Location: Long Island, New York City
Years of Teaching: 13
What drew you to Reading Apprenticeship?
What drew me to Reading Apprenticeship was the holistic approach of the framework. I especially was drawn to the notion of thinking about what you’re thinking about as you are reading. The active listening model also resonated with me.
If you had to describe yourself as an educator, what six words would you use and why?
The six words I would use to describe myself as an educator are: connected, Black Excellence, warm, demanding, funny, and memorable. Being an educator is an extension of my truest self and that is who I bring to my students each and every day.
What is your go-to Reading Apprenticeship routine?
Hands-down: Metacognitive Bookmark!
Can you share a story about a time when you or a student had an “aha!” moment with Reading Apprenticeship?
I have too many to choose just one but one that stands out in my mind is watching my students, after several months of me modeling this strategy with them, lead out a think aloud — charting and all — without any assistance from me. A few months prior, these students would push back against reading. Now, they were leading. That’s the kind of success my students and I have experienced with Reading Apprenticeship.
If you could describe Reading Apprenticeship in a sentence, what would you say?
Reading Apprenticeship provides a safe space for older students to hone in on their literacy acquisition.
What are you reading right now?
I am currently reading Just As I Am by Cicely Tyson.
To learn more about Vivett and her work, visit www.vivettdukes.com
To attend a Reading Apprenticeship training led by Vivett, check out Essentials I and register for the course kicking off June 28-30, 2021.
