Meet Dr. Terri Beeler

Welcome to Connect and Reflect, the next step in my continuing mission to support educators with current information about best practices in literacy instruction. For 15 years through various positions, I have offered customized professional development to educators around the country to deepen their understanding of effective reading and writing strategies. During my 30 years in education I have served in many roles from classroom teacher to university professor. Most recently, I was Project Director/Trainer for the Literacy Collaborative project in Houston, Texas. Literacy Collaborative is a comprehensive school reform/literacy project, founded at Ohio State University by Gay Su Pinnell and Irene Fountas.

It remains important to me to stay in touch with teachers and their children so much of my work has been conducted on-site in schools and classrooms. In addition to several articles, I am the author and co-author of I Can Read, I Can Write (Creative Teaching Press) and Phonemic Awareness in Young Children: A Classroom Curriculum (Paul Brookes Publishers). Having established my reputation as a speaker, you might see me at conferences such as the Reading Recovery Conferences of North America, the Northeast Early Literacy Conference, or the Annual Conference of the International Reading Association.

My ongoing goal through my many experiences has been to share my passion for reading and writing, leading teachers and children to become life-long learners. Through this work, I developed the understanding that professional development in and of itself does not result in lasting change but must be part of a larger vision - a vision that embeds professional development in a school culture that is committed to the growth and learning of administrators, teachers and parents in addition to expectations of higher student achievement. This is the thinking upon which Connect and Reflect was founded.

A quote which sums up the passion I have for my work follows:

"Teaching children to read and providing them with something worthwhile to read is not a job for the faint of heart in this world. But I'll keep at it, and I won't be alone. You'll come too. We're fortunate, you know. Too many people in this world spend their lives doing work that doesn't really matter in the great scheme of things, but bringing children and books together does matter. And we get to do it."

Szymusiak & Sibberson (2001) Beyond Leveled Books, Stenhouse, p. 1

I invite you to share my passion for bringing children and books together by finding out more about Connect and Reflect and what we can do to support you, your school or school district. Contact us today!