“I believe students aren’t struggling because they can’t learn. They’re struggling because they haven’t been shown how to think through what they’re learning.”
My Story
I didn’t enter education the traditional way. Teaching was my second career, but that never meant I lowered my expectations for students.
From the very beginning, I believed my students were capable.
At the same time, I realized something just as important:
If we expect more from students, we have to give them a way to meet those expectations.
As a reading teacher, I quickly saw a gap that I couldn’t ignore.
Students were completing assignments.
They were following directions.
But when it came time to explain their thinking, they struggled.
I knew literacy was the foundation. If students couldn’t read and make sense of what they were reading, they wouldn’t be able to succeed in any subject.
But I also saw something deeper.
How students saw themselves—how confident they felt and how capable they believed they were—shaped how they showed up in the classroom.
This wasn’t just about reading.
It was about identity, engagement, and understanding.
Creating a Solution That Works
That realization led me to create the A.R.E. You? Actively Reading and Engaging® Instructional Framework and Annotation System.
It started as a solution for my struggling readers.
I needed a way to help them:
️✅ Engage with the text
️✅ Think while they were reading
️✅ Identify what mattered
️✅ Come prepared to discuss and respond
So I gave them a structure—a way to interact with what they were reading in real time.
What I didn’t expect was how my proficient readers would respond.
They benefited just as much.
It became clear that the issue wasn’t just reading ability.
Many students had never been shown how to think through what they were reading.
The Impact I Saw
As I moved into coaching and supporting other teachers, I began sharing the system in more classrooms. I saw the same results again and again.
When students were given a clear way to engage with text:
Teachers felt more confident. Students began to show up differently.
That’s when I knew this wasn’t just something for my classroom. It was something schools needed.
More Than Academics
At the same time, I was working with students in an after-school program and saw another gap.
Students were trying to navigate who they were without guidance.
They were making decisions, forming beliefs about themselves, and responding to challenges without a space to reflect or process.
That’s where Who Are You? A Guide to Help Adolescents Navigate Through the Social and Emotional Issues of Life began.
What started as a small enrichment experience quickly became something more.
Because students don’t just need academic tools.
They need support in understanding themselves.
Every product I’ve created has come from real classrooms and real students.
I’ve served as a middle school reading teacher, an elementary tutor, a literacy coach, and a Director of RTI and Literacy.
Since 2017, I’ve supported educators and school leaders across the country as an educational consultant—working with thousands of teachers to strengthen instructional practices and improve student outcomes.
This work continues to grow, not because it’s theoretical, but because it works in real classrooms.
I believe the work can get done in classrooms and still not lead to real understanding.
And I believe that when we give students clear tools to engage, think, reflect, and respond—
learning begins to stick.
Why This Matters
Today, schools are asking more of both teachers and students.
But too often, the tools don’t match the expectations.
Teachers are expected to increase rigor.
Students are expected to think critically.
But neither are always given the support to do it consistently.
That’s why these resources exist.
Not as extra programs.
But as practical tools that help:
- Students engage and understand
- Teachers support thinking—not just task completion
- Schools build consistency across classrooms
If you’re seeing students do the work—but still struggle to understand…
If you’re working to strengthen engagement, comprehension, and confidence…
This work was created with you in mind.