It has been way too long since I have done a blog post. I started the Reading and Literacy Instruction EdS program at Bay Path University in the fall of 2023, which is coincidentally when my last post was. I have learned so much in this program, but boy is it intense. This is one of the few programs that is accredited by the International Dyslexia Association and also offers Orton Gillingham training. Mt. Saint Joseph gets a lot of publicity for their program, but I can confidently say that this program is just as high-quality.
Now that I am on winter break and am feeling refreshed, I really would like to get back to writing more. I enjoy looking back at my old posts and seeing how much I have grown, or remembering how I taught a certain lesson. It serves as a diary for myself of my teaching journey, and hopefully helps others along the way.
When I first started teaching Benchmark, I searched everywhere I could to find tips and tricks for how to teach the lessons effectively. While there are some good blogs out there, I still felt like I wasn’t getting the details I needed, so I decided to create what I was looking for. I truly hope to be a resource you can utilize to help you make sense of this program.
I have 2 more semesters left in this program, and I can confidently say that I have become a reading and literacy specialist. This program has helped me not only identify the strengths and areas for growth in Benchmark, but has also given me the knowledge to make the necessary changes. No program is perfect, but I do appreciate the emphasis this one places on building knowledge and supporting language comprehension.
Teaching is not about simply opening a curriculum and reading from a script. Rather, it requires us to truly understand our students and the lesson’s objectives so we can design lessons that meet their needs. While implementing a curriculum “with fidelity” is often emphasized, I prefer the term “with integrity.” This means staying true to the lesson’s original purpose while applying our professional expertise to scaffold and adapt for student success. By doing so, we maintain the balance between honoring the curriculum’s intent and addressing the diverse needs of our learners.
The Blissful Teacher 