Dr Alison White

I started out as a pre-K kindergarten teacher 24 years ago, and I've been in education my entire career. I went back and got my master's degree in early childhood education, then moved into being a reading literacy coach for an elementary school. After that, I went back and got my doctorate degree in early childhood literacy. Now I am a dyslexia specialist for a district, where I guide 5th and 6th graders through reading disabilities. I participate in doing presentations for parents about what dyslexia looks like in their home and how they can help their children. I also meet with teachers to help guide them for children that are struggling and what we can do to support them. I let students know that their disability does not define them, that they are readers and they can be successful, they just have to learn a different way. During October, which is Dyslexia Month, we do presentations where we show students successful people who are dyslexic, like Dave Pilkey who does Captain Underpants, Steven Spielberg, and Channing Tatum, to show them that it doesn't define you and that you can do whatever you want. My favorite position job-wise is always teaching teachers how to teach reading, so a literacy instructor. My biggest personal accomplishment was getting my doctorate degree while I worked full-time and had kids under a young age. I knew that by 45, I wanted to have my doctorate degree, and honestly, in education, you don't necessarily really get rewarded for it or get compensated for it, but I did it because I wanted it under my belt, and I don't regret it at all.