Work Experience

As a speech-language pathologist, I have been working over 15 years with children in programs designed to support and enhance their literacy development. In the schools where I have worked, I have become increasingly aware of the higher referral rate for children from low-income homes. This is consistent with the research findings showing that children from low-income homes experience more academic problems (Thomas, 1998). In tracking my career, my penchant for innovation is readily apparent. My practice of challenging the status quo has led me to question the normal course of events and to seek alternative and potentially better ways of achieving the desired results.

For this study, my knowledge of schools has been informed largely by practice. I drew to a great extent upon my vast experience from working in nearly every public school in southeastern New Brunswick. My familiarity with the provincial curriculum and my recognition of materials presented in class has proven to be invaluable for me both in the design and implementation of my study. Over the years, I have witnessed a variety of instructional styles and qualities; these formed a frame of reference and a filter for my observations. For example, I believe that a teacher's instructional style, personality and abilities are as important as the pedagogical value of the teaching methods employed. Moreover, I have faith in the merit of students discovering answers to their own or their teachers' questions and I recognize the value of cooperative learning practices.