The Holidays, Literacy, and the Permission We All Need
There’s no right or wrong, eh, maybe eat a veg.
First things first—do not feel bad if you haven’t read with your kids over the holidays.
Seriously. Don’t.
Don’t feel bad if books sat untouched while toys exploded across the living room.
Don’t feel bad if your children have survived mainly on cheese, chocolate, and whatever snack was closest since the 19th.
Don’t feel bad if bedtime routines disappeared and everyone forgot what day it was.
Bears hibernate.
Apparently, humans do too—just with more glitter, sugar, and emotional whiplash.
The holidays are loud. They’re overstimulating. They’re expensive, emotionally loaded, schedule-breaking, and somehow still expected to be magical. We pile memory-making on top of exhaustion and then wonder why everyone is on edge. Somewhere along the line, we decided rest had to be earned, and joy had to be productive.
That includes literacy.
And I want to gently—but firmly—push back on that.
Let’s Start With the Honest Questions
Have you enjoyed your kids over the holidays?
It’s okay if the answer is not always.
It’s okay if the answer is yes, deeply.
It’s okay if the answer is they were at daycare, and that saved my sanity.
You can love your children fiercely and still need space. You can cherish moments and still count down until routine returns. None of that makes you a bad parent—it makes you human.
Now let’s talk about reading.
Parents:
Did you read at all?
Did you buy a new book and feel excited… or feel guilty immediately?
Did you lose yourself in a story for a few minutes and feel like yourself again?
Did you avoid reading because it felt like one more thing you were failing at?
Did you read in tiny pieces—before bed, in the car, while hiding in the bathroom?
Are you a young parent trying to figure out where “time alone” even exists anymore?
There is no wrong answer here.
What Literacy Isn’t
Literacy is not:
A performance
A holiday checklist item
Proof that you’re doing parenting “right.”
Something that has to look calm, cozy, or Instagram-worthy
Something that requires silence, perfect attention, or matching pajamas
And you do not need to read in front of your child for it to matter.
Let me say that again:
You do not have to read in front of your child.
Your child benefits from knowing that reading exists in their world—not from watching you force it when you’re depleted.
What Literacy Actually Looks Like During the Holidays
Fundamental literacy during this time of year is messy, casual, and woven into life.
It looks like:
Letting your child help cook and reading the recipe together
Asking them to find the correct box and read the directions for a new game
Wrapping gifts and reading names, labels, and tags
Sorting decorations and talking about colors, shapes, memories, and stories
Writing grocery lists, thank-you notes, or reminders
Cleaning up together and narrating what you’re doing
Playing a board game and reading the rules out loud—even imperfectly
Language is being used for a purpose.
It looks like inclusion.
Presence Over Perfection
If there’s one thing I wish parents would let go of, it’s the idea that literacy has to be formal to be valuable.
You don’t need a designated reading corner.
You don’t need a holiday book countdown.
You don’t need to “make up” for anything.
What matters is presence.
Invite your kids into your world:
Let them help
Let them talk
Let them ask questions.
Let them be part of the doing, not just the watching.
That’s where language grows.
That’s where comprehension lives.
That’s where connection happens.
For the Parents Carrying Guilt
If reading has felt heavy—if it’s wrapped up in guilt, pressure, or the feeling that you’re behind—please hear this:
Avoiding reading because of guilt does not make you anti-literacy.
It means you’re overwhelmed.
Reading in moderation counts.
Reading silently counts.
Reading sporadically counts.
Living your life and letting language exist naturally counts.
There is no single right way to raise a reader.
And the holidays? They are not the test.
A Gentle Reframe
Instead of asking:
“Did we read enough?”
Try asking:
“Were we connected at all?”
Instead of:
“What should this have looked like?”
Try:
“What did my child get to be part of?”
Because your kids don’t need you at your most curated.
They need you at your most real.
Tired. Laughing. Snapping sometimes. Apologizing. Showing up again.
They’re Your Present
In the middle of the chaos, the undone plans, the sugar crashes, and the emotional overload—remember this:
Your kids are not something you need to perform for.
They are not a project to optimize.
They are your present.
And being present with them—however imperfectly—is more than enough.
Why I Wish I Wasn’t a Tutor
A Tier 1 Crisis We Refuse to Name
I wish I wasn’t a tutor.
That may sound strange coming from someone who cares deeply about children, literacy, and learning. But the truth is this: the constant demand for tutoring—especially in the Webster City and Fort Dodge area—is not a sign of individual student failure. It is not even primarily a Tier 2 or Tier 3 problem.
It is a Tier 1 crisis.
When large numbers of families are independently seeking tutoring just to help their children access grade-level content, that is not “extra support.” That is a red flag. A loud one. A systemic one.
Tutoring should be supplemental.
Instead, it has become compensatory.
Tier 1 Instruction Is Supposed to Work for Most Kids—It Doesn’t
By definition, Tier 1 instruction should meet the needs of at least 80% of students. That is the foundation of MTSS and RTI frameworks. When it doesn’t, everything stacked on top of it collapses.
And yet:
Tier 1 curricula vary wildly from district to district
Sometimes from building to building
Sometimes from classroom to classroom
There is no shared floor. No common language. No consistency in scope, sequence, or implementation.
We cannot pretend this is sustainable.
If Tier 1 were solid, we would not be seeing:
Massive literacy gaps by third grade
Over-identification for intervention and special education
Burned-out interventionists triaging preventable problems
Families paying out of pocket just to get their child through the school day
This isn’t about kids needing more help.
It’s about kids needing better first instruction.
Curriculum Inconsistency Is Not a Neutral Choice
Curriculum is not just a resource—it is a belief system.
When districts lack a coherent, evidence-based Tier 1 curriculum, what fills the gap is not innovation. It’s improvisation. And improvisation disproportionately harms the students who need structure the most.
Without consistency:
Skills are taught out of order
Assumptions are made about what students “should already know”
Gaps compound year after year
A student who misses foundational decoding in first grade doesn’t just “catch up.” They struggle in second grade, avoid reading in third, disengage in fourth, and internalize failure by middle school.
By the time they reach me as a tutor, the damage is not academic alone—it’s emotional, behavioral, and neurological.
“This Is What We Do” Is Not a Pedagogical Argument
One of the most painful contradictions in education right now is this:
Pre-service teachers often enter the field with more current knowledge of research and evidence-based practice than the systems they are joining.
They know about:
Structured literacy
Cognitive load
Explicit instruction
Neurodiversity
Data-informed decision making
And then they are told—explicitly or implicitly—that none of that matters.
“This is what we do here.”
Not what works.
Not what the data shows.
Not what aligns with how brains actually learn.
Just tradition.
Education is one of the few professions where refusing to update your practice is normalized. In medicine, engineering, or aviation, outdated practice is dangerous. In education, it’s defended.
We would never accept a doctor practicing medicine as if it were 2007.
So why are we expecting children in 2025 to succeed under instructional models that old—or older?
The Science of Reading Is Necessary—and Incomplete
The Science of Reading matters. It has corrected decades of instructional malpractice in literacy. Explicit, systematic instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension is not optional.
But we also need to be honest about its limitations.
There is a significant gap in how SoR is interpreted and implemented for neurodivergent learners—including students with ADHD, autism, dyslexia, language disorders, and executive functioning differences.
Too often:
Fidelity is confused with rigidity
Scripts are prioritized over responsiveness
Struggle is treated as noncompliance
Neurodivergent students do not need less structure—but they often need different access points. When instruction is delivered without flexibility, students are blamed for not fitting the model instead of the model being examined.
That is not science.
That is dogma.
We Are Meeting Kids Where They Aren’t
We are holding children to expectations that no longer match reality:
Shorter attention spans shaped by a digital world
Increased trauma and stress
Language exposure gaps
Executive functioning demands far beyond developmental norms
And instead of adapting instruction, we label children as lazy, unmotivated, or behind.
This is not rigor.
This is denial.
Adapt or die is not hyperbole—it’s what systems must do to remain functional. Education has not adapted fast enough, and children are paying the price.
I Don’t Want This Job—and That’s the Point
I don’t want to be a tutor because I don’t want to be evidence of failure.
I don’t want families calling me because school doesn’t work for their child.
I want to:
Teach meaningfully
Lead system change
Create instructional models that work
Collaborate as a professional
I want educators to be treated like adult experts—capable of self-regulation, professional judgment, and innovation—without being buried under performative tasks designed to prove they are working.
Teachers do not need more compliance checks.
They need trust, time, and tools that actually work.
We Are Bleeding—and Calling It “Monitoring Progress”
The system is not subtly broken.
The wound is visible.
We are watching:
Literacy rates stagnate
Teacher attrition rise
Intervention systems overflow
Families lose trust
And instead of addressing the source, we say:
“Let’s check back in six weeks.”
That is not intervention.
That is avoidance.
Until Tier 1 instruction is coherent, consistent, evidence-based, and responsive to real learners—not idealized ones—nothing else will hold.
I wish I wasn’t a tutor because, in a functional system, I wouldn’t be necessary at this scale.
The goal was never to patch the system.
The goal was always to fix it.
When Your Business Doesn’t Pay the Bills: The Lesson I Didn’t Want to Learn
I’m down, I’m out, but just not all the way.
I built my tutoring company with hope. Hope that my skills would translate into a sustainable income. Hope that my time, energy, and care would add up to a life I could actually live on. Hope that I could carve out something of my own — something independent, something meaningful.
But lately, the math hasn’t worked.
The clients slowed down. The income dipped. And I found myself staring at a truth I didn’t want to acknowledge: my business isn’t providing enough to survive on its own right now. As much as I want to believe that grit alone can fix it, the numbers tell a different story.
So what do you do when the thing you’ve poured yourself into doesn’t pay the bills?
I’m learning that you stop moralizing it. You stop viewing it as a referendum on your worth. You stop twisting yourself into knots trying to “hustle harder” when what you really need is stability.
And for me, that stability comes from a decision I didn’t expect to make:
I’m not giving up tutoring — I’m expanding my life to include teaching again.
Not instead of tutoring. Not as a replacement. But alongside it.
For a while, even the idea of returning to teaching felt like failure. Part of me felt embarrassed, like I was undoing the progress I thought I’d made. I worked hard to open a new chapter, and stepping back into the classroom felt — in moments — like flipping back a few pages.
But here’s what I’m slowly, quietly accepting:
Going back to teaching is not going backward.
It’s choosing solid ground when the one beneath you has shifted.
It’s taking care of yourself, not abandoning your dreams.
It’s giving my tutoring business room to breathe instead of forcing it to hold the weight of my entire life before it’s ready.
If anything, it’s resilience — not failure.
Because the truth is, I still love tutoring. I still believe in my business. I’m still building it. The difference now is that I’m not asking it to support me entirely on its own while it’s still growing. Teaching provides the stability; tutoring provides the spark. Together, they give me a life I can actually sustain.
I think the hardest part has been grieving the version of the future I thought I’d be living by now — the future where my tutoring company flourished overnight, where I didn’t need a backup plan, where everything aligned simply because I wanted it to.
But life doesn’t always move in straight lines. Sometimes it loops, sometimes it circles, sometimes it brings you back to a place you thought you’d left — not as punishment, but as grounding.
Maybe teaching again will be a temporary chapter.
Maybe it will be a bridge to something new.
Maybe it will give me the space to rebuild my business with fresh clarity.
What I know for sure is this:
Choosing to survive is not failure.
Being honest about your limits is not failure.
Pivoting — or expanding — is not failure.
The story isn’t over. I’m just turning a page I didn’t expect.
And maybe, just maybe, this is how the plot deepens — not ends.
Books Do Not Make a Reader: Rethinking Literacy, Literature, and the Myth of the “Book Lover”
Lets praise the kids that read, yes, but lets not forget the kids that read but don’t have page numbers or volumes to show for it. Reading is READING!
Here’s a truth people don’t expect to hear from a reading teacher:
I’m a literacy expert who hates reading.
Not literacy—I adore literacy. I live in language. I read constantly: texts, emails, captions, research, messages, transcripts, student writing, digital stories, and social media threads.
I consume text all day long.
But physical books?
Traditional sit-still-and-read-a-novel reading?
That has never been my joy. For a long time, I felt like that made me a fraud in a profession obsessed with books.
Now I realize:
I’m not the contradiction—our definition of reading is.
We Must Separate Literacy From Literature
Educators, parents, and society at large keep acting as if “reading books” is the same thing as “being literate.”
It isn’t.
Literacy is a skill: decoding, comprehending, analyzing, and making meaning.
Literature is the story: the content, the ideas, the narrative, the human expression.
Books are only one way to access literature—not the gold standard, not the gatekeeper, not the test of intelligence.
A child who reads captions, comics, transcripts, interactive text, audiobooks with print, graphic novels, or digital snippets is still reading.
A person who doesn’t love books can still be a deeply literate and thoughtful human.
I’m living proof.
My Own Children Showed Me How Different the Path Can Be
I gave birth to two dyslexic kids—two children with the same parents, the same home, the same bedtime routines, the same exposure to language—and they each took a completely different path to literacy and literature.
My son loved books from the beginning.
He couldn’t read enough. Books were his safe place, his hobby, his comfort item, his portal.
My daughter, on the other hand, needed something totally different.
I had to stop reading to her.
She didn’t want the pressure of books.
She didn’t respond to printed words the way her brother did.
Books felt like stress, not joy.
So I stepped back.
I stopped forcing.
I stopped pushing the “right” way to read.
And she found her own path—to literature first, through audiobooks.
She devoured stories with her ears long before she could decode them with her eyes. She built vocabulary, fluency, comprehension, and stamina through listening.
And eventually—on her own timeline—she reached for the books themselves.
Today, she has read all seven physical Harry Potter books cover to cover.
Not because I made her.
Because she was ready.
Because we got out of her way.
Kids guide themselves to literature if we stop blocking the path with our expectations.
Books Do Not Make a Reader—Confidence Does
We treat books like sacred objects, the ultimate proof of intelligence:
“Good readers love books.”
“Bookworms are the smart kids.”
“You must read more!”
We praise book reading as if it’s the only legitimate form of intellectual engagement.
But reading books is just one way to interact with text.
It isn’t superior.
It isn’t morally elevated.
It isn’t the only “real” reading.
And for many kids—especially struggling readers—books represent shame, anxiety, and fear of failure.
No wonder they avoid them.
At My Tutoring Company, We Don’t Use Books—On Purpose
This surprises people every time I say it:
Lammers Scholars is a book-free tutoring company.
We don’t avoid books because they aren’t valuable.
We avoid traditional books because they can scare kids away from literacy before they even get started.
Books are often symbols of:
past struggles
embarrassment
teacher disappointment
anxiety
comparison
“I’m behind.”
So we don’t start there.
We start with:
pictures
captions
jokes
digital language
audio
tiny text snippets
student-created writing
Materially, they choose, not material we impose.
We build confidence and skill first.
Books come later—when kids feel safe enough to welcome them.
And here’s the funniest, most repeated feedback I get from parents:
“After Lammers Scholars, my kid loves books.”
That’s not an accident.
When you remove the fear, books stop being monsters and start being companions.
Books are the end goal, not the beginning.
The Goal Isn’t Book Lovers—It’s Literate Humans
When we define reading as “sitting with a book,” we fail millions of kids—kids who think they are broken, when really the system is.
When we define literacy as “the ability to access, understand, and use language,” everything opens up.
Because:
Stories exist beyond pages.
Meaning exists beyond print.
Literature exists everywhere humans express themselves.
Children find their own way to literature when we stop insisting there is only one path.
Some run toward books.
Some stroll toward them.
Some approach them from the side through audio, comics, or digital text.
Some don’t pick them up until years later.
Every one of those approaches is valid.
I’m a Literacy Expert Who Hates Reading—and That’s What Makes Me Good at This
Because I don’t love books, I don’t assume every child should.
Because reading isn’t my hobby, I don’t teach it like a hobby.
I teach it like a skill—a tool for unlocking the world.
And that’s why my students eventually love books:
Not because I force books into their hands,
But because I removed everything that made books feel scary in the first place.
Books don’t create readers.
Literacy creates readers.
Confidence creates readers.
Access creates readers.
Curiosity creates readers.
And literature—available in infinite forms—waits patiently for every child to find it in their own time, in their own way.
MTSS Isn’t Magic—It’s Infrastructure: Fidelity, UFLI, and the Pedagogical Reality We Keep Ignoring
If I had a dollar for every time a school said they “have MTSS,” I could retire early and fund my own literacy nonprofit.
Because the truth is this: most schools do not actually have MTSS.
They have the vocabulary of MTSS, the meetings of MTSS, sometimes even the screeners of MTSS—but not the structural conditions necessary to make MTSS work.
Let’s strip away the buzzwords and talk about what MTSS actually is, what it demands, and where so many schools—despite good intentions—go off the rails.
What MTSS Is, and What It Is Not
MTSS (Multi-Tiered System of Supports) is an infrastructure for coordinated instructional support. Not a program. Not a binder. Not a PLC agenda item.
At its core:
Tier 1 is content.
Grade-level instruction. Universal access. High-quality, evidence-aligned, and delivered to all students.Tier 2 is content catch-up.
Short-term, targeted, strategic instruction meant to close immediate skill gaps so students can fully access Tier 1 instruction.Tier 3 is remediation.
Intensive, diagnostic, individualized intervention—not delivered by the classroom teacher, but by a specialist trained in deep intervention design.
Read that last line again.
Tier 3 is not the classroom teacher’s responsibility.
Nor should it be.
Yet in many schools today, we are asking classroom teachers to simultaneously:
✔ teach Tier 1
✔ run Tier 2 groups
✔ design Tier 3 supports
✔ collect continual data
✔ and document every move
This is impossible. It is pedagogical madness masquerading as “efficiency.”
We blame teachers when the system was never structurally sound.
UFLI as Curriculum: What It Can Do—and What It Cannot
Let’s talk UFLI, because its meteoric rise has been both exciting and concerning.
UFLI is exceptional when used as intended.
The University of Florida Literacy Institute created a beautifully structured, systematic phonics curriculum—tight routines, clear scaffolds, mastery-based progression, and a deep alignment with the science of reading.
But fidelity matters.
And UFLI was not designed as an all-purpose intervention tool for every age and every need.
Appropriate Use Cases
1st–2nd Grade: Core or strong supplemental curriculum
If implemented with fidelity, it’s gold. These grades are exactly what the program was built for.3rd–4th Grade: Intervention
When older students have foundational phonics gaps, UFLI can support structured catch-up work as an intervention, not as a replacement for grade-level ELA.
Where UFLI does not belong
Beyond Grade 5 as Tier 2/3 intervention for non-SPED students
At that point, we are no longer dealing with typical phonics gaps. The instructional needs are diagnostic, complex, and require a specialist—often targeting morphology, advanced phonics, fluency, and language comprehension together.
The Screener Problem: When Tools Become Tokens
Screeners are only as useful as the curriculum you pair them with.
Right now, many schools use the UFLI Foundations Foundational Skills Screener even when they are not using UFLI materials with fidelity. This creates data that appears actionable but isn’t.
Why?
Because the UFLI screener is curriculum-linked.
It tells you where students fall within the UFLI sequence, not where they stand relative to all possible phonics expectations.
So what should schools use universally?
The Core Phonics Survey.
A neutral, curriculum-agnostic screener that establishes a baseline for every student—regardless of what core program a school uses.
Use it first.
Then use curriculum-linked screeners only when appropriate.
Why MTSS Fails in Real Schools (and How to Fix It)
1. Classroom teachers are expected to run all three tiers.
This alone guarantees burnout and inconsistent implementation.
Fix:
Rebuild staffing structures so that Tier 3 is owned by trained specialists—not general education teachers.
2. Curriculum is misaligned to developmental stages.
When UFLI is used outside its intended grade bands, fidelity breaks down and outcomes plummet.
Fix:
Adopt grade-level-appropriate core instruction and reserve UFLI for the grade bands where it is strongest.
3. Screeners are used symbolically, not diagnostically.
The “checklist” approach to screening leads to false confidence and incorrect placements.
Fix:
Use a universal screener (Core Phonics) for all students and reserve curriculum-linked screeners for fidelity-aligned classrooms.
4. MTSS is treated as an initiative—not a system.
Schools implement parts in isolation rather than designing the infrastructure needed to support it.
Fix:
Schedule, staffing, PD, materials, progress monitoring, and intervention delivery must be redesigned as a single integrated system.
When Readers Arrive in Middle School Without Skills: A Tiered System Requires a Tiered Solution
The hardest gap to talk about is the one we see most:
students in grades 5–8 who cannot decode, cannot read fluently, and cannot access grade-level text—but who have no IEP.
In most schools, this group is large, underserved, and silently drowning.
And the solution is not to give them first-grade texts, worksheets, or decodables.
It’s not to pull them from core instruction for “Tier 3 with your ELA teacher.”
And it’s definitely not to assume novel studies will magically teach decoding.
We need adolescent-appropriate foundational intervention that preserves dignity AND accelerates skill development.
What Middle Schoolers Need: Age-Up Content + Skill-Down Instruction
Foundational Skills (Tier 3 specialists—not classroom teachers)
Intervention for adolescents with decoding gaps must be explicit, diagnostic, and age-respectful. Appropriate programs include:
REWARDS (grades 4–12 multisyllable decoding—fast, effective)
Just Words (Wilson) (ideal for Tier 2/3 foundational gaps)
SRA Corrective Reading: Decoding (for severe skill deficits)
Heggerty Bridge the Gap (for older students needing phonemic awareness)
These address phonics, morphology, and fluency without infantilizing students.
Content & Comprehension (Tier 1 & Tier 2)
Students still need access to grade-level ideas, topics, and discourse. Use:
Amplify Knowledge or Wit & Wisdom with scaffolds
Newsela leveled nonfiction (but keep discussion grade-level)
CommonLit 360
Paired texts, text sets, and article-of-the-week structures
Middle school MTSS requires two parallel lanes:
Grade-level content in class
Targeted foundational intervention outside core instruction
Not one instead of the other.
Scheduling Matters: Intervention Must Not Replace Core Instruction
Effective scheduling models include:
WIN blocks (“What I Need”)
Advisory-period intervention
Rotations in electives (if non-stigmatizing and equitable)
After-school or extended-day programming
Summer acceleration programs
Middle schoolers need daily, high-dosage intervention for 8–12 weeks, followed by re-screening and strategic next steps.
Middle School Morphology: The Missing Link
By grade 5, over 60% of unfamiliar words are morphologically decodable.
Middle school interventions must teach:
Greek/Latin roots
Prefix/suffix patterns
Multisyllabic decoding
Academic vocabulary structures
Derivational morphology
This is where UFLI is not the right tool—it wasn’t designed for linguistically complex adolescent needs.
Identity Safety Is Non-Negotiable
Middle schoolers must experience intervention without shame.
That means:
No babyish clip-art
No “Level C Readers”
No primary-color decodables
No public charts of “levels”
Use teen-facing nonfiction, contemporary topics, and dignity-preserving materials.
You can remediate skills without degrading identity.
The Goal: Acceleration, Not Endless Intervention
A well-run middle school MTSS system follows this sequence:
Universal baseline with Core Phonics
Diagnostic placement
Intensive 8–12 week intervention (daily, specialist-delivered)
Re-screening
Return to Tier 1 with supports—or continue Tier 2
Consider SPED only when persistent disability is evident
This prevents both over-identification and neglect.
What True MTSS Feels Like
When MTSS is properly implemented:
Tier 1 is strong enough that most students progress naturally.
Tier 2 is brief, targeted, efficient, and successful.
Tier 3 is specialized and deeply effective.
Teachers feel supported, not overwhelmed.
Students experience success early—and often.
Data reflects learning, not chaos.
This isn’t magic.
It’s design.
We owe our students—and our teachers—the version of MTSS that works.
Closing Thought: Pedagogy Must Be Ferocious
The feral pedagogy is unafraid to call things what they are.
MTSS is only powerful when implemented with fidelity, integrity, and respect for developmental realities.
We cannot remediate our way out of weak Tier 1.
We cannot ask teachers to do the work of entire departments.
And we cannot keep pretending that more screeners equal better instruction.
Let’s build the system our students deserve
|Sources|
1. MTSS Structure & Roles (Tier 1, 2, 3)
MTSS requires differentiated responsibilities; Tier 3 should be specialist-delivered.
National Center on Intensive Intervention (NCII)
Intensive Intervention & MTSS Framework
https://intensiveintervention.org
(They explicitly state Tier 3 must be delivered by trained specialists using data-based individualization.)Center on Multi-Tiered System of Supports at AIR
https://mtss4success.org
(Defines Tiers clearly, including that Tier 1 = core instruction and Tier 3 = individualized intervention.)Fuchs & Fuchs (2006)
Introduction to Response to Intervention: What, Why, and How Valid Is It?
(RTI is the foundation of MTSS—clearly distinguishes intensity and roles.)
https://doi.org/10.1037/e695692007-001National Center on Response to Intervention (NCRTI)
Essential Components of RTI (2010).
(Highlights tiered roles and intensity.)
2. UFLI & Fidelity of Implementation
UFLI is a program with specific grade-level intentions; using its screener without curriculum fidelity is inappropriate.
UFLI Foundations: Professional Development Guide
University of Florida Literacy Institute
https://ufli.education.ufl.edu
(They state explicitly that screeners are aligned to their instructional sequence.)Denton (2012)
Fidelity of Implementation in Curriculum-Based Interventions.
Exceptional Children.
(Shows outcomes drop sharply when instructional programs are not delivered with fidelity.)Gersten et al. (2020)
The Importance of Curriculum Fidelity in Early Literacy Interventions
Reading Research Quarterly.
(Tied specifically to phonics and early reading.)
3. Universal Screening & Using Curriculum-Neutral Tools
Core Phonics Survey is recommended as a baseline because it’s not linked to a specific curriculum.
CORE (Consortium on Reaching Excellence in Education)
CORE Phonics Survey Technical Manual
https://www.corelearn.com
(States it is curriculum-agnostic, diagnostic, and intended as a universal foundational screener.)National Center on Improving Literacy (NCIL)
Screening for Reading Risk
https://improvingliteracy.org
(Recommends neutral screeners for Tier 1.)DIBELS 8th Edition Technical Manual
University of Oregon
(Shows curriculum-linked screeners should not replace universal screening.)
4. Adolescent Literacy Research (Grades 5–8)
Older students need age-appropriate materials and foundational skill intervention that does NOT infantilize.
Biancarosa & Snow (2006)
Reading Next: A Vision for Action and Research in Middle and High School Literacy.
Carnegie Corporation & Alliance for Excellent Education.
(Foundational document on adolescent literacy — emphasizes age-appropriate content + targeted instruction.)Shanahan & Shanahan (2008)
Teaching Disciplinary Literacy to Adolescents: Rethinking Content-Area Literacy.
Harvard Educational Review.
(Shows adolescents need grade-level content exposure even when foundational skills lag.)Vaughn et al. (2010)
Effectiveness of Intensive Reading Interventions for Older Struggling Readers.
Journal of Learning Disabilities.
(Notes that older readers need explicit decoding intervention AND parallel grade-level content.)Scammacca et al. (2007, 2015)
Interventions for Adolescent Struggling Readers: Meta-Analyses.
(Confirms need for explicit, intensive intervention delivered by specialists.)
5. Morphology Instruction for Upper Grades
Morphology is critical beyond Grade 5 and should be central for adolescent readers.
Goodwin & Ahn (2010)
A Meta-Analysis of Morphological Interventions.
Reading Research Quarterly.
(Shows robust effects on adolescent reading, fluency, and comprehension.)Nagy & Anderson (1984)
Morphological Families and Vocabulary Growth.
(Classic study showing morphology drives vocabulary learning in grades 4+.)Bowers & Kirby (2010)
Effects of Morphological Instruction on Literacy Skills.
(Strong evidence for morphology for struggling older readers.)
6. High-Dosage, Short-Term Intervention
8–12 weeks of daily intervention is more effective than long-term low-frequency support.
Nickow, Oreopoulos, & Quan (2020)
The Impressive Effects of Tutoring on PreK–12 Learning.
NBER Working Paper.
(Defines “high-dosage” as daily or near-daily, small-group or 1:1, with strong outcomes.)Wanzek & Vaughn (2007)
Research-Based Implications from Intensive Reading Interventions.
(Supports concentrated, intensive formats.)
7. Why Grade-Level Content Must Continue Even for Struggling Readers
Students cannot be removed from core content for foundational intervention.
Castles, Rastle, & Nation (2018)
Ending the Reading Wars.
Psychological Science in the Public Interest.
(Strong argument for simultaneous comprehension and decoding development.)Hiebert & Mesmer (2013)
Upping the Ante of Text Complexity in the Common Core Standards.
Reading Research Quarterly.
(Shows students need exposure to grade-level ideas, even if the text is scaffolded.)O’Connor et al. (2010)
General Education Intervention for At-Risk Readers.
(Shows that grade-level content access + targeted intervention is more effective than pullout-only models.)
8. Age-Respectful Materials for Middle School Readers
No baby books; adolescents need dignity-preserving content.
Association for Middle Level Education (AMLE)
The Successful Middle School: This We Believe
(Emphasizes psychological and social appropriateness in instructional materials.)International Literacy Association (ILA)
Standards for Middle and High School Literacy Professionals
(Calls for adolescent-appropriate text selection.)
The Power of Language-Rich Environments in Rural Iowa Daycares
Why early and consistent exposure to rich language experiences builds stronger readers—and stronger communities.
In the rural pockets of Iowa—Hamilton, Wright, Webster, and the neighboring small towns—daycares play a vital role in early childhood development. For many children, these centers are not simply a place for supervision; they are the first classroom, the first peer group, and the first place where structured language experiences take root.
And in today’s Iowa, these daycares are beautifully diverse.
They serve families with deep local roots and families who have come from:
Central and South America
Cuba
Haiti
West and East Africa
Asia
and many other parts of the world
This blend of rural life and global diversity creates a rich, powerful environment for early learning—one where language becomes a bridge between home, community, and future success.
Why Early Language Exposure Matters
The earliest years of life—from birth to age five—are the most critical for language and brain development. Neural pathways form at extraordinary speed, shaping how children:
understand words
express themselves
follow directions
build vocabulary
develop phonological awareness
form relationships
and eventually, learn to read
Reading begins long before children see their first letter.
It begins with sound, interaction, movement, and conversation.
When children grow up in environments full of talk, stories, rhythm, and shared experiences, they build the foundation needed for later literacy success.
What Is a Language-Rich Environment?
A language-rich environment is any setting where children experience:
✔ Warm, responsive adult–child conversations
✔ Exposure to varied vocabulary
✔ Songs, rhymes, chants, and rhythm
✔ Opportunities to narrate and describe
✔ Storytelling and high-quality read-alouds
✔ Respect and support for home languages
These practices transform ordinary moments—snack time, outdoor play, diapering, building towers, sitting in a circle—into profound early literacy opportunities.
And rural Iowa daycares, with their close-knit relationships and small-group settings, are uniquely positioned to create these environments every day.
Multilingual, Multicultural Rural Iowa
Rural Iowa is no longer monolingual or monocultural—and that is a tremendous strength.
Children bring languages such as:
Spanish
Qʼeqchiʼ, K’iche’, Mam
Haitian Creole
Portuguese
Swahili
English
and others
Research shows that supporting a child’s home language:
strengthens cognitive development
improves vocabulary across languages
supports emotional well-being
accelerates English learning
boosts long-term academic success
A language-rich environment is one that welcomes and nurtures all languages, not just English.
Using Rural Life as Literacy Fuel
Rural childhood experiences provide natural language-learning opportunities:
Watching crops grow
Hearing animals on a farm
Helping in the garden
Experiencing the changing seasons
Attending county fairs and small-town celebrations
Listening to stories from neighbors and grandparents
When adults narrate, explain, and ask questions about these experiences, they turn everyday rural life into literacy-building moments.
Vocabulary grows in these small, meaningful exchanges.
So does curiosity, connection, and the foundation for reading.
How Language-Rich Environments Build Future Readers
Children who experience consistent early language exposure:
learn to read more easily
develop stronger vocabularies
understand stories and instructions
think critically and creatively
build stronger social skills
feel more confident in school
This is true for English speakers and multilingual learners alike.
Exposure. Interaction. Conversation Story Play.
These are the tools that build strong readers—not flashcards or early worksheets.
My Dream for Hamilton, Wright, and Webster Counties
As someone who has devoted my life to literacy, early learning, and supporting diverse communities, it is truly my dream to help build and strengthen language-rich environments across the daycares in Hamilton, Wright, and Webster Counties.
These communities are full of heart.
They are full of culture.
They are full of families who want the very best for their children.
And I believe, with everything in me, that giving young children early, consistent exposure to rich language experiences—across all languages, cultures, and backgrounds—will shape the future of these counties in profound ways.
Strong language builds strong readers.
Strong readers build strong communities.
And it all begins right here—
in the daycares, homes, and small-town classrooms of rural Iowa.
Never Say Never: Why I’m Helping Homeschool Families
If there’s one lesson life has taught me—again and again—it’s this: never say never.
For years, if you had asked me whether I’d ever work with homeschool families, I would have smiled politely and said, “Probably not.” My world was the traditional classroom: my training, my routines, my identity—everything centered around public education.
But life has a way of stretching us, nudging us, and opening doors we never thought we’d walk through.
A Shift I Didn’t Expect
Leaving the classroom this year was both the hardest and the most liberating decision I’ve ever made. I loved my students and teaching, but I also felt a deep pull to serve learners and families in ways the traditional structure couldn’t accommodate.
Through tutoring, structured literacy coaching, consulting, and supporting dyslexic learners across all ages, I met families whose needs didn’t align with a public school schedule. Families who wanted flexibility, Families looking for specialized support. Families seeking guidance, structure, expertise—and community.
Slowly, the “never” I’d always said began to soften.
Discovering What Homeschool Families Truly Need
As I worked more closely with learners outside the school day, I realized something important:
Homeschool families aren’t trying to replace teachers; they’re looking for partners.
They want:
Evidence-based literacy instruction
A scaffolded curriculum without hours of research
Clear plans and accountability
Support with executive functioning and academic gaps
Enrichment rooted in authentic learning, not busywork
A judgment-free relationship with an educator who understands their child
These were needs I could meet. These were families I wanted to serve, and this work energized me in a way I never anticipated.
Never say never.
Secular in Morals. Agnostic in Curriculum: The Frontier of School Choice—Redefined.
As education evolves, one truth becomes clear: families want choices that reflect their values, their needs, and their children—not a system.
At Lammers Scholars, I honor that with a simple guiding principle:
Secular in morals. Agnostic in curriculum.
Secular in Morals
I center universal human values:
Respect
Responsibility
Curiosity
Compassion
Integrity
Hard work
These morals are not tied to religion or ideology—they are foundational for every learner. Families of all backgrounds, faiths, and philosophies can feel at home here.
Agnostic in Curriculum
I do not subscribe to one boxed curriculum, publisher, or educational trend.
Instead, I commit to what works, guided by:
The science of reading
The science of learning
Student needs
Family goals
Flexibility and personalization
Some families want classical approaches.
Some prefer project-based learning.
Some want structured sequences.
Some need remediation or enrichment.
Some want a hybrid or custom-designed model.
Every path is honored—because learning is not one-size-fits-all.
A New Era of School Choice
“School choice” used to mean choosing between buildings.
Now it means choosing between learning models, structures, philosophies, and supports that truly fit the child.
Homeschool families are pioneering this frontier.
They are innovators.
Architects of individualized learning.
Proof that education can be built from the inside out—not the top down.
I’m here not as a gatekeeper, but as a guide—supporting families as they design the learning journeys that work for them.
Bringing My Strengths Into a New Space
My background—14 years in the classroom, a dyslexia specialist endorsement, and experience teaching future educators—aligns naturally with the needs of homeschool families.
But beyond the credentials, I simply love creating meaningful learning experiences tailored to each child.
Homeschooling doesn’t mean “doing school at home.”
It can be creative.
It can be flexible.
It can be joyful.
It can be deeply enriching.
And I realized I can help families build that.
Why I’m Saying “Yes” Now
I’m helping homeschool families because:
Every child deserves high-quality literacy instruction
Parents deserve support, expertise, and community.
Flexible learning can be powerful and joyful.l
Homeschool students need access to specialists, too.o
I believe in empowering parents as much as students.
And because life surprised me in the best way.y
Stepping into this new chapter feels exactly right. The work is meaningful. The impact is real. And the families I’m meeting are incredible.
The Lesson in All This
If you had told me five years ago—or even last year—that I’d be partnering with homeschool families, I would have laughed and said, “Never.”
But “never” has a way of transforming when your heart is open.
Needs change.
Families change.
We change.
And sometimes the opportunities we never expected are the ones that lead us exactly where we’re meant to be.
So here I am—saying yes, showing up, and helping homeschool families thrive.
Never say never.
The Longest Goodbye.
The Longest Goodbye: How I Broke Up with Teaching
by Melissa Lammers
I was the teacher’s kid who swore she’d never teach.
I grew up watching my mother live in a cycle of grading and caring — a rhythm that sounded like exhaustion set to a metronome. I saw the way her eyes dimmed each Sunday evening, the way she carried her students’ pain home in silence.
I told myself I would do anything but that.
And so, of course, I became a teacher.
I tried other paths first, but the pull was gravitational. I told myself I’d do it differently — I’d fix it, modernize it, humanize it. I earned my second degree in education, believing in the promise of impact. The first time I stepped into my own classroom, I felt like I’d arrived at the center of something sacred. Chalk dust, laughter, the hum of fluorescent lights — all of it shimmered with purpose.
Then the system introduced itself.
Iowa schools are full of good hearts caught in impossible machinery. We don’t teach children so much as triage them. We pour from a cup that was emptied years ago.
Still, I fought.
I fought hard.
I fought hard.
I fought hard.
I told myself: I can make it right. If I love them enough, plan harder, stay later, care louder — I can make it right.
But the truth is, love doesn’t fix what’s designed to break you.
I quit once. I swore I was done. And then, like so many of us, I came back.
Because middle school is magic.
Those kids — awkward, brilliant, strange, and endlessly becoming — they are chaos incarnate and I adore them for it. They make me laugh until I cry and cry until I laugh. They will argue with you about everything and then hug you on the way out the door.
There’s an atmosphere in a middle school — a current you can feel shift when something’s about to happen. You can sense it before the first bell: the offbeat rhythm, the collective breath, the charge of adolescence. It’s electric and fragile all at once.
To teach middle school is to live inside a storm that you love.
But the storm changed.
Keep kids busy. Keep kids busy. Keep kids busy.
The mantra that replaced meaning.
Johnny has soccer at four, piano at five, tae kwon do at six.
They only have an hour with him before bed.
And then they wonder why he cannot sit still, cannot name his feelings, cannot listen.
Parents don’t know who their children are anymore. They hire other people to parent, then resent us when we do. They confuse busyness with enrichment, call it opportunity, and hand us the fallout.
Their child being busy is elite babysitting.
Give me quiet 1990s parenting any day — the kind where you rode your bike until the streetlights came on and came home to parents who looked you in the eyes.
Now we measure childhood in calendar squares and call it success.
Teaching became an ache that no amount of love could soothe.
I was grieving in real time — for my students, for my colleagues, for myself.
Every reform felt like rearranging deck chairs on a ship we were told to pretend wasn’t sinking.
I loved it anyway.
That was the hardest part.
Teaching was my first heartbreak.
I kept believing we could fix it — the curriculum, the politics, the parents, the silence.
I thought if I stayed faithful, the system would love me back.
But love built on martyrdom is not love. It’s survival disguised as purpose.
Breaking up with teaching wasn’t a clean cut. It was a slow unraveling — the kind of leaving that happens in layers.
First, you stop decorating your room. Then you stop bringing work home. Then one day you realize you no longer say we when you talk about the school.
It wasn’t betrayal. It was self-preservation.
Still, it felt like grief. I missed the hum of the hallways, the spontaneous laughter, the way a classroom breathes when something finally clicks. I missed the smell of pencil shavings and dry-erase markers and the orchestra of forty different pencil taps on desks.
I missed being someone’s favorite teacher.
Now, I live in the quiet that used to terrify me. I wake without a bell. I drink coffee without grading. I write about the thing that once defined me.
The truth is, I didn’t stop teaching — I just stopped disappearing inside it.
That’s what they don’t tell you about quitting: sometimes it isn’t running away; it’s coming home.
This is the longest goodbye — not because I regret leaving, but because I loved so fiercely I almost forgot who I was without it.
And now, in this gentler life, I’m learning how to breathe again — one quiet morning at a time.
The boy, a shirt, and the birth of the Feral Pedagogy.
It all begins with an idea.
A Professional Reflection on Neurodivergent-Affirming, Science-Based Practice
During my Dyslexia Specialist training at the University of Iowa, one course—Assessment—stood as the academic crucible of the program. It was rigorous, exacting, and designed to forge practitioners who could read a child’s data like a language of its own. Yet, amid the structured protocols and validity scores, I discovered something that no rubric could measure: humanity.
I was working with a student in his home, the environment where he felt safest. It was early September, still heavy with summer heat. He bounced across the couch, rolled on the floor, and occasionally turned upside down mid-sentence. None of it disrupted the process. In fact, it seemed to regulate him. Then, mid-assessment, he quietly removed his shirt.
From a procedural lens, the moment was unconventional. From a neurological lens, it was profoundly instructive. Once his sensory system was free of discomfort, his working memory improved, his frustration diminished, and his performance surged. What appeared to be noncompliance was, in truth, self-regulation.
Later, when I shared the story with my cohort, I was met with professional criticism and the assertion that I had failed to maintain appropriate control. That reprimand crystallized for me a truth that has guided my practice ever since: education often confuses compliance with cognition.
The traditional model asks learners—especially neurodivergent ones—to suppress their sensory and physical needs to appear ‘focused.’ Yet the science of cognitive load (CLT) tells us that unnecessary constraints on working memory and executive function reduce learning efficiency. When a child must devote mental energy to sitting still or masking sensory discomfort, less capacity remains for decoding, comprehension, and problem-solving.
At the same time, the science of reading (SOR) reminds us that structured literacy instruction must be explicit, systematic, and cumulative—but not sterile. True mastery occurs when instruction aligns with the learner’s neurological and emotional state. A dysregulated brain cannot engage in orthographic mapping or phonological processing; comfort and safety are prerequisites for cognition.
Play therapy and movement-based learning deepen this understanding. They show us that motion, rhythm, and interaction are not distractions—they are the architecture of learning. Movement supports hemispheric integration and midline crossing, essential for reading fluency. Play invites curiosity, lowers affective filters, and rewires learning from task into joy.
What I learned that day in the living room—what I continue to practice through Feral Pedagogy—is that learning cannot be domesticated. It is sensory, embodied, social, and alive.
Feral Pedagogy is a reclamation of that truth. It is grounded in research yet radically human:
- From the Science of Reading, it borrows explicit, structured instruction that respects how the brain learns to read.
- From Cognitive Load Theory, it borrows the insistence on reducing extraneous demands to protect working memory.
- From Play Therapy, it borrows the safety and self-expression that open neural pathways to learning.
- From Movement Science, it borrows rhythm, gross motor integration, and sensory regulation as literacy tools.
- From Neurodiversity, it borrows the belief that difference is not disorder—that learning is not broken, just varied.
Together, these threads form a pedagogy that is both scholarly and feral—rooted in evidence, but unafraid to color outside the lines.
Feral Pedagogy is what happens when we trust the learner’s body as much as we trust the research. It is teaching that invites motion, story, and humanity back into the room. It is the kind of learning that allows a dyslexic child, shirt off and soul at ease, to exhale—and learn as themselves finally.
Annotated Bibliography for the Feral Pedagogy Manifesto
Ehri, L. C. (2020). The science of learning to read words: A case for systematic phonics instruction. Reading Research Quarterly, 55(S1), S45–S60.
Ehri synthesizes decades of reading science to explain how readers form connections between graphemes and phonemes to achieve automatic word recognition.
Seidenberg, M. S. (2017). Language at the Speed of Sight: How We Read, Why So Many Can’t, and What Can Be Done About It—Basic Books.
Bridges neuroscience and education, emphasizing linguistic science as foundational to reading instruction.
Sweller, J., van Merriënboer, J. J. G., & Paas, F. (2019). Cognitive architecture and instructional design: 20 years later. Educational Psychology Review, 31, 261–292.
Explores how working memory limitations affect learning, advocating for the reduction of extraneous cognitive load.
Landreth, G. L. (2012). Play Therapy: The Art of the Relationship (3rd ed.). Routledge.
Anchors play as a child’s natural language and mechanism for emotional regulation and learning.
Ratey, J. J. (2008). Spark: The Revolutionary New Science of Exercise and the Brain. Little, Brown, and Company.
Reveals how physical activity enhances attention, mood, and neuroplasticity, supporting kinesthetic learning.
Armstrong, T. (2010). Neurodiversity: Discovering the Extraordinary Gifts of Autism, ADHD, Dyslexia, and Other Brain Differences. Da Capo Press.
Reframes neurodivergence as natural human variation rather than a deficit, aligning with the core of Feral Pedagogy.
Giving credit where credit is due.
Teacher turned tutor has need to connect with the outside world.
Yes, I can sound like I know what I’m talking about; I can adjust my tone. I collect degrees and endorsements for fun. Don't start with conventional education, which is an MLM. That's for another blog post. Just in case someone comes at me for ‘thats now a new idea” or “she stole that” I did but I give credit. Hey, they read a lot. Here is a list of my favorites: Justifiers, Lights in the Dark, Home Dawgs.
I. The Science of Reading
Cabell, S. Q., & Espitia, A. (2024). The Science of Reading: What is it and how does it inform literacy instruction? p n Educational Journal.
This article outlines the core principles of the Science of Reading (SOR), a multidisciplinary body of evidence that draws on cognitive psychology, linguistics, and neuroscience. Aell and Espitia explain how skilled reading requires the integration of two key components—word recognition and language comprehension—known collectively as the Simple View of Reading. Hey, your critique should surface-level or “check” interretations of SOR and advocate for instructional practices that honor both the systematic and human aspects of reading instruction.
Petscher, Y., Cabell, S. Q., Catts, H. W., Compton, D. L., Foorman, B. R., Hart, S. A., … & Wagner, R. K. (2020). How the science of reading informs 21st-century education. eading Research Quarterly, 55(S1), S267–S282.
This comprehensive review synthesizes decades of literacy research and applies it to modern educational contexts. The authors clarify misconceptions about the SOR, positioning it not as a prescriptive program but as an evolving field of inquiry. Hey, highlight the neurobiological processes that underpin reading acquisition and discuss how explicit instruction in phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension supports equitable literacy outcomes.
Seidenberg, M. S. (2017). Anguage at the speed of sight: How we read, why so many can’t, can't that be done about it—Basic Books.
Seidenberg bridges neuroscience and classroom instruction to explain how the brain processes print. Debunks the “reading wars” by grounding instruction in the cognitive mechanisms of decoding, orthographic mapping, and automaticity. The critique of education, based on scientific evidence, presents a compelling argument for literacy practices grounded in cognitive science rather than intuition or tradition.
Moats, L. C. (2020)Se. Search print: Language essentials for teachers of reading (3rd ed.)L. l H. Brookes.
Moats provides a thorough examination of how speech and print systems intersect, highlighting the linguistic foundations of reading and spelling. He emphasizes that teachers must possess a deep understanding of phonology, morphology, and syntax to teach reading effectively. s' Moats remains one of the most influential SOR resources because it translates theory into precise instructional routines.
Kilpatrick, D. A. (2015).Essentials of Assessing, Preventing, and Overcoming Reading Difficulties.
Kilpatrick's model provides a comprehensive approach to diagnosing and remediating reading difficulties through phonemic proficiency and orthographic mapping. It distinguishes between phonological awareness and phonemic awareness, arguing that mastery of advanced phonemic manipulation is crucial for fluent reading. Research-based interventions offer structured yet adaptable tools for teachers and specialists.
II. Cognitive Load Theory (CLT) & Instructional Design
Sweller, J., Ayres, P., & Kalyuga, S. (2019). Cognitive Load Theory (2nd ed.) Ringerr.
This definitive text outlines how human working memory has limited capacity and how instructional design must manage three types of cognitive load: intrinsic, extraneous, and germane. Lerler and colleagues demonstrate that poorly structured tasks can overwhelm working memory and impede schema formation. You emphasize sequencing, scaffolding, and automation as ways to optimize learning efficiency.
Pla" s, J. L., Moreno, R., & Brünken, R. (Eds.). 0). Intrinsic Load Theory.Ridgedge University Press.
This edited volume expands CLT beyond basic instructional design, integrating multimedia, sensory, and affective dimensions of learning. Explores how multiple modalities—visual, auditory, and kinesthetic—can either overload or enrich cognition, depending on the quality of the design. Some colleagues advocate for an intentional multisensory approach that aligns with core learning goals.
Tindall-Ford, S., Agostinho, S., & Sweller, J. (2019). ances in Cognitive Load Theory: Rethinking Teachi Ledgedge.
This collection updates CLT for contemporary learners, addressing digital contexts, diverse learners, and new instructional models. Emphasizes that effective teaching requires constant calibration of cognitive load: not too heavy (leading to fatigue), but not too light (reducing challenge). The authors also note that movement, collaboration, and emotional regulation can be part of load management.
Paas, F., & van Merriënboer, J. J. G. (2020). Cognitive load theory: A broader view on the role of emotions and motivation. Educational Psychology Review, 32, 171–195.
Paas and van Merriënboer extend traditional CLT by linking emotion, motivation, and cognitive performance. You argue that emotional state and intrinsic motivation directly influence working memory efficiency, attention, and long-term schema development. Learners' safety, competence, and curiosity reduce extraneous load and improve retention.
Feldon, D. F. (2024). og tiageoad theory and individual differences. Ea ing and Instruction, 93, 101723.
Feldon’Feldon's research introduces the concept of neurodiversity into CLT discussions. e amines how variations in working memory capacity, sensory sensitivity, and executive function influence learners' perception of cognitive load. The paper argues for differentiated load management strategies that honor neurological diversity.
III. Science of Play & Embodied Learning
Pyle, A., & Danniels, E. (2017). continuum of play-based learning: The role of the teacher in play-based pedagogy and the fear of hijacking play. rl Education and Development, 28(3), 274–289.
Pyle and Danniels examine the continuum of play-based learning, from free play to guided play to teacher-directed playful instruction. They argue that high-quality play pedagogy does not mean the absence of structure—it requires teachers who skillfully balance freedom and intentional learning. The article discusses educators’ “hijacking” of play by being too directive and suggests instead that teachers can embed academic goals into authentic play experiences.
Project Zero (2023). Pedagogy of Play: Supporting Playful Learning in Classrooms and Schools. The Graduate School of Education.
This book, the result of a multi-year collaboration between Harvard's Zero and the LEGO Foundation, articulates a formal framework for playful learning across school settings. It identifies three core principles: agency (students make meaningful choices), wonder (learning through curiosity), and delight (joy in discovery). RCT Zero researchers demonstrate how play fosters motivation, resilience, and creativity, while also deepening understanding across various disciplines.
Zosh, J. M., Hopkins, E. J., Jensen, H., Liu, C., Neale, D., Hirsh-Pasek, K., ... & Whitebread, D. (2018). Engaging through play: A review of the evidence. The e GO Foundation.
Zosh and colleagues synthesize decades of neuroscience and developmental psychology research to demonstrate that play is not antithetical to learning—it is one of the brain's effective learning mo HeyHey,y dentify five characteristics of “playful learning”: joy, meaningfulness, active engagement, iterative thinking, and social interactionThesehes elements directly support executive function, language development, and the consolidation of long-term memory.
Sahlberg, P., & Doyle, W. (2019). The Children Play: How More Play Will Save Our Schools and Help Children Thrive. Ford University Press.
Sahlberg and Doyle advocate for reclaiming play as a right and necessity in modern education systems. Based on global case studies, they argue that overly standardized, compliance-driven schooling suppresses creativity, intrinsic motivation, and overall well-being. He proposes play as an antidote to stress and disengagement, showing how movement, autonomy, and imagination cultivate cognitive flexibility and emotional resilience.
Bodrova, E., & Leong, D. J. (2015). YG Skian and Post-Vygotskian Views on Children's American Journal of Play, 7(3), 371–388.
Bodrova and Leong revisit Lev Vygotsky's theories of play as a critical tool for cognitive and emotional development. He argues that play builds executive function, self-regulation, and symbolic thinking—abilities foundational to academic success. No, children operate within their “zone of proximal development,” rehearsing complex language, planning, and problem-solving skills in a low-stress context.
IV. University, Movement, and Embodied Cognition
Ratey, J. J. (2008). The revolutionary new science of exercise and the brain. It is e, Brown.
Ratey’s work explores the link between physical activity and brain function, drawing from neuroscience and education research. Demonstrates that movement increases the production of brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF), a protein that enhances learning, memory, and emotional regulation. It argues that regular physical movement primes the brain for focus, attention, and creativity.
Armstrong, T. (2010). The Power of Neurodiversity: Unleashing the Advantages of Your Differently Wired Brain. Capo Press.
Armstrong reframes neurological differences such as dyslexia, ADHD, and autism from a deficit model to a diversity model. Ranging in parallels to biodiversity, he argues that each brain type offers distinct strengths and ways of processing information, advocating for environments that value diversity through flexibility, sensory awareness, and individualized learning pathways.
Sousa, D. A. (2016). Now he learns his brain (5th ed.).
Sousa integrates neuroscience, cognitive psychology, and educational research to explain how the brain processes, stores, and retrieves information. It emphasizes the importance of emotional climate, movement, and multisensory experience in sustaining attention and encoding memory. Environmental stimuli, such as stress or comfort, directly affect the brain’s ability to learn.
Godwin, K. E., & Fisher, A. V. (2021). The role of attention and physical movement in learning: A developmental cognitive perspective. du tional Psychologist, 56(4), 257–270.
Godwin and Fisher analyze how body movement and spatial attention co-regulate cognitive processes during the learning process. They demonstrate that allowing students to engage in small, rhythmic, or self-directed movements improves working memory, focus, and information retention. The article situates movement not as a behavioral issue, but as a natural part of cognition—particularly for developing and neurodivergent learners.
Feldon, D. F. (2024). Cognitive Load Theory and Individual Differences. and Instruction, 93, 101723.
Included earlier in Section II, but equally critical here, Feldon’s bridges cognitive load theory and neurodiversity, demonstrating that learners differ in how they process and sustain attention due to variations in working memory and sensory abilities. It advocates for adaptable learning environments that accommodate cognitive and neurological diversity, rather than standardizing it.
V. Practitioner & Thought-Leader Resources
Modern movements and thought leaders aligned with The Feral Pedagogy at Lammers Scholars
1. – Harvard Graduate School of Education
Website: https://pz.harvard.edu
Focus: Inquiry into thinking, creativity, and learning through frameworks such as A Pedagogy of Play and Visible Thinking.
Synopsis: Project Zero’s Zero sch merges creativity, curiosity, and cognition — three pillars mirrored in The Feral Pedagogy. The Pedagogy of Play initiative offers frameworks for striking a balance between joy and rigor, positioning learners as agents of discovery.
2. Reading League Journal
Website: https://www.thereadingleague.org
Focus: Evidence-based literacy practices grounded in the Science of Reading.
Synopsis: The Reading League publishes accessible research articles and case studies that translate complex reading science into classroom and tutoring practice.
3. The learning Scientists Blog
Website: https://www.learningscientists.org
Focus: Cognitive psychology applied to education — retrieval practice, spaced repetition, dual coding, and cognitive load.
Synopsis: The Learning Scientists synthesize research on how memory, attention, and metacognition shape effective learning. The work champions effortful learning made accessible — a concept central to your low-cognitive-load tutoring design.
5 The Neurodivergent Teacher (Brittany Hall)
Website: https://www.theneurodivergentteacher.com
Focus: Classroom strategies and advocacy for Neurodivergent Students.
Synopsis: Hall’s neurodiversity advocacy with practical education design, offering sensory-friendly classroom setups, executive-function supports, and affirming communication strategies.
6 Dr. Jenara Nerenberg – Neurodivergent Insights
Website: https://www.neurodivergentinsights.com
Focus: Research-to-practice translation for educators and clinicians serving neurodivergent populations.
Synopsis: Nerenberg emphasizes sensory regulation, cognitive diversity, and emotional attunement in learning environments. h reframes “behavioral challenges” as information about sensory and emotional states.
7 Dr. Judy Willis – Neurologist and Educator
Website: https://www.radteach.com
Focus: How emotion, motivation, and novelty enhance learning.
Synopsis: A former neurologist turned educator, Willis writes about how dopamine, curiosity, and stress regulation impact retention. He advocates for joyful learning environments where curiosity and play drive neural encoding.
8 Edutopia – Neurodiversity and Playful Learning Sections
Website: https://www.edutopia.org
Focus: Practical classroom applications of cognitive science and inclusive education.
Synopsis: Edutopia frequently publishes practitioner-friendly pieces on play, movement, sensory inclusion, and the science of reading. An authors emphasize ways to create classrooms that are safe for divergent thinkers and kinesthetic learners.
9 MindUP | The Goldie Hawn Foundation
Website: https://mindup.org
Focus: Mindfulness, emotional regulation, and brain-based learning for children.
Synopsis: MindUP offers research-informed curricula designed to foster self-awareness, emotional regulation, and executive function through mindful practices. The work integrates neuroscience, SEL, and positive psychology.
10 The Child Mind Institute – Educator & Parent Resources
Website: https://childmind.org
Focus: Neuroscience, psychology, and practical supports for learning differences.
Synopsis: The Institute provides accessible explanations of ADHD, dyslexia, anxiety, and sensory processing issues from a neurodevelopmental perspective.
11. The Dyslexia Foundation & The Yale Center for Dyslexia & Creativity
Websites:
https://dyslexia.yale.edu
Focus: Scientific research and advocacy for evidence-based dyslexia instruction.
Synopsis: Both organizations publish accessible resources on phonological processing, structured literacy, and emotional well-being for individuals with dyslexia.
12 CAST & Universal Design for Learning (UDL) Framework
Website: https://www.cast.org
Focus: Accessibility and multiple means of engagement, representation, and expression in learning design.
Synopsis: UDL research demonstrates that learners differ widely in their perception, motivation, and expression. AS encourages educators to design flexible environments where each learner can access content in the way that works best for them.
13 The LEGO Foundation – Learning Through Play Research
Website: https://learningthroughplay.com
Focus: Global research network promoting play as a driver for deep learning and lifelong curiosity.
Synopsis: The Foundations link play to executive functioning, cognitive flexibility, and socioemotional health. The frameworks translate developmental psychology into actionable classroom design.
14 Dr. Stuart Shanker – Self-Reg Global
Website: https://self-reg.ca
Focus: Self-regulation and stress recovery in children and adolescents.
Synopsis: Shanker's Segregation Model identifies five interrelated domains—biological, emotional, cognitive, social, and prosocial—that impact learning readiness, emphasizing the reduction of stressors rather than the imposition of control.
NT National Literacy Association (ILA)
Website: https://www.literacyworldwide.org
Focus: Global literacy research and professional collaboration.
Synopsis: ILA bridges researchers and practitioners through journals, webinars, and position statements on evidence-based literacy.