MANSFIELD — Pat Gordon’s passion for developing literacy initiatives that improve student achievement burns as intensely as it did when she first began working with the Ohio State University in Columbus more than 20 years ago.
Gordon is filling a new position in Mansfield City Schools, two years after she ended a nearly 30-year career as a district elementary teacher.
In August the board of education approved Superintendent Brian Garverick’s recommendation that Gordon be hired as “district coach mentor” to plan and implement professional development for literacy and math coaches. She will work a maximum of 80 days during the school year and be paid through grant funding.
Gordon was the first MCS teacher to complete training through OSU’s Literacy Collaborative program in the early 1990s. The program is a nationally recognized, research-based instructional method for teaching reading and writing.
Since then, several other district teachers have joined Gordon as certified literacy coaches after completing the year-long training required by OSU.
“I know Literacy Collaborative works. I have seen how effective it can be in the classroom,” said Gordon, who led a meeting of literacy coaches last week at the Raemelton administration building.
“These meetings are part of the continuous learning process, to share ideas, review our practices and deepen our understanding, all of which is directed toward student achievement.”
Teacher Teresa Fruth of Prospect Elementary, also a literacy coach, said such meetings are important.
“The literacy coaches here represent every level, kindergarten through eighth grade,” Fruth said. “We’re all working toward a common goal which ultimately is to continue to improve student achievement. Every literacy coach here impacts eight to 12 other teachers in their buildings who, in turn, impact students in their classrooms.”
Other teacher/literacy coaches at the meeting included Amy Walker, Holly Christie, Tonya Bishop, Jill Dansen and Debbie Mayo. Also participating were Mindy Newman and Windy Wilging, who are in training to become literacy coaches, and former coach Bonnie Trease.
The schedules of literacy coaches are structured so that they are classroom teachers part of the day and available to coach their peers the reminder.
Gordon recalled her introduction to the Literacy Collaborative.
“In the early 1990s Joyce Adair (then district curriculum coordinator) came to me and said, ‘Do you want to do this?’ I didn’t know anything about it but I said, ‘Sure.’ I was the first in the district to complete Literacy Collaborative training,” she said.
She quickly became the district trainer for others.
“In 1994 we were one of only 19 training center in the entire country,” she said.
Literacy Collaborative strategies influenced Gordon both professionally and personally.
“I tell everybody that I never learned how to read for pleasure until I was 48,” she said. “Having experienced that myself, I know what Literacy Collaborative can do for kids.”
Larry Gibbs works for Mansfield City Schools.
