Reading Reform Foundation Goes Silver at Its 25th Annual Conference
By Judith Aquino
Although it was an early Sunday morning, by 8:30 am Reading Reform Foundation of New York’s 25th Annual Conference: Effective Techniques for Teaching Reading, Writing, & Spelling, was in full swing at the New York Hilton and Towers hotel on October 22, 2006. Currently serving 95 classrooms in New York City and the surrounding areas, Reading Reform Foundation is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to providing teachers with the tools and training to successfully help students gain the skills to read, write, and spell accurately.
By offering a systematic, multisensory approach emphasizing the use of sight, sound, speech, and writing, Reading Reform Foundation gives teachers a method of teaching that effectively facilitates a student’s learning process. The response of students and teachers alike has been greatly enthusiastic. As Sandra Priest Rose, Chairman and Treasurer of Reading Reform Foundation explained, “one has to visit our...classrooms to see the participation and enthusiasm of the students and their teachers.”
Celebrating its 25th year of successfully helping educators and students, today’s conference which consisted of 25 workshops and 24 publishers’ exhibits, provided over 450 teachers, administrators, and parents with a rich supply of valuable teaching methods, networking opportunities, and up-to-date educational information.
Aileen Lewisohn Godsick, Vice President of Reading Reform Foundation, received a round of applause as she began the opening session by asserting that the secret of good education is good teachers. Godsick described today’s workshops as an opportunity for teachers to further improve their instructional skills and share ideas with fellow educators. Rose illustrated the success of the Foundation’s conferences and teaching methods by sharing a letter from Cynthia Mullins-Simmons, Principal of P.S. 36, who described the annual conference as a “wonderful experience” and was greatly pleased with the achievements of her students with the help of Reading Reform Foundation’s method of encouraging students take an active role in learning how to read.
The Keynote speaker, Bob Kerry, President of The New School and a former U.S. Senator, expressed his admiration of teachers and their passion for education, and thanked them for not giving up on difficult students like him. In his address, “True Equity: An Intellectual Education for All Children” Kerry discussed the importance of helping students develop strong literacy skills in order for them to become “better citizens and better parents”. Drawing upon his experience as a former governor and senator, Kerry also advised teachers to use diversity as a resource for educating their students. “Diversity is not always popular, but it can be a strength,” advised Kerry.
Following Kerry’s address, Louise L. Arias, President of Reading Reform Foundation, praised Kerry for his commitment to education and thanked attendees for their continued support. At the sound of a school bell indicating the completion of the opening session, teachers, administrators, and parents set off on a full day of learning.
