Today we’d like to introduce you to Dr. Angela Jones, Ed.D.
Hi Dr. Jones, thanks for sharing your story with us. To start, maybe you can tell our readers some of your backstory.
I have been an educator for over 16 years and have taught elementary and middle school students and adult learners. I have a doctorate in education from Northcentral University. I specialized in early childhood development, and my dissertation assessed third-grade students’ reading and writing achievements. In addition, I was fortunate to have been an English language tutor in South Korea and Japan.
My passion for literacy instruction grew when I homeschooled my children while our family lived in Japan. My daughter was a reluctant reader, and my twin boys had a language delay. Helping my children inspired me to further my knowledge
and understanding of research-based literacy strategies and best practices. As a result, my kids are now thriving in their literacy skills, and my daughter and I recently published a children’s book titled I Don’t Want Two Brothers.
My interest in reading instruction intensified as I encountered other children with similar reading and writing issues. I began more profound research into reading science and was committed to using what I know to help other families. As a result, I decided to start my own business. The Literacy Foundation came to life in August 2020, and I have been providing tutoring and consultation services ever since.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
I wish the road were smooth, but starting a business is quite an endeavor. There are so many parts to owning your own business, and the process can be overwhelming. Fortunately, I elicited help from knowledgeable people and companies that specialize in helping entrepreneurs with finances, tax information, start-up costs, planning, scheduling, and creating a solid business plan. Aside from gaining business skills, I think the biggest struggle may have been having confidence in myself to develop this company. Starting something new can be intimidating but knowing and understanding the weaknesses and strengths of my personality type have empowered me to move forward. In addition, I started reading The Comprehensive INFP Survival Guide by Heidi Priebe, and her insights about cognitive functions helped me be more productive and confident. Learning to be an effective entrepreneur is still a work in progress, but I am moving myself and my business in the right direction.
As you know, we’re big fans of you and your work. For our readers who might not be as familiar what can you tell them about what you do?
My goal for The Literacy Foundation is to assist stakeholders in education (parents, teachers, administrators, school districts, and private companies) in helping all students learn to read and write using the science of reading. I provide in-person and virtual tutoring services for kindergarten through eighth grade students in reading and writing. In addition, informal diagnostic assessments are administered to each student to identify his or her areas of instruction for prevention, general instruction, and remediation. The five pillars of reading (phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and text comprehension) provide the foundation for reading lessons, and the 6 Traits of Writing provide the foundation for writing lessons. However, I also use other literacy materials supported by reading science to support student learning.
I am excited about the success of my new summer program. The summer sessions had something for everyone and focused on four areas:
- Study in Conventions (grammar, punctuation, capitalization, spelling) • Using the 6+1 Traits of Writing to Improve Writing and Presentation Skills • Learning to Read (phonological awareness, phonics, vocabulary, comprehension) • Reading to Learn (morphemes, vocabulary, comprehension, Socratic seminar questions)
Although we are entering the final week of the program, I am looking forward to providing these sessions again next summer.
How do you define success?
Success for has been the ability to make a living pursuing my passion and making a difference in other people’s lives. Helping other people is most important to me when I define success.
Pricing:
- A 30-minute session is $35.00
- A 60-minute session is $70.00
- Group pricing may vary
- Please call for times, as they may vary due to the season
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.theliteracyfoundation20.com/
- Twitter: @JPLiteracy
- Other: https://www.lulu.com/shop/lisa-m-pringle-and-angela-jones-pringle/i-dont-want-two-brothers/paperback/product-9jp9r8.html?q=I+Don%27t+Want+Two+Brothers&page=1&pageSize=4
Image Credits:
Victoria Cox, Mantas Kunigonis
