SMARTER Literacy

In this bonus episode, we sit down with Mikayla Storey-Link, a familiar face to the SMARTER community, to hear about her journey from psychology grad with almost no literacy background to nearly a decade of structured literacy instruction; and now, founder of her own practice, COVA Learning Center. Mikayla talks about what it felt like to learn alongside her students in the beginning, how she thinks about prioritizing skills for older learners who are running out of time, and why having a structured framework actually gives her more flexibility, not less. She also talks about how she opened her own practice this year, and how she's making it work as a new mom. If you're learning as you go, thinking about private practice, or figuring out what secondary intervention really needs to look like, this one is for you. Connect with Mikayla: 🌐 covalearningcenter.com 📘 Facebook: @covalearningcenter 📷 Instagram: @covalearningcenter

In today's literacy chat, we're flipping the script. You've spent the last several episodes hearing Lindsey interview educators from across the world, and now it's her turn to be in the hot seat. In this literacy chat, Corey sits down with Lindsey to talk about her own journey: from seventh-grade English teacher to reading specialist navigating COVID, to her time at Ascend, to launching Next Chapter Literacy Solutions. Lindsey talks about what it felt like to piece together instruction without a real curriculum, how she found DSI in the middle of a school year and finally felt like things clicked, and what it looks like to take a leap into the unknown...and actually love it. 🌐 Contact Lindsey: https://www.nextchapterliteracysolutions.net/⭐ Learn more about SMARTER Intervention: https://smarterintervention.com/dsi

What does it actually look like to lead a district through one of the biggest instructional shifts in recent education history without losing your teachers in the process? In this literacy chat, we sit down with Sarah, Assistant Superintendent for Curriculum Innovation and Pupil Services at Orchard Park Central School District in New York. Sarah shares what it was like to step into her role just as the national conversation around balanced literacy reached a boiling point, how her district built a shared vision instead of just swapping one program for another, and why "go slow to go fast" became their guiding philosophy through it all. She also discusses the challenges that haven't gone away - writing instruction, tier one support, screen time, and what it really takes to build a culture where data feels like a tool instead of a verdict. If you're an administrator, literacy coach, or classroom teacher trying to navigate change without burning everything down, this one is worth your time. Learn how Ascend SMARTER Intervention can help with programming and implementation in your setting: https://smarterintervention.com/school-services

Heather Diebel knew she wanted to be a teacher at six years old. What she didn't know was how long it would take to find an approach to literacy instruction that actually felt right, or that the path would lead her away from the classroom entirely. In this literacy chat, we sit down with Heather, owner of Next Level Literacy, to talk about her winding journey from a third grade classroom with no reading curriculum, through a master's degree, through years of piecing programs together, to finally building a private practice she loves. Heather talks honestly about advocating for students and parents through the IEP process, why she spent months searching for a curriculum before finding one that had everything, and what it means to do things messy - and do them anyway. If you're feeling the pull toward private practice but waiting until everything feels ready, this one is for you. Connect with Heather: ✉️ [email protected] Learn more about starting your own literacy business:🌐 https://smarterintervention.com/start-your-literacy-practice

What does literacy intervention look like when your students are spread across microschools, homeschool co-ops, and even another continent? In this literacy chat, we sit down with Rosemary, a licensed educator and educational therapist who has built a flexible, thriving practice that serves learners in person, online, and everywhere in between. Rosemary talks about the challenge of finding a program rooted in structured literacy that could actually flex across settings, how she thinks about placement and pacing for students on the fence, and what it looks like when kids who used to dread reading start asking why class is already over. If you're working in a non-traditional setting, thinking about private practice, or just looking for a reminder that structured literacy works, this one is worth the listen. Connect with Rosemary: 🌐https://www.unlockthepotential.net Learn more about Delivering SMARTER Intervention:🌐 https://smarterintervention.com/educator-services Learn more about 5CCL Learning Lab: 🌐 https://smarterintervention.com/5ccl-learning-lab