Hi everyone,
My name is Loren Van De Griek and Iive in the George Hildebrand area which is between Morganton and Hickory. I say GH area, because I have a Hickory address, a Connelly Springs telephone exchange, but it is in Burke County. I am originally from Centerville, MA, which is on Cape Cod. I spent most of my childhood in Stuart FL, but as soon as I graduated I went back to Mass. I moved down here 14 years ago to get closer to family. I am married to my high school sweetheart and have 3 beautiful boys. One of my sons has autism. When he was 3, he was "labeled" moderate, but now he has almost been cured and is very high functioning.
I was a hair designer for 12 years and then 3 years ago I changed careers and became a teacher. I teach 5th grade. I don't know what inspired me to change, but I am so glad I did, because I absolutely love it. Reading comprehension has always been a struggle for me. I love to read and read often, but when I finish a book it is hard for me to remember details. I am pretty sure that I would not be able to take an AR test and get a 100 w/o looking back in the book. I do not visualize when I read. My mind wanders while I read and I have to really concentrate on what I am reading. Therefore, when I teach reading, I can put myself in the shoes of my struggling readers, but I don't know how to help them overcome their defecit.
Getting my masters in reading was a "no brainer" for me, because I want to be able to teach my struggling readers better. When I teach math, I can teach the same concept in a variety of ways using a variety of manipulatives. To me, reading is harder to vary. As a result, I hope to learn how to "spice up" my reading lessons and reach those struggling readers.
Loren Van De Griek