Literacy First

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Please join us in congratulating Literacy First tutor alum Skylar Joseph for being recognized as an Austin ISD Teacher of Promise! This award acknowledges Skylar’s exceptional work and potential as a first-year teacher. Skylar shared how her time as an AmeriCorps Volunteer tutor influenced her path to become an educator. She said:

“Literacy First truly shaped the teacher I am today. Through the AmeriCorps Segal Education Award, I was able to fund my education degree while working full-time as a literacy tutor in the program. Those two years gave me hands-on experience teaching foundational reading skills and showed me the power of structured, explicit literacy instruction.”

“When I began applying for teaching jobs, I specifically sought out kindergarten and first grade because I felt confident in my ability to teach students how to read. I fell in love with a school that due to leveling, was going to have a combined kindergarten/first grade classroom. My principal told me later it was due to my Literacy First experience that she knew I was the teacher for the job!”

“My Literacy First experience didn’t just prepare me to teach—it gave me the confidence and instructional foundation to lead a reading-focused classroom successfully from day one.”

Congratulations, Skylar! We are thrilled to hear you are using the skills you practiced as a tutor every day in your classroom. Thank you for your AmeriCorps service and for continuing to serve your community as a dedicated educator!