Today we’d like to introduce you to Elizabeth Alexander
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
Growing up as one of the eldest of 9 with my parents not always around, I took it on myself to care for my siblings and their friends. Instead of just babysitting, I wanted to do something I could be proud of. I was always fascinated with how quickly little children learned with play, and became fascinated with helping them learn to read.
Reading had not only been a fun escape for me personally, I had learned phonics and sight words from my father when I was 2 years old so I knew where to begin.
Doing it all on my own, 3-6 year olds learn to read was pure pride. To this day watching children glow with their own pride when they learn gives me so much joy and a sense of achievement.
As a young adult who thought I would be a nutritionist (for personal reasons to help myself with physical health issues) , I had continued to teach little children to read as a hobby. This was in NYC with children going to Ivy League preschools and elementary schools like HoraceMann and Trinity.
It dawned on me that each of these elementary age students shared the same mistakes, and that they were highly intelligent children who just weren’t being given the correct instruction and were being taught too late to keep up with the amount of information they were being taught in a short amount of time.
After years of research and teaching, it was easy for me to see where children were being failed with their curriculums.
At this point it became a challenge which I loved, so I took on more children being sent my way by parents who were seeing the school was failing, and also very little children intelligent beyond their years who had a great desire to learn.
One important thing I saw was that if children could read well at a 2nd grade reading level BEFORE going into second grade, their later grades were smooth and successful because of this leg up. I created a peek through 3nd grade curriculum I knew would work because of my experience.
Pretty soon the demand became too much for one person, so I began to train teachers in my program to teach children after school. There was no advertising, just word of mouth from happy satisfied customers. At this point I didn’t have the funding to put my program into actual workbooks, so there was just a guide for the teachers, and so made sure it was very play based so children felt like they were having play dates.
Children learn when they are having fun!
Fast forward 12 years and we have an amazing curriculum with physical books and everything you need to help a child be successful before going into 2nd grade.
We have expanded from NY to FL, LA and CT and have had a 98% success rate with over 500 children who mostly started the program in preschool.
We are always creating new ways for children to learn easier in reading, writing and spelling skills.
If you spend enough time with little children, they will show YOU how they learn best. If you go in teaching them how you yourself learn best, chances are that you learn differently and won’t get very far!
Would you say it’s been a smooth road, and if not what are some of the biggest challenges you’ve faced along the way?
As with any business, there have been many challenges along the way.
For example, learning how to protect the method while teaching so many teachers about it.
Also, learning that even with having the best intentions on the employees side , and treating people well, people come and go., especially in a business where the model is hiring young teachers who eventually get pregnant and start families.
My biggest challenge has always been running a company and getting to be creative and do what I love while relapsing with lyme every now and then. I was a case that doctors didn’t know what was wrong for 20 years, so even with lots of treatment I always need to take care of myself and prepare to stop and delegate everything if I relapse.
Luckily at this point I have people in the company who I trust to take over for the most part, including my sister Julie who has really impressed me with her ability to take over with the back office and also management for teachers. Some of my own teachers who have been with me for over 5 years have also helped with hiring and advising new teachers to come on board.
Another important piece to the Alexander Reading Method puzzle is my sister in law, Meiga who is the design artist who makes our materials so fun and engaging for little children.
It’s important to use people you can trust.
Great, so let’s talk business. Can you tell our readers more about what you do and what you think sets you apart from others?
Reading in PreSchool is a tutoring company I founded around 2013, first in NY and now we’ve expanded to different states.
What sets us apart and what we are known for is our unique reading nd writing program which helps children go into the early grades ahead, ensuring success in the later more challenging and crucial years that follow.
We hire teachers that have all the qualities we want in someone who we can trust our students with, not only to have fun but to exceed expectations.
We start at age 3, reaching benchmarks through PreK, Kinder and 1st grade, lining children up for a smoother ride and of course to feel confident in 2nd and 3rd grades where children are meant to be reading chapter books and already writing essays.
We are very proud of the fact that 95% of our clients came from word of mouth from current families.. We love helping children have fun with learning.
Confidence is key and we feel honored to play a part of it.
How do you define success?
#1) Have something to offer of great value.
#2) Find the right people to delegate instead of trying to do everything yourself.
#3) If people in your field doubt you, it’s okay to feel low, but pick yourself up and try a new angle.
If you’re helping people, that’s success in itself.
I love that we have given teachers work and pay them well, and of course most importantly that we have and will continue to build children’s confidence through teaching them to read and letting them learn that it is more than okay to make mistakes as long as we don’t give up.
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.readinginpreschool.com, https://www.thealexanderreadingmethod.com
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/readinginpreschool/ , https://www.instagram.com/thealexanderreadingmethod/
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ReadinginPreK/
- Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/@thealexanderreadingmethod?app=desktop
