This blog entry is mainly for parents and is meant to be used at home. I know that a lot of teachers would really disagree with me, and I don’t blame them. I probably would disagree with me too if I didn’t use these exact same methods as a special education substitute teacher and mother with great results-and no training. I just focused on the needs of the kid in front of me. As a substitute teacher, I used my experience as a mental health specialist to help get kids reading on grade level using some pretty unconventional methods. Basically, I zeroed in on the habits that was holding them back from reading on grade level and I proceeded to eliminate them. Later, I became a special education resource teacher. But the work we did in the class that I was only substitute teaching in, with no set rules or expectations, was the game changer. So, that being said, let’s change the game.

Whenever I come across a child who is reading below their grade level I feel...