subscribe

Subscribe to our email list to learn more about Root Words Literacy Coaching, see all our new offerings, and stay up to date with Root Words!

Emai*

QUICK LINKS

HOME
ABOUT
SERVICES
RESOURCES
CONTACT

CONNECT

EMAIL ANNA

INSTAGRAM

In part 2 of our reading series today, we're talking all about active reading strategies!

While there are SO many different strategies that students can use to more deeply engage with a text before, during, and after reading, these three practices are my "always-doing," non-negotiables, especially for younger secondary students just starting out on the journey of reading high volumes of complex text.

Which of these practices do you see your child already doing? Which do they struggle with or apply inconsistently?

#secondaryeducation #readingismagic #literacyforlife #middleschoolela #highschoolela

“My kid never reads.”

It’s the most common concern I hear from parents of teens, and it’s complex. There’s certainly no quick fix to the not-reading problem, but a constellation of strategies can help.

1️⃣ Emphasize Choice- As teenagers explore their identities and assert their independence, the ability to self-select reading material can make a seemingly unenjoyable task a little more attractive.

2️⃣ Welcome All Genres- I often hear parents discount the value of their teens “just” reading graphic novels and other texts perceived as lesser-than, but the goal here is for teens to have opportunities to do cognitive work with words, and any text can provide that.

3️⃣ Increase Access- Where do your children SEE books? Where do they GET books? Regular visits to the library, paper magazine subscriptions, and centrally-located bookshelves in your home can lower the barrier to entry for your teen’s reading journey.

4️⃣ Protect Time- You don’t need to be told how chaotic your family’s calendar is. It’s unlikely you’ll find an hour for pleasure reading in your child’s schedule, but could you find 30 minutes? 20? 10? Anything is better than nothing–even if it’s on the drive to soccer or during the wind-down before bed.

5️⃣ Model It!- To be clear, you don’t have some deficiency as a reader (or parent) that has led to your child feeling unmotivated to read. The adage “monkey see, monkey do” is very applicable, though: implicitly signaling that reading is a natural, enjoyable part of daily life can shift teens’ perspectives.

#readingtipsforparents #teenreaders #highschoolliteracy #middleschoolreading #readingforpleasure #dailyreading #improvereadingskills

1️⃣ Root Words believes EVERY child can grow in reading and writing skills.

2️⃣ We also believe in the power of parent intuition and expertise in working toward that growth.

3️⃣ This week, we'll be starting a 4-part series to help equip parents with tools to support their 6th-12th graders in all things reading.

Stay tuned for mini lessons on topics like...
✨ Active reading habits
✨ Reading stamina
✨ Recommendations for reluctant readers

What reading and writing topics could you use support with?

The 2025-26 school year has officially begun, and Root Words is bringing our focus on growth to everything we do.

📗 Root Words was founded in response to middle and high school students' too-often-unmet need for targeted reading and writing support.

🍏 Because of this, resuming our regular school year schedule—when we meet with the same roster of students once to twice a week, each week for the entire year—feels like returning to a core drive, a central purpose.

📗 Strengthening literacy skills can be slow-going. It takes stamina. Patience.

🍏 And in that long-haul, we return to our purpose to remind us why we're putting in the hours, why we're reading, writing, and reading some more, week after week.

📗 That purpose? To grow. To improve. There's not a more important or urgent purpose out there for our kids becoming the very best versions of themselves.

🍏 What core purpose are you growing around this year?

📗 Interested in growing with Root Words this year? Join the waitlist at the "Work With Us" link in bio.

💚💙...in appreciation...💙💚

If you and I held an essay consultation, discovery call, reading intervention session, test preparation program, or even just a casual conversation this summer, it was only possible because of

THIS. MAN. RIGHT. HERE.

He has kept me fed, caffeinated, well-rested, focused, and encouraged through this busy summer season, and words will never be able to capture how thankful I am for his ability to give love without a second thought.

(...and that's saying a lot coming from a Word Girl)

Three cheers for my sweet Patch, Chief Care Officer at Root Words. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts for a successful summer!

And if you're ever in need of history tutoring, hit up this man right here!

Rising senior ES got his 2024-25 MAP scores back two weeks ago. The results?

He made more reading and writing progress in the previous year than 99% of his peers.

Yes, NINETY-NINE PERCENT. In other words, he achieved the top 1% of growth for students in his grade level.

How'd we make that happen? Through long-term, intentional, personalized instruction...

Not to mention E's indefatigable hard work.

His family invested in 20 hours of instruction last summer, 90 minutes per week (every week!) last school year, and 25 hours this summer.

We slowly built toward his potential, and I couldn't be prouder of E or his growth.

Go, E, go!

I choose to work exclusively in clients' homes because the familiar, comfortable, and predictable environment ensures that we have the perfect space for our session.

...and who doesn't want to cuddle their dog while practicing reading and writing?

Chief, Archie, Scout, and Bogart wholeheartedly approve of the in-home tutoring model.

Live footage of me celebrating my students' amazing wins this summer!

Since the end of school, Root Words has helped students achieve all kinds of growth, like...

🙌 Increasing an ACT score from 26 to 33 in official practice tests

🙌 Increasing an SAT score 40 points in official practice tests after JUST. ONE. SESSION.

🙌 Crafting compelling, unique, polished Common Application essays (including 3 students who are 100% finished!)

🙌 Insightfully analyzing complex full-length novels by applying close reading strategies we've been cultivating for a year

...and there's so much more to celebrate coming up.

Man, I love my job.

Nearly anyone can help a student complete an assignment. Yes, it takes loads of patience and good rapport with kids but not much time or training outside of that homework help session.

Tutoring, though? Not so much. True tutoring is...

✅ intervention, remediation, or extension;
✅ targeted teaching that only an experienced educator can provide
✅ informed by data;
✅ highly personalized;
✅ intentional; and
✅ (often) long term.

This is why I spend hours each week planning mini lessons and producing practice exercises. It's why I keep detailed notes on each session, including a student's progress, current challenges, and next steps. It's why I put my M.A. in English to use in every session I hold, even when I'm supporting younger students completing fairly simple tasks.

This is also why I meet with students 1-3x a week every week, even when they don't have a specific assignment for class: we're following our plans to become insightful readers and clear writers.

#literacycoach #charlottetutors #wordnerd

Congratulations to Ryan, who has officially committed to attend the Honors College at Auburn next year! 💙🧡🐯

Ryan has worked with Root Words for years and continued his literacy journey with us during the summer before his senior year through our college essay coaching program.

With Root Words' help, Ryan...

✨ Composed 20 highly effective essays, from the Common App personal statement to institution-specific supplemental essays and honor college applications.

✨ Earned over $220,000 in scholarship monies (!!)

✨ Was admitted to 11 competitive universities and 7 honors programs, including the prestigious Elon Fellows

✨ Highlighted his unique talents and strengths through a balance of engaging storytelling and compelling reflections on the significance of his experiences

Are you interested in personalized college essay coaching to support your child's success? Inquire today; remaining spots for summer 2025 are limited.

WWW.ROOTWORDSLITERACY.COM

💚One of the best things about my job is that I get to build meaningful relationships with students' families.

💚💙 Since I get to know yours, let me introduce mine! Here are just a few of my beloved people from the Beeman and McNerney clans:

💚💙💚 From my big brother Jake, always my biggest champion, to all of my brilliant nieces and nephews, I am proud to come from and be loved by these incredible people.

✨A core belief of mine is that authentic relationships nurture the most impressive 🌱growth🌱.

✨It's not magic; long-term investments in trust and deep empathy allow students to feel safe enough to challenge themselves and take risks.

✨Stick with me this week as I take some time to introduce myself and begin to get to know you, too.

✨Which of my professional qualities resonates with you?

💚 🌱Root Words Literacy Coaching is now live! 🌱💚

The culmination of my 10+ years as an educator, this company reimagines what reading and writing support for middle and high school students looks like, how it is delivered, and what it can accomplish.

Root Words fosters abundant growth—not just higher scores—for young readers and writers, cultivating their ability to think critically and develop ideas logically because, after all, literacy lies #attheroot of all learning.

Offering in-home tutoring that supplements classroom instruction, our educators leverage thorough communication, extensive professional experience, and empathetic awareness to design high-impact lessons and practice in whichever way works best for each student uniquely.

No two students are the same. No two lessons are the same.

Interested in learning more about how we can help your middle or high schooler approach literacy tasks with confidence and skill? Visit our website (designed by the incredible @swell.design.co !)

💻rootwordsliteracy.com 💻

#literacycoach #fyp #charlottetutors #brandlaunch

We've been growing quietly, cultivating deep roots to support our big, bold vision for reimagined literacy learning.

Grow with us into our next phase: check back on Friday, September 6 for an exciting announcement about Root Words Literacy Coaching.

🍀🌴🌲💚🌱🌳🌿

#comingsoon #literacycoach #fyp

.pro-gallery-wix-wrapper {display: block !important;} .pro-gallery-wix-wrapper .gallery-item-container {opacity: 1 !important; display: block !important;}

bottom of page

subscribe

subscribe

​