general operating funds, OpenDoors hired O-G Fellow and Camp Spring Creek Co-Founder Susie van der Vorst to train a hand-picked group of Asheville City Schools’ teachers, Since then, OpenDoors has shared the training expenses with Asheville City Schools in addition to securing grants such as the Community Foundation of Western North Carolina “People in Need” grant.

Asheville City Schools Teacher Scott Fisher is grateful to OpenDoors for helping him open a door of his own. “O-G training has had a huge impact on my understanding of the English language, and on developmentally appropriate practices for reading and writing. I now have a much stronger grasp on the spelling patterns of our language, and can accommodate more student inquiries than I was able to in the past. I am more capable of keeping my entire class engaged in our learning because I can slip slightly more advanced rules and patterns to those students who are ready, while still reinforcing basic phonetic instruction for the entire class.”

OpenDoors prioritizes training for kindergarten, first and second grade teachers. “Early intervention is critical, especially for children living in poverty,” Jen says. “Research has shown that teaching reading to children from multi-generational poverty is often like teaching them a second language because they’ve not had as many language enriched experiences as a child whose family has ample resources. They grasp so much more when the words are broken down using a multi-sensory approach.”

While OpenDoors is working to determine the best methods for capturing data to detail student and teachers success, of this they are certain – since incorporating O-G, there is a clear rise in reading levels, self-esteem, improved behavior and attendance among OpenDoors students.

“If you take away the financial barriers, parents throughout the country choose the O-G approach to help their children who struggle to read,” Jen says. “It’s one of the only research based  methods proven to meet children where they are and give them the tools they need to become confident readers and writers. It’s not just what children with financial means need; it’s what all children need.”

According to literacy experts like Dr. Sally Shaywitz, all children can learn to read. “We understand that 95% of our nation’s children can learn to read on grade level, and the other 5% can learn to be functionally literate with appropriate support,” Jen notes. “It’s important to set the bar at 100% literacy using proven strategies for teaching because illiteracy is akin to a life sentence.”

For the Children by Rob Langston

Today's book rec comes from Susie, who suggests that the beginning of the school year is always a great time to review your goals to work as a team with you child's teachers, school administrators, or IEP team members. There can be many barriers, but there can also be many successes. Clear communication, goals, and expectataions along with a positive outlook are keys to success. After all, everyone has the same goal: to get your child the best educational opportunities possible. To that end Rob Langston's For the Children: Redefining Success in School and Success in Life is worth taking a look at. With so many messages from schools, from home, from media, and from research, and from society in general, sometimes it's hard to know "how to be." The author's Amazon page notes, "In this book I tell you about my struggles and accomplishments as a child and an adult with Dyslexia, with the hope that it will give you the strength and encouragement to help yourself or a loved one. I strongly urge you to read this book and apply it to your life. Don't ever give up on your dreams and always believe in yourself." Read more here.

Video: Tutoring for Accuracy

Here's another in our series of videos on tutoring using Orton-Gillingham practices. For more lessons you can use at home or in the classroom, subscribe to our YouTube channel (link on right sidebar).

[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cIsVxeBQs74&feature=youtu.be[/embed]

End of Summer Exhale

Wow. It was another amazing summer! Steve, Susie, Marguerite, Nina, Olson, Mimi, and all the counselors, tutors, and staff thank YOU for entrusting us with your children and helping us thrive as a camp, grow as a business, expand as a family, and love like there's no tomorrow!

We're taking the rest of August off from the blog to catch our breath. We'll be back this fall with twice weekly posts, including everything from artist interviews to book recs to training videos and more. Stay tuned!

In His Own Words: Conor Lennon

Today's blog is a guest post from first-time counselor at Camp Spring Creek, Conor. Thanks, Conor, for all your hard work and heartfelt reflections. We're so glad you're here!

So it’s been four weeks since camp officially started and this year’s crop of campers descended on Camp Spring Creek. I’ve now been in North Carolina a little over a month, and can honestly say it has been the quickest five weeks I have ever experienced. At the same time--and I’m aware of how contradictory this sounds--when I think back over everything that has happened since I touched down in Charlotte, it feels like I must have been here for months. Maybe even years. Since I arrived, I have acquired an American Red Cross qualification in lifeguarding and CPR (thanks to our very patient and understanding instructor), attended a genuine sidewalk street dance in Bakersville, experienced 4^th of July as the Americans celebrate it and, as well as countless others, met the most amazing group of people (campers, counselors and tutors) I’ve ever encountered.

That’s what really sets this camp above its larger counterparts. Hidden up in the mountains, with no television, Internet or cell phone connection, camp becomes its own little secluded community. As I write this, we consist of approximately fifty-two people; thirty campers, eight counselors, seven tutors, assorted members of staff, and the van der Vorst family.

Before we continue, I would like to apologize for the frequent references to the passing of time in this post--how many weeks camp has been up and running, how long it has been since I arrived, the length of time until camp wraps up, etc. The reason I mention it so often is because I truly cannot believe both how fast time is passing and how much is being achieved in that time. It’s almost as if, in our little dyslexia-orientated enclave in the Blue Ridge Mountains, time is passing differently than in the rest of the world. Having such a small, intimate camp means that during the course of the last four weeks (I did warn you) I’ve really gotten to know all of the campers personally, as well as forging extremely tight bonds with my fellow counselors and colleagues. Though it can be difficult at times, I couldn’t have asked for a better or more diverse group of kids for which to be responsible.

All the children have very different personalities and skill-sets and it’s enthralling to watch as these traits slowly become apparent as camp goes on and the campers grow in confidence. As cliché as it sounds, I have probably learned more from this bunch of 6 to 15 year olds than they have from me. It can be extremely humbling to become engrossed in a debate about education, history, or even philosophy, only to realize part-way through that you are having this very mature discussion with a twelve-year-old (and even more humbling when said twelve-year-old reveals they are at least as knowledgeable, or even more knowledgeable, about the subject than you are!).

Despite only meeting them three weeks ago, the thought that many of these kids will be leaving this [last] week is a source of genuine distress to my fellow counselors and I, which is a testament to both the campers and Camp Spring Creek as a whole. Though we’re not even halfway through our stay at camp, several of the counsellors (including myself) have already decided that we would like to return again next year, provided Susie and Steve will take us back, of course!

Before I arrived in North Carolina I was, quite frankly, at a loss as to what I wanted to do with the rest of my life and where I wanted to go. Already, I can say that choosing to become a counselor at Camp Spring Creek is one of the most rewarding things I have ever done. I’ve learned an awful lot about myself that I never would have known if I’d stayed at home and it has given me some real direction as to what I want to do after the summer. I remember reading a previous entry on this blog prior to my arrival at camp that described a summer at Camp Spring Creek as "the hardest fun I’ve ever had," pretty much summing up my last few weeks in six words.

And I wouldn’t change a thing.

Congrats to our new Associates!

Last month, Susie led 5 women through the Orton-Gillingham Associate Level Training program out at Camp Spring Creek. After many hours of work, many tests, many flashcards, and even more observations to come, these women finished strong. We want to acknowledge their efforts in the course, as well as the support from their families who were without them for 10 days. Traveling from Pennsylvania, Alabama, and South Carolina, they gave up a lot to be here...and chose to work hard for the betterment of children with dyslexia. THREE CHEERS!

For those of you who use our YouTube channel and this blog as an educational resource, we've sorted the categories on our site (on the right sidebar) to make it easier for you to find the videos you're looking for. Camp videos and educational/training videos are separated into their own tags under Resources--please explore, and enjoy!

OpenDoors of Asheville & OG Training Snapshots

One of our most coveted partnerships is with OpenDoors of Asheville in Buncombe County, NC. This organization connects local children living in multi-generational poverty with an active, individualized network of support, enrichment, and education opportunities. Last spring, we launched a Classroom Educator training with them. For the past two summers, OpenDoors teamed up with Camp Spring Creek to provide scholarships for camp. We also got to feature their Executive Director, Jen R., in this article about summer slide and highlight her amazing contributions to OpenDoors in this interview. To celebrate this ongoing partnership and to recognize the teachers and administrators who participated in our most recent Classroom Educator Course, here are a few snapshots of them, hard at work with Susie.

Susie Presents at TN IDA

This month, Susie will travel to Brentwood (near Nashville) to present at the Tennessee International Dyslexia Association Regional Conference. The conference is still open for registration, and takes place April 17-18 at Curry Ingram Academy. Susie will have a booth set up for Camp Spring Creek and will lead several break out sessions between keynote presentations at the conference. The topics for this year's keynote presentations sound spot on:

• "Elephant in the Room: What We Overlook Regarding Dyslexia" presented by Nancy Mather, PhD.

• "Lessons from an Evolving Reading Brain for Dyslexia, Intervention, & Global Literacy" presented by Maryanne Wolf, Ed.D.

• "A New Look at Learning Disabilities" presented by G. Emerson Dickman, III, Esq.

5th Grader Fundraises for Camp Spring Creek

This feature article was originally published on the front page of the Mitchell County News. We've omitted the camper's last name and for this online version, but are delighted to share Ben's exciting news and support him in his selfless donation campaign to help send a friend to Camp Spring Creek. Please read this touching story, and spread the word if you feel inspired. Our campers never cease to amaze us and Ben's hard work might just pay off!

Spruce Pine, North Carolina – January 30, 2015 – Ben, a 5^th grade student at Bowman Middle School, launches a county-wide campaign to raise $3,350 to send a fellow student with dyslexia to Camp Spring Creek in Bakersville, NC.

At the end of Ben’s 4^th grade school year, his tutor and co-founder of Camp Spring Creek, Susie van der Vorst rewarded him with the opportunity of a lifetime: In recognition of Ben’s hard work as a dyslexic student struggling with reading, the Camp Spring Creek Board of Directors agreed to send Ben to camp for 4 weeks as a day student, completely free of cost. The gift was valued at a little over $6,700—a financial impossibility for Ben’s family. He graciously accepted the gift.

Recently, Ben decided to pay that gift forward by raising funds to help a fellow student with dyslexia attend camp. “I’m dyslexic and there are other kids like me at school. I went from the C list to the A/B honor roll this year,” says Ben. “At camp, I learned that I could achieve things. I didn’t even think I could start typing. I could barely read. I thought that I was stupid. I want to help raise money for kids at my school or other schools around Mitchell County to help them so they can go to camp and experience what I experienced.”

Susie and Steve van der Vorst, co-directors of the camp, have agreed that the camp will supply matching funds to cover half the tuition for up to two local children. If Ben’s fundraising efforts raise $3,350, one child can attend Camp Spring Creek as a day student for 4 weeks. Double that, and two Mitchell County children with dyslexia could receive guidance, tutoring, confidence-building, and outdoor experiences specifically catered to meet the unique needs of children with dyslexia—a learning difference that affects 1 in 5 children worldwide. Although the cost of day camp did not increase this year, it remains high because of the level of training the staff and tutors attain, in addition to one-on-one programming.

This school year, Ben is excelling, in no small part because of his team of 5^th grade teachers at Bowman and the tangible gains he made at camp. Camp Spring Creek is one of only three certified camps in the United States that offers Orton-Gillingham tutoring, a specialized approach that teaches the structure of language using multi-sensory learning experiences. Ben’s reading abilities leapt two grade levels in just 4 weeks of camp, and now he enjoys books at the 5^th and 6^th grade mark. “What blows me away is that now I’m reading these sports books about people who didn’t believe in themselves but ended up growing up to be All Stars. Also, one of my favorite books is Summer of the Monkeys.” In addition to an academic and outdoor curriculum, the camp emphasizes community, social skills, and building self-confidence by teaching children to advocate for themselves. “It felt really good to see that there were other kids like me at camp,” says Ben. “I got to meet people from all over the world—Janusz was from South Africa and one person was Danish and there was a girl there from Turkey…”

To date, Mike Brown Subaru Dealership has donated $200 to the cause and also posted a video on Facebook that went viral—yielding thousands of hits. Arts Centered of Bakersville has joined the pledge, with several other promises for support coming in via email. Melisa Cadell, Ben’s mother, has been helping Ben learn about how to approach businesses. “Ben told me he thought he could write a letter talking about some of his struggles,” says Cadell. “We worked on the letter and I wrote one as well. I wanted the experience to be powerful for Ben, but I also wanted it to be powerful for people who received the letters. We knew that meant the letters should be hand-delivered.”

Together, Ben and his mother have been driving around town. Ben enters the business and presents his best introduction, then share his letter. The accompanying letter from Cadell emphasizes that Ben is not only asking for funds, but also offering to present to local business or organizations, such as the Rotary Club, so that more people become informed about dyslexia. “The stigma that my son and other dyslexic students are finding the most difficult to maneuver is that they are often categorized as unable to learn at the normal classroom pace,” says Cadell. “Reading is such an important component in testing and because of this, dyslexic students are often retained and or placed in classes that do not expect much from them. The students are aware that the classes are leveled and they know when they are being moved around because of something ‘different.’ We are fortunate that Ben has amazing an amazing team of teachers that have really gone out of their way.”

Still, Ben will likely spend much, if not all, of his education years working many times harder than children without learning differences simply to “keep up” in an education system that lacks proper funding to access to the best learning models. Although equal education for children with dyslexia has been federally mandated since 1975, in poorer districts of the country, progress is slow. “There are limited opportunities for the public schools in our area to assist these students due to the lack of public funding and properly trained tutors,” says Cadell. “Dyslexia is neurologically based and creates difficulties in processing of information. I’ve been on both sides, as a parent and as a former teacher, and I know that when each child requires a different method of learning, things in the classroom can get really complicated, really quickly.”

With a little more luck, effort, and compassionate giving, Ben might just reach his goal to send a fellow dyslexic child to Camp Spring Creek for one month. When asked if the second scholarship might be given to him, both Ben and his mother fervently declined. While they can’t afford to send Ben back to camp, their motivation remains focused on helping others. For information about the camp, to invite Ben to your business for a free dyslexia awareness presentation, or to make a donation toward the local scholarship, please call 766-5032 or visit this page.

OG Associate Level Training in May

Interested in Associate Level Orton-Gillingham training? We currently have a training scheduled for May 15th through the 25th. The Associate Level Course is an intensive week-long course for individuals holding a bachelor‘s degree. It is the basic course in the Orton-Gillingham approach, enabling instruction with better understanding of the structure of language and multisensory teaching. The course comprises an in-depth introduction to phonology, structure of English, characteristics of dyslexia, multisensory teaching, assessment tools, grammar and written expression. It includes interactive demonstrations and activities using the OG method. A practicum is available upon request (additional cost), which includes observations and mentoring.

If you or someone you know is interested in receiving training, contact us today to begin the registration process or you can download the program details and registration form right here.

Curious about how it all plays out? Check out some of our training videos on our YouTube Channel.

Video: Detached Syllable (part 2)

Here's part 2 of our detached syllable drill video!

Watch as OG Fellow Susie van der Vorst works with a tutee to practice spelling detached syllables.

The video presents several teachable moments--a great guide for aspiring tutors

to consider as they work on best practices for teaching children on the spot.

 [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jJLw6xaTrJQ&w=640&h=360]

Video: Detached Syllables (part 1)

Here's the final installment of our Homeschool Retreat video series from last fall--a two-part video clip

demonstrating the auditory portion of spelling practice with detached syllables.

Every lesson provides a chance for a teachable moment,

and today's video, as well as part 2 (forthcoming), are no exception:

 [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ySyMM-caSvw&w=640&h=360]

Video: VCCV Accuracy Drill

Watch as OG Fellow Susie van der Vorst works with a tutee, adjusting the lesson in real time to meet the student where he is--a fine balance of challenge and encouragement, with corrections and nurturing throughout.

 [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1q_KeY2wM_Y&w=640&h=360]

Video: Pencil Grip

Here's the latest in our video series of tutoring, tutee lessons, and observations.

View additional videos right here.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-hBFCcH7CMY&w=640&h=360]

We're Headed to Connecticut!

We're taking our show on the road this week with an exciting presentation and Camp Show in the Farmington Valley near Hartford, Connecticut. One of the greatest things about Camp Shows is the opportunity to provide "on the ground," free public instruction to a new, diverse audience. Why Connecticut? The parent of a beloved camper invited us, that's why! Read about this parent's observations of her son after Camp Spring Creek in the following press release. If you'd like to host a Camp Show in your area (and see Susie!), just call our office and let us know.

Dyslexia Awareness & Camp Show

West Hartford, Connecticut – January 21, 2015 – Nationally known dyslexia advocate and camp director Susie van der Vorst presents on early intervention, signs, and solutions.

Camp Spring Creek, located in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, is an academic and recreational camp supporting dyslexic children ages 7 to 14. Invited by a local West Hartford family whose child attended the camp, co-founder and director Susie van der Vorst will discuss early intervention practices, signs, and solutions for parents, teachers, and administrators. van der Vorst will also facilitate a brief discussion of Camp Spring Creek and take questions from the audience. The event is free, open to the public, and welcomes children.

According to van der Vorst, with support, people with dyslexia often lead lives of accomplishment. Some of the most successful people in history had dyslexia, including Winston Churchill, Thomas Edison and Walt Disney. “So many people with dyslexia are misunderstood,” said van der Vorst. “But just look at the wonderful role models we have! Many succeed in spite of their education. Imagine how they’d be if they had been instructed in the ways that they learn best.”

One of the most highly effective methods for such instruction is the Orton-Gillingham approach. It teaches the structure of language using multisensory techniques that lead students to see, hear, and write a concept at the same time. Processing a single concept in many different ways allows dyslexic kids to grasp skills they cannot learn using traditional methods. It’s that approach that drew West Hartford’s Toutain family to the Blue Ridge Mountains, where Winston could attend 1 of only 3 residential camps in the United States accredited by the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators.

“We knew dyslexia was a possibility for our son Winston because his father and paternal grandfather have dyslexia. It was important to ius to try and find something that could help, that would also be accredited,” said mother and West Hartford resident, Lesley Toutain. “My husband and I talked with Winston about how being dyslexic doesn’t mean he isn’t smart, simply that he has to find learning strategies that work for him. But I don’t think that really took hold until he was in an environment where all the kids were in the same boat. Camp Spring Creek was an extremely positive experience for him.”

The academic program at Camp Spring Creek includes one-on-one tutoring using the Orton-Gillingham approach, keyboarding and writing classes, one hour of reading aloud each day to camp staff, and one hour of study skills. Optional math remediation or enrichment is available. The activities offered by the program include wood shop, art, swimming, orienteering, and waterskiing. There are also field trips to explore the surrounding Blue Ridge landscape and culture. “We often see students make two to three years worth of progress during a six to eight week session at camp,” said van der Vorst. “Our approach is designed to target a child’s individual strengths and weaknesses and help them excel. But we also recognize the value of keeping kids active throughout the day. These kids can’t learn as well if they’re stuck behind a desk. The learning needs to be hands-on so that they can get multiple senses involved.”

The info session will be held Wednesday, January 21 at 7:00 p.m. at Saint James’s Episcopal Church, 1018 Farmington Avenue, in West Hartford. For more information, call (828) 766-5032 or visit www.campspringcreek.org.

Video: Spelling Accuracy PIN/PINE

Here's our latest video from our Homeschool Retreat series. Notice that, at times, the tutoring session can be as much about coaching a student through issues of self-doubt as it is about teaching or practicing an Orton-Gillingham based skill.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3pyA9WZrCWg&w=640&h=360]

Year End Round of Applause

We'd like to offer a round of applause and public note of appreciation to all our grant-funding organizations, partner organizations, trainees, tutors, counselors, staff, parents, and of course--our CAMPERS! Without the team effort from everyone on this list, we could not be where we are today. Where are we? We're in a position to offer slightly more scholarships each year, we're in a position to train local teachers without cost to the teachers themselves, we're in a position to observe and celebrate the accomplishments of our "extended family," we're in a position to expand year-round programming and improve our physical campus, and we're in a position of sincere gratitude to all of you as we look to the future and realize our fullest capabilities are within reach. Slow and steady, we're growing the best ways we know how. Thank YOU for making it possible!

For substantial funding and grants:

Ms. Robyn Oskuie (Endowment)

Dr. Louis Harris (Endowment)

CFWNC (People in Need Grant)

Mitchell Fund (People in Need Grant)

For partner organizations:

OpenDoors of Asheville

Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators

Bald Creek Elementary School

Mitchell County Schools

Arden Reading Clinic

Augustine Project Winston-Salem

For individual donors:

Philanthropists: Mr. & Mrs. Bill Shattuck, Rainbow Fund, and The True North Foundation.

Benefactors: Triangle Community Foundation

Sponsors: Mr. & Mrs. Tom Brown, Mr. & Mrs. Duane Connell, Mr. & Mrs. Walter Daniels, Mrs. Lori Ferrell, Dr. & Mrs. Bill Sears, Longleaf Foundation, Mr. & Mrs. Samuel S. Polk, Mr. and Mrs. Jeremy Teaford,

Supporters: Mr. Edward Banta, Mr. & Mrs. Charles McClain, Mr. Andrew Oliphant, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Oliphant, Mr. & Mrs. Jonathan Schoolar, Dr. & Mrs. Brian Shaw, Mr. & Mrs. Mike Warren.

Contributors: Mr. Brown & Ms. Rosasco, Ms. Marobeth Ruegg, Mrs. Geradts Cutrone, Ms. Amanda Kyle Williams, Mr. C. Wilson Anderson, Jr., Mr. & Mrs. Dan Blanch, Mr. & Dr. Christy, Mr. Jon Ellenbogen & Ms. Becky Plummer, Mr. & Mrs. Jeff Greene, Dr. & Mrs. David Hoeppner, Mr. & Mrs. Morgen Houchard, Ms. Valerie Imbleau, Mrs. Karen Leopold, Mrs. Theresa Krug, Mr. Thomas Loring, Mr. & Mrs. Brannon Morris, Mr. & Mrs. Joel Plotkin, Ms. Rebecca Morgan, Dr. & Mrs. Anthony Shaw, Mr. & Mrs. Jason Smith, Mr. & Mrs. Robert Tucker, Dr. & Mrs. William Chambers, Dr. & Mrs. Taylor Townsend, Ms. Juanita Greene, Mr. & Mrs. Kevin Schulte, Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Baker, Mr. & Mrs. Ed Anderson, Mr. & Mrs. Roger Burleson, Mr. & Mrs. Charles Tappan, Mr. & Mrs. Scott Ramming, Mr. & Mrs. A D Dreibholz, Mr. Thomas Gilchrist, Mr. & Mrs. Phillip Jackson, Mr. & Mrs. Steve van der Vorst, Mr. & Mrs. Alton Robinson, Mr. & Mrs. Michael Wollam, Mr. and Mrs. Royall Brown.

Friends: Mr. R. Patterson Warlick, Mr. & Mrs. Joe Street, Mr. & Mrs. Frederick Pownall, Mr. & Mrs. Clinton North, Mrs. Nancy Coleman, Mr. & Mrs. David Broshar, E & J Gallo Winery, Ms. Gina Phillips, Mr. & Mrs. Raymond Humphrey, Mr. Paul Eke & Ms. Sonja Hutchins, Mr. & Mrs. James Butts, Mr. Eugene Morris, Mr. & Mrs. Jim O'Donnell, Mr. & Mrs. Ronald Cox, Mr. & Mrs. Roger Vorraber, Mr. John Littleton & Ms. Kate Vogel, Mr. & Mrs. Thor Bueno, Mr. Osaretin Eke.

Video: Visual Syllable Drill

Here's the next installment in our video series from this fall's Homeschool Retreat. We hope to start using a more sophisticated video camera in 2015, so apologies in advance for the sound quality on this short clip. The visual part of this drill is what is essential, however. Notice how Susie uses gestures and expressions to guide the tutee toward success during this tutoring session: [youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ojdNZCFqb9M]

Video: Anchoring IR ER UR Spelling

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JCc2H6R3MuY&w=640&h=360]