Teaching and learning specialist Missy Bain sets up classrooms to mold great readers.
“I am here to support, collaborate, and empower,” said Bain.
In her first year in the position with Fayette County Public Schools, Bain brings tools and best practices to educators, then they spread it out to the individual classrooms.
“I have the privilege of being in service to teachers. I get to partner with teachers to support them. I get to collaborate with teachers, and I feel like I get to empower them,” she said. “My goal is to help them thrive.”
She helps teachers look at data to better understand their class and what remedies work best.
“In other words, taking a look at some student errors to make sure we have a deep understanding of that error, and then using research to be prescriptive to figure out what to do next,” she said. “That’s probably my favorite thing to do in my job.”
Previously, she’s been a classroom teacher, EIP teacher, literacy facilitator, literacy instructional specialist, and a consultant.
“All of those roles have prepared me really well to work with educators and administrators to build better outcomes for students.”
She’s on the road everyday visiting different schools, and she’s a big fan of sharing ideas to make them each more successful.
“I do think that’s something we can all do as educators. There’s a scarcity of time, and sometimes, when we do share, it can help other people save on their time.”
A passion for literacy drives Bain, and she wants to ensure students are set up for success early. If a child struggles to read at the end of 1st grade, there’s about a 90% chance they will still read below grade level by 4th grade. If they aren’t proficient by 4th grade, they are four times more likely to drop out of high school.
“For me, it boils down to my one fundamental belief that literacy is a civil right. It is the single variable that determines whether a child gains lifelong independence or gets left behind,” she said. “Those ripple effects could be really heartbreaking.”
With research-based practices, systems can be built to build strong readers.
“I am excited that I get to strengthen those exact systems so that every child in our district gets the future that they deserve.”
In her current role, she can help mold skills for many.
“When I support something like literacy, the impact is amplified out of compared to what it would have been if I’d just been in my own classroom,” she said. “It can positively impact that teacher for not just that class, but kids for years to come.”
“The Honor Role,” an official podcast for Fayette County Public Schools, features employees, rotating through key stakeholders, including teachers, staff, nurses, custodians, cafeteria workers, and bus drivers. Join us as we dive in and learn about their journeys, their inspirations, and their whys.
Episodes are available on all major podcast platforms, including Spotify and Apple Podcasts, and promoted on the social media channels of Fayette County Public Schools.
Episodes will also be available here: https://www.buzzsprout.com/
