The approach I developed in my K-2 classroom was highly successful. Children who had previously been struggling flourished. As word got out about how they were operating, visitors began coming to observe. Following the interest this generated, I started showing other teachers how to use Key Words and The Steps — and how to organize and manage an active work period.
The county reading specialist eventually brought in the nationally known reading expert, Jeannette Veatch, to observe my children during our writing period. She urged me to leave the classroom and begin showing other teachers how to do it. So, after five years of classroom teaching, I followed her advice.
I already had an M.A. in Early Childhood Education, so I entered the Ph.D. program at Claremont Graduate University (CGU). Then, during the following 20 years, as a private consultant, I taught the basic theory and practice underpinning this approach to school administrators and teachers. In addition, as Adjunct Faculty at CGU, I shared it with student teachers.
At the same time, I acted as a contract consultant to the California Department of Education (CDE). For CDE, I helped design and lead a major curriculum reform effort throughout California, writing and conducting curriculum workshops on project learning. This was for the middle and high school grades. I also designed the first curriculum module for the state’s Administrative Training Centers (ATCs) and contributed to various state curriculum publications.
Privately, I served as Chair of the Language Experience Special Interest Group of the California Reading Association, wrote several articles on curriculum development and classroom management, and conducted workshops for individual schools and groups in the U.S. and Canada.