Parent/Student Agreement
Active Reader Program's

Dear Parents and Students,

I’m delighted to extend a warm welcome to the ProActive Reader journey!  It’s designed specifically for students just like — We’ll be doing more than just reading and spelling — we’ll be engaged in linguistic exploration that will unlock literacy through understanding the patterns of written language. 

Program Details 
  • Classes are twice a week. Consistent engagement is the key to success, so always try to come to both sessions!!  But if you can't, no apologies needed!  The relevant games and/ or videos will be on the calendar link.  
  • Parental Involvement: Parents are invited and encouraged to join our sessions. Your involvement can significantly enhance your child's learning experience, but it is not mandatory.   
  • That said, it’s essential that an adult or guardian be readily available if the child is struggling with the tech.  If they struggle with self-management, or keep messing with their device and distracting other learners, you will have to remain present during the session.  
    • If you want to be engaged during  in the session (which I encourage!) I ask that you sit BEHIND your child.  Otherwise, it’s likely they’ll want to look at you, ask for your help, and interact with you.  This makes it harder to develop the ability to read independently.
    • Along those lines… try to resist the urge to jump in and help.   It’s important for students to have an opportunity to struggle a little with the task before they get help.  (This can be hard, I know!  Try counting to ten in your head) 
    • If you’re not going to be engaged, I ask that you remain off screen, and help keep the background distraction-free.  

Program Focus Areas:
The program has four focus areas, each designed to help make reading easier by building automaticity, accuracy, and fluency. 

  • Focus Area 1: "Rimes, Sounds, and Syllables" In this module, students will move away from single-letter “sounding out” to “sounding from the inside out,” which is pivotal to building accuracy and automaticity.  
  • Focus Area 2: "Magic Vowels, Snakes, and 2-Con Clues"  Here students will be introduced to common spelling patterns using The Active Reader's simple and unique word classification technique. This will provide them with powerful tools for reading and decoding even unfamiliar words.
  • Focus Area 3: "The Process.”  Here we will delve into word structure. Students will identify common prefixes and suffixes, which will enable them to decode complex multisyllabic words they might never have thought they could read. This module will expand their vocabulary, comprehension, and CONFIDENCE.
  • Focus Area 4: Real Reading and Fluency Building.  Students will read words, phrases, or short passages multiple times, with special attention recognizing punctuation cues, and developing smooth, fluent oral reading.  

Additional Resources:
Active Reader's exclusive "check-out line games." are quick and engaging games that target the skills introduced in class. They’re designed to be so simple that they can be played on your phone while you're waiting in line at the grocery store (hence the name).. 

That said, the real growth happens when daily practice is an integral part of your learning routine.   Research has shown that daily deliberate practice is the crucial ingredient that makes reading easier and more automatic for struggling readers. 

Links to the games we play in class (swell as the ones for them to play independently.  which tend to be more fun and “gamified”) will be posted in each week’s Google calender, along with the zoom link.. 

 Class Expectations:
In order to create an enviroment in which all students can learn, it’s important to recognize that all students can see and hear whatever is on the other students’ screens..   
  • Students are expected to participate from a desk, using a laptop, desktop, or tablet, but not a phone, unless it’s absolutely essential.  This is to minimize distractions and create a positive learning environment.
  • Students should seated during session, and not walking around with their device.  
  • Please make sure there is no backgroundHowever if there is a lot of background noise, or if a student is disrupting instruction, s/he may be muted and/ or temporarily moved to the zoom waiting room as needed.  This is a great way to protect all the students’ instructional time. 
  • Students are expected to keep their screen on for the duration of the session.  
With regular practice, the skills and concepts introduced in this program will transform you’re child’s experience of school and learning.  I’m committed helping your child unlock literacy, so please, never hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns.  I’m excited to be there as her confidence and skills develop.  

I am happy to be able to guarantee a full grade-level improvement after successful completion.  Of course, this requires active and consistent participation.  

This includes:
  • Attendance at all twelve live sessions
  • A quiet, distraction-free environment with minimal background noise
  • Active participation in sessions.  
  • There will be reliable internet and tech.  (As reliable as tech can be, that is) 
  • Being prepared for class. This includes:
    • A small whiteboard
    • THICK, FRESH, BLACK marker, as well as something to erase with
    • being fed and watered
    • Go to the bathroom first!!
  • Regular practice with the games
I’m truly excited and honored you’ve chosen me to be a part of your child’s progress!  I look forward to great progress that will have lasting, life-long benefits.  If you have any questions or concerns, please don't hesitate to reach out.