The creation of the FSCJ Reading LibGuide is a collaborative effort. The idea stems from Dr. Betsy’s attendance at Appalachian State’s Summer 2019 Kellogg Institute, which focuses on developmental education in reading, writing, and math. Dr. Betsy’s Campus Innovation Project included creation of this Reading LibGuide with the support of FSCJ Librarian Sharon Uskokovich and was based upon a Spring 2019 white paper research report Dr. Betsy wrote for FSCJ: “Trends in Development Education”.
Dr. Betsy, Reading Ninja, came to FSCJ in 2012 after teaching adults to read in central Florida. She has been an educator and professional development trainer with a focus showing others how to think differently about what it takes to learn to read and why some learn while others do not:
“My father never learned to read. When I was a child sitting at the kitchen table doing my homework with my mother, I thought he was reading ‘Field & Stream Magazine’ and marking important information with his stubby, flat, sharpened-with-his-pocket-knife, construction-worker’s pencil. I realized many years later that he was simply circling the words from the very short list that he could read. That realization became my fascination with the idea that some people can read and others cannot. Until then, I just naively assumed that everyone could read.”
The “Be a Reading Ninja” theme of this FSCJ LibGuide was chosen to provide an easy-to-navigate and fun opportunity for reading improvement and instructional information for all levels of college reading. Green Belt is all about stretching reading ability toward college level critical reading, while also focusing on reinforcing the basics. Blue Belt takes that up another notch with a focus on literature and poetry reading skills. Purple Belt is the highest level of critical reading: arguments. The Reading LibGuide also includes a focus on vocabulary building through knowledge of Greek/Latin roots and Dr. Betsy’s Favorite Ninja words. Since college study is often reading-based, the “Be a Subject Reading Ninja” section focuses on four content areas: math, psychology, business, and medical careers. This LibGuide continues to be “under construction” in an on-going effort to encourage and foster critical and higher level reading.
