A grassroots movement driven by NJ families concerned with the limited access to educational interventions for learning disabilities within our public schools and communities.
12/15/2009 2:27 PM
Anonymous wrote:
Your efforts are awesome. I'm so happy for you. It shows the power of one person. Are there plans for a federal law? Reply to this
12/15/2009 5:17 PM
beth wrote:
I'm not sure however I do know they have another bill to introduce A877 that deals strictly with dyslexia only. Please let me know if you have any suggestio0ns or ideas. Reply to this
12/18/2009 10:05 AMAmy Freeman wrote:
My name is Amy Freeman. I am a former special education teacher from northwest Ohio. I am the director of a 1:1 volunteer reading mentoring program for children with disabilities called Project MORE. Project MORE has been serving children with disabilities in grades K-4 since 1999. Project MORE is operated from the Putnam County Educational Service Center. Project MORE is helping students with disabilities because of parent advocate Margaret Burley, Executive Director of the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities, who petitioned the governor and key legislators to help Ohio's children with disabilities using 1:1 structured reading mentoring programs in 1999. That was the beginning of Project MORE. We started with 12 schools and now have 154 schools in Ohio. What is wonderful about Project MORE is that each child receives 1:1 volunteer reading mentoring from up to four different volunteer mentors four times per week for thirty minute sessions. Each student has an individualized lesson plan. Volunteer mentors may be older age students, university students, aides, community volunteers, senior citizens, etc. Project MORE uses a reading mentoring program called Reading-tutors (www.reading-tutors.com). Reading-tutors materials begin at kindergarten and go through 6th grade. For the first time in 11 years, Project MORE has funding to work with new schools outside Ohio. Project MORE was created to have EARS: Effective- (scientifically based reading research- the research was conducted on Project MORE students who have reading goals on their Individual Education Plans as well as at-risk readers as well. Affordable- the cost for a one year license to serve a classroom of students is $60 Replicable- can be implemented by a special education teacher, Title I teacher, literacy coach, para professional or parent in collaboration with licensed staff. Sustainable- Project MORE schools are still excelling for 11 years. We have limited funding to work with new schools both in/outside Ohio. If there is any interest in New Jersey partnering with Project MORE, please contact me @ 888.319.3560. Also you can learn more about Project MORE at www.ohioprojectmore.org Reply to this
12/27/2009 10:41 AM
Susan wrote:
I applaud your efforts. It is a shame you had teachers that did not have the knowledge to help you earlier. I have taught learning disabled students for over 32 years with tremendous success. There are many techniques that should have been tried. I'm glad the Wilson program worked for you. Did any teacher ever test you for reading by colors? Reply to this
12/27/2009 12:24 PM
sally wrote:
Hi Sammie, You are doing a great job! I am a special education teacher in Philadelphia. I learned about Wilson whenI was subbing in a suburban district. When I came to teach in Phila. the materials were in my school. I began to use the program without being officially trained and certified. My kids made great progress. I tried and tried to get the district to provide training to me so that I could become certified. It was an impossible mission. There were some teachers who did get training , but I was never in the right category of teachers. Recently we were trained in another program called Corrective Reading, which supposedly has data proving great success much quicker. I haven't seen it yet with my students. I would love to get training on my own, but cannot afford the fee. Do you know anywhere I could get help with this, even though I am not in NJ? Also, I have always wanted someone to come to my class and talk to the children about Dyslexia and Learning Disabilities. Would you consider doing this ? Thank you for all you do ! Reply to this
12/27/2009 4:15 PM
Kylie's Mom wrote:
Sammie, I can't tell you how much I hope this bill gets passed. My daughter Kylie who is in 4th grade also has severe dyslexia. It was a long, hard, expensive, legal fight to get her classified, as dyslexia is not a categorized learning disability in NJ. Although being classified has helped some, she does not get any help specific to dyslexia such as Wilson. And although her IQ is above average she still struggles to read at a grade level behind her classmates. It is very disheartening. Thank you and your family for all of your hard work to fix this problem and help others. Reply to this
12/28/2009 12:29 AM
Beth wrote:
Thank you so much for writing... We are all keeping our fingers crossed this Bill will be signed and more children will get the help they deserve. Reply to this
12/28/2009 12:30 AM
Beth wrote:
No one has tested Sammie for reading by colors. This one is new to me however I would love to learn more. Thank you for writing Reply to this
12/28/2009 2:31 PM
Maria S wrote:
Beth, Have you contacted the Learning Disabilities Association of America? If not, do you think it would help to get them involved? Reply to this
Your efforts are awesome. I'm so happy for you. It shows the power of one person. Are there plans for a federal law?
Reply to this
I'm not sure however I do know they have another bill to introduce A877 that deals strictly with dyslexia only.
Please let me know if you have any suggestio0ns or ideas.
Reply to this
My name is Amy Freeman. I am a former special education teacher from northwest Ohio. I am the director of a 1:1 volunteer reading mentoring program for children with disabilities called Project MORE. Project MORE has been serving children with disabilities in grades K-4 since 1999. Project MORE is operated from the Putnam County Educational Service Center. Project MORE is helping students with disabilities because of parent advocate Margaret Burley, Executive Director of the Ohio Coalition for the Education of Children with Disabilities, who petitioned the governor and key legislators to help Ohio's children with disabilities using 1:1 structured reading mentoring programs in 1999. That was the beginning of Project MORE. We started with 12 schools and now have 154 schools in Ohio. What is wonderful about Project MORE is that each child receives 1:1 volunteer reading mentoring from up to four different volunteer mentors four times per week for thirty minute sessions. Each student has an individualized lesson plan. Volunteer mentors may be older age students, university students, aides, community volunteers, senior citizens, etc. Project MORE uses a reading mentoring program called Reading-tutors (www.reading-tutors.com). Reading-tutors materials begin at kindergarten and go through 6th grade. For the first time in 11 years, Project MORE has funding to work with new schools outside Ohio. Project MORE was created to have EARS: Effective- (scientifically based reading research- the research was conducted on Project MORE students who have reading goals on their Individual Education Plans as well as at-risk readers as well.
Affordable- the cost for a one year license to serve a classroom of students is $60
Replicable- can be implemented by a special education teacher, Title I teacher, literacy coach, para professional or parent in collaboration with licensed staff.
Sustainable- Project MORE schools are still excelling for 11 years.
We have limited funding to work with new schools both in/outside Ohio. If there is any interest in New Jersey partnering with Project MORE, please contact me @ 888.319.3560. Also you can learn more about Project MORE at www.ohioprojectmore.org
Reply to this
I applaud your efforts. It is a shame you had teachers that did not have the knowledge to help you earlier. I have taught learning disabled students for over 32 years with tremendous success. There are many techniques that should have been tried. I'm glad the Wilson program worked for you. Did any teacher ever test you for reading by colors?
Reply to this
Hi Sammie,
You are doing a great job! I am a special education teacher in Philadelphia. I learned about Wilson whenI was subbing in a suburban district. When I came to teach in Phila. the materials were in my school. I began to use the program without being officially trained and certified. My kids made great progress. I tried and tried to get the district to provide training to me so that I could become certified. It was an impossible mission. There were some teachers who did get training , but I was never in the right category of teachers. Recently we were trained in another program called Corrective Reading, which supposedly has data proving great success much quicker. I haven't seen it yet with my students. I would love to get training on my own, but cannot afford the fee. Do you know anywhere I could get help with this, even though I am not in NJ? Also, I have always wanted someone to come to my class and talk to the children about Dyslexia and Learning Disabilities. Would you consider doing this ? Thank you for all you do !
Reply to this
Sammie, I can't tell you how much I hope this bill gets passed. My daughter Kylie who is in 4th grade also has severe dyslexia. It was a long, hard, expensive, legal fight to get her classified, as dyslexia is not a categorized learning disability in NJ. Although being classified has helped some, she does not get any help specific to dyslexia such as Wilson. And although her IQ is above average she still struggles to read at a grade level behind her classmates. It is very disheartening. Thank you and your family for all of your hard work to fix this problem and help others.
Reply to this
Thank you so much for writing... We are all keeping our fingers crossed this Bill will be signed and more children will get the help they deserve.
Reply to this
No one has tested Sammie for reading by colors. This one is new to me however I would love to learn more.
Thank you for writing
Reply to this
Beth,
Have you contacted the Learning Disabilities Association of America? If not, do you think it would help to get them involved?
Reply to this