67% of 4th Graders Are Behind Grade Level in Reading, How Can We Change This Statistic Together?- with Amy Neilson [#137]

June 28, 2024

Click below to listen to episode 137 67% of 4th Graders Are Behind Grade Level in Reading, How Can We Change This Statistic Together?- with Amy Neilson [#137]:

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Key themes from 67% of 4th Graders Are Behind Grade Level in Reading, How Can We Change This Statistic Together?:

Using science-based strategies for effective reading instruction.
Balancing learning and rest for growth, especially during summer break
Finding community by fostering connections and uplifting each other
Become a Reading Coach as a side hustle and as a way to make a difference
Being a life-long learner by embracing continuous growth, and personal development

Get ready to be inspired because the latest episode of the Wife Teacher Mommy podcast is nothing short of a game-changer. Our fabulous host, Kelsey Sorenson, chats with the incredible Amy Neilson, CEO of Planning Playtime and the genius behind the Elite Reading Coach Academy. Together, they dive into the vital importance of education and rejuvenation. Did you know that 67% of 4th graders are behind in reading? Well, Amy’s got some groundbreaking solutions, and you won’t want to miss a second of this conversation!

Amy’s Elite Reading Coach Academy: A Game-Changer in Literacy Education

Amy Neilson is on a mission to revolutionize literacy education with her Elite Reading Coach Academy. This isn’t just any program – it’s a lifeline for struggling readers and a beacon of hope for passionate educators. Amy’s academy teaches the science of reading and effective strategies while empowering participants to build successful coaching businesses. Whether you’re a teacher looking for extra income, a parent eager to make a difference, or someone with a heart for helping kids, this program is a total game-changer. And with waitlists filling up before they even open, it’s clear Amy’s onto something huge.

The Multi-Faceted Fulfillment of Becoming a Reading Coach

One of the best parts of Amy’s program is the fulfillment it brings. Amy and Kelsey highlight how the Elite Reading Coach Academy benefits everyone involved – from the coaches to the kids. It’s a win-win-win situation! Teachers can earn extra income or switch careers, parents and retirees can give back to their communities, and children get the support they desperately need. It’s a journey packed with knowledge, empowerment, and a whole lot of heart.

Educate & Rejuvenate: An Event of Growth and Encouragement

But wait, there’s more! The conversation takes an exciting turn as they discuss the upcoming Educate Rejuvenate event. This isn’t just an event; it’s a movement to foster personal and professional growth. Upgrading to the Platinum tier opens doors to the reading coach program and various side hustle tracks. Kelsey’s endorsement of the event underscores its potential to inspire and nurture growth. It’s about learning, connecting, and coming together to tackle literacy challenges head-on.

Balancing Rest and Lifelong Learning

Amy and Kelsey also touch on a topic we all can relate to – summer burnout. They emphasize the need for rest and rejuvenation while continuously growing. Amy advocates for active rest and engaging our brains in new activities to reignite our passion and energy. Lifelong learning isn’t just a phrase; it’s a way to keep our teaching vibrant and our spirits high.

Creating Connections and Sustaining Support

The podcast is sprinkled with personal anecdotes and the unexpected connection between Amy and Kelsey, showcasing the power of human connection and support. At Educate Rejuvenate, participants can tailor their learning experience to their unique growth needs, fostering a personalized approach to development. It’s all about meaningful connections and lasting friendships, proving that together, we can make a real difference.

The Wife Teacher Mommy podcast episode with Amy Neilson and Kelsey Sorenson is a must-listen. It beautifully explores how education and rejuvenation can fuel personal and professional growth. Amy’s Elite Reading Coach Academy and the Educate Rejuvenate event highlight the transformative power of collective effort as educators and caregivers, prioritizing rest and ongoing personal growth is key. This episode is a powerful call to action, inspiring us all to empower ourselves and the children we nurture through knowledge and rejuvenation. Tune in, and let’s get inspired together!

Resources mentioned:

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Connect with Kelsey:

By 4th grade, 67% of 4th graders are behind grade level in reading. Yes. That’s like 2 thirds of 4th graders. And yet, the stats show that if we teach more aligned to the science of reading, 95% of neurotypical kids can learn how to read on grade levels. So how is it that we can change this statistic together? Because we can’t do it alone. I’m talking all about this today with my dear friend, Amy Nielsen, from Planning Playtime. Welcome to episode 136 of Educate and Rejuvenate the podcast. Let’s dive in.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:00:42 – 00:01:31

Welcome to Educate and Rejuvenate. The podcast to help you revitalize your teaching, renew your spirit, and reignite your passion for life. I’m your host, Kelsey Sorensen, a former teacher, current homeschool mom, published author, and certified life coach. Whether you are a teacher in a traditional classroom, homeschool from your kitchen table, or anywhere in between, I am on a mission to help you not only survive as an educator, but thrive. Get ready to up level your skills with incredible insights from guest experts and discover the missing piece, rejuvenating yourself. Are you ready to both educate and rejuvenate? Let’s go. Welcome back to educate and rejuvenate, the podcast. This is one of my favorite things that I do here at Educate and Rejuvenate.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:01:31 – 00:02:13

I love connecting with you in your own time, where I record an episode in my studio, and you get to listen to it whenever the timing is right for you. And even picking it based on the topic, whatever you need at that moment. I created this to be a resource for you, whenever you need it. And I’m so glad that for many of you, it has been just that. I wanna share what a couple of our reviewers have shared with me, because they mean so much to me when I see what you have to say. Because the one thing that I miss and I crave more of, which is why I’m starting to do some of these podcast episodes live, is that I love to connect with you. And when I do record a podcast, it is kind of one way. So I love when I get to hear what you have to share and say about it.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:02:13 – 00:02:44

Now, here’s what candie 368 had to say. She said, great podcast. Now I am making it a point to see what habits I need to drop, and what I need to add to make myself a happier person. And I love that. I love that this podcast has helped you, Candy 368, to be able to do that, and to be able to make yourself happier. That’s really what this podcast is here to do. It’s to help you learn different ways to up level your teaching, which is what we’re focusing on today, but also really uplevel your life, and rejuvenate yourself as a full person, too. And that’s what Lynn Bear had to say.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:02:44 – 00:03:13

She says, self love is something I’ve struggled with my whole life. It’s great to know I’m not alone in this struggle, but now have a tool and framework to support personal growth. Take the time to prioritize yourself. And, Lynn Bear, I’m so glad you were doing that by listening to this podcast and being part of the community. And like I mentioned, these reviews mean so much to me. I definitely pour a lot of time and energy into creating the content for this podcast. So if you’re enjoying it, it means a lot if you take just a couple of minutes on Apple Podcasts to leave a review. It’s really simple.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:03:13 – 00:03:55

You just go to the main podcast page, the educate and rejuvenate podcast, and hit write a review. You just give a little title, type in what the episode, or what It can be about a single episode, or just the show as a whole. What it’s meant to you. Just a sentence or 2 even, and leave a star rating. And if you take the time to do that, make sure to take a screenshot right before you hit submit, so you can show that you wrote a review and email it to us at hello at educate and rejuvenate.com. And we will even send you a $5 code just for taking the time to do that. And that could be used to claim a free resource or to apply to a ticket to educate and rejuvenate or to apply to your next renewal if you’re already a member of the educate and rejuvenate club. Because I just appreciate it so much, and I know you’re busy.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:03:55 – 00:04:31

So I want to reward you for taking the time to leave a review because, again, it means a lot to me. I’ve been working hard to get some incredible content and amazing guests here on the podcast for you, so you can enjoy it for free whenever you need. A little pick me up. This podcast is here for you. Okay. So with that, I can’t wait to introduce the incredible guests that we have on the podcast today. My dear friend, Amy Nielsen, we go way back. In fact, if you listen through to the end of this episode, you’ll hear a funny story about how she helped me back in 2017 during a time I was terrified over something that I think is so cute and funny now.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:04:31 – 00:05:12

It had nothing to do with the episode really, but it was just kind of at the end when we were chatting about how we go way back. But I’m so thrilled to have her on the podcast, and we actually co hosted this episode together. So it’s more of a conversation than an interview, because it was created to air on both my podcast here at Educate and Rejuvenate the podcast, and on Amy’s podcast, the Raising Healthy Kid Brains podcast. So if you like what you hear on the show today, make sure that you follow Amy’s as well over at Raising Healthy Kid Brains. She is amazing. Also, if you’re attending educate rejuvenate, I wanna let you know that she is teaching a session that you’ll want to watch for. With your general admission ticket, she’s teaching a session called a unique approach for teaching kids how to read. And just that title, I’m like, I wanna hear this session.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:05:12 – 00:05:53

I wanna hear this unique approach. And really, she’s talking about combining the power of play with the science of reading, giving kids the buy in and engagement they need, powered by science backed tools and strategies to help children become expert readers. I’m like, I can’t wait to read that and apply what I learned with my own children who I’m currently homeschooling. And if you’re in the classroom, you can totally apply it in the classroom as well. And Amy, she helps both parents and teachers. She’s phenomenal. If you have the platinum pass, or you’re a educate and rejuvenate club member, she and we’ll talk about this more in the interview, she also has a session she’s going to teach about becoming a reading coach. If you’re either like a homeschool mom and you’re like, I need something to do to that I can do at home with my kids.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:05:53 – 00:06:28

Or if you’re a teacher and you’re kind of looking for a change, that could maybe be something you might be interested in. Or even doing it on top of it. If you’re like, I want something to do during the summer or whatever. So that’ll be a really fun session too. So again, if you don’t have a ticket yet to educate and rejuvenate, make sure to snag 1. I’d love to have you join us there. If you leave a review on the podcast, you could even get that $5 code that you could apply to make your ticket only like $15 to get in for all of the sessions, the keynotes, the workouts. It it’s a great value, so we’d love to see you there.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:06:28 – 00:07:20

So before we hop over to the conversation, the episode that Amy and I recorded together, I wanna tell you a little bit more about Amy. She is the the CEO and lead creator over at Planning Playtime. She helps parents and teachers make learning ridiculously fun and effective. The play based education movement that she launched has blossomed into a community of over 2,000,000 members all over the world. Her education videos have been viewed over a 100,000,000 times, and her preschool and reading curriculums are changing lives every day. Her latest project, the Elite Reading Coach Academy, is training teachers, retired teachers, and moms to build their own successful businesses while waging a war against persistent, disheartening literacy statistics, and transforming lives and futures by empowering children to become expert readers. Amy is a mother of 5 of her own creative learners and loves to chat about all things play, learning, brain development, and parenting on her podcast, Raising Healthy Kid Brains. Okay.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:07:20 – 00:07:33

Now let’s get to today’s podcast. I am so excited to be here with Amy today for our co hosted episode here on both of our podcasts.

Amy Neilson 00:07:33 – 00:07:39

I know. This is so fun. This is my first co hosted episode, so I’m, like, feeling kind of fancy today. This is

Kelsey Sorenson 00:07:39 – 00:08:15

fun. It is super fun. So today, we’re kinda talking about well, we’re talking about a few things. 1st, we wanna talk about kind of the summer and how a lot of us feel, like, if you’ve gone through the school year and this is whether you are like a stay at home mom who’s teaching your kids at home or you’re a teacher in a classroom. Like, a lot of times we feel during the summer like, oh, I just need to rest now. I need to not think about teaching at all. I just need to focus on my kids and my family, and not think about teaching at all. But I feel like sometimes with that, we then aren’t quite ready for the school year when it comes up.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:08:15 – 00:08:17

What what are your thoughts about that, Amy?

Amy Neilson 00:08:18 – 00:08:41

Oh, my goodness. I think summer burnout is, like, so real. We’re, like, the end of the school year. We call it in in my business and care of my business manager and I, we always joke every May. It’s like Maysember is what she said. Right? It’s just just, like, all all the everything in May. And by June, I’m just like, I am so done. Right? And and so we just wanna rest, and I think that it rest is, like, such an important thing.

Amy Neilson 00:08:41 – 00:09:13

But I I have this belief, and and now I’ve heard it on other podcasts, like Jay Shetty and people that I trust. So I think there’s some validity to it. But this idea that resting doesn’t always mean just laying around and binge watching your favorite Netflix show. Right. Sometimes that’s healthy. But but a lot of times, rest is actually about just using a different part of our brain or doing something a little bit different. It’s not just, like, trying to numb. I think sometimes we go from resting to numbing instead of it being, like, just using a different part of us.

Amy Neilson 00:09:13 – 00:09:17

And I think, you know, when you go to the gym and you have days that you you switch,

Kelsey Sorenson 00:09:17 – 00:09:17

Right? Right.

Amy Neilson 00:09:17 – 00:09:37

Muscle groups. And I kinda see that for brain too, and it helps your whole brain be strong and get better, right, when we’re switching. So I look at it as that way. Yes, we want some, you know, rest days in there, but we’re also, like, how do we just use our brain in maybe a little bit different way that’s really building and strengthening our brain and helping us feel healthier when we’re coming back, if that makes sense.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:09:37 – 00:10:09

Yes. That totally makes sense. And I think and I think there’s room for both too because maybe, for example, even this week, we’ve been putting together our educate and rejuvenate conference for the past few months, and it’s now we’re, like, less than a month away. And I mean, I guess we’re about a month away right now. By by the time everybody’s listening to this, it’ll be less than a month away. But with that, like, there were some days that were oh, we’re doing a lot and I’m switching, I’m doing a podcast, and then I’m preparing content, and then we’re troubleshooting website issues we’ve been having with our b brand and all that. And then I have one day this week where it’s like, no, I need to rest. And by that,

Amy Neilson 00:10:09 – 00:10:09

I mean

Kelsey Sorenson 00:10:09 – 00:10:27

actually best. Yeah. So it’s really knowing yourself and what you need. Like, sometimes, yes. I’m not saying don’t rest all summer. Rest in the way you might typically think. Like sometimes, maybe it is like taking a long afternoon nap, or it is binging that show on Netflix. But we just don’t wanna do that all summer, because, I mean, I really kinda think of even the what is it? Newton’s law of I I should know this.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:10:27 – 00:11:01

I’m a teacher. But, you know, so your emotion stays in motion. Right? So if we’re all summer just sleeping a couch potato, like watching Netflix and not keeping our brain engaged in something, Then by the time the school year comes around, how do we go from no motion to suddenly, like, oh, I need to be running full speed at the beginning of the school year, whether you’re running kids to other things at the beginning of the school year, kinda there’s got May, December you were talking about, and then there’s back to school. Right? And they’re kind of like 2 size. 2 sides of the same coin. So if Yeah. Yeah. It’s like you you’re just gonna go from all out in May to, I’m gonna just lay back and then all out again in August.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:11:01 – 00:11:06

What if instead we try to find some balance all along the way, is what I’m thinking.

Amy Neilson 00:11:07 – 00:11:23

I I love it. I think it’s so healthy. One of the things I talk to my people about, right, is too if you’re, like, feeling burnout, right, and you’re getting just really exhausted with what you’ve been doing, like, in teaching specifically, right, one of the best things I encourage people to do is to go learn something.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:11:23 – 00:11:24

Like, this

Amy Neilson 00:11:24 – 00:11:54

last time, you went and learned something new. Right? Because it, I think, brings back that excitement around learning. And we get so stuck in teaching and we’re doing our same routine over and over and over again. But when we stop for just a second and we go learn something ourselves, I think we remember how much fun learning is, and it gets that excitement back inside of us. And then we can carry that to that excitement to about learning Yeah. To the kids that we’re working with. Right? Whether they be our own kids or or kids we’re teaching in a classroom or any of those things. And it’s just I feel like one of the best ways to reinvigorate our brains.

Amy Neilson 00:11:54 – 00:11:55

And, of course, naps are wonderful.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:11:55 – 00:11:57

They are. Very it doesn’t

Amy Neilson 00:11:57 – 00:12:25

happen all the time, but there is the occasional day where I’m, like, the very best thing I can do for my children, for my business, for everything today is to go take a 30 minute nap. Or even my team will say, Amy, I think you need to go on a hike today. Right? And I do some of my best thinking out on a hike. Yes. Not to me is a version of rest because it’s resting from some of the other stuff I do. Right. So, yeah, I think finding ways to keep learning in the mix with the rest. Right? Maybe active rest some days and sometimes it’s just rest, rest.

Amy Neilson 00:12:25 – 00:12:36

Right? But I think having that mix and using our brain and learning and growing is such a way to keep ourselves healthy and and be able to rejuvenate like you’ve talked about, and I think that’s so valuable.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:12:37 – 00:13:05

Yes. I love what you’ve been mentioning about wanting to learn something new, because I really think the reason why anybody who’s listening to either of our podcasts is doing so is because they love to learn new things and that’s why we teach. Right? Because I feel like teachers, they are lifelong learners whether you’re a teacher. And when I use the word teacher, I wanna explain. When I use that word, I mean, if you teach in a classroom or you teach your kids at home. Because they know some parents are like, oh, I’m not a teacher, but you are. You’re teaching your kids things everyday. So just wanna clarify that.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:13:05 – 00:13:40

Yeah. But but again, I think we we love to learn new things, but sometimes we put off learning new things ourselves to focus on teaching them the new things, and then we get burned out from teaching them the new things. So teaching ourselves a new thing or learning from somebody else, finding that resource that we want to use to learn something or to do something that’s been on our heart or our mind for a long time, like starting a side hustle, but maybe you don’t even know what you want that to be, or reading a book for fun or for knowledge. Like, I wanna learn more about the nervous system. I find that fascinating. Or I wanna learn more about I mean, what? It can be anything. I wanna learn more about how to cook something. Whatever.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:13:40 – 00:14:09

Whatever. Or I wanna try some new recipes or whatever it is. Like, just learning something new to feel like this is something for me to grow and improve myself, to educate and really what I talk about too is a lot with my brand now, especially. We just rebranded to educate and rejuvenate. So it’s really about educating both the kids and yourself, and rejuvenating yourself too. And again, that rejuvenation can also be in learning things too. So that I I love talking about this.

Amy Neilson 00:14:10 – 00:15:04

I know. This is this is a happy place for me, and I love that this is what you do at your event because I think it is such a a good mix of those things and brings that in in the middle of summer, which I think is something so valuable in a way to to learn. I love being able to learn from conferences and go and just have exposure and and ideas that maybe I I don’t normally get on my own. And I think sometimes when you set up and you’re like, I’m gonna go to an event, those are the times I’m like, I literally have set aside this time for myself to go and have this space to just go and be there and learn and and get to have that experience, and it just feels like it feels kind of restful somehow because you’re separating yourself from what you’re normally doing. Right? But then you’re also getting that growth because you’re getting that I’m learning something new. And, anyway, I just think it’s one of the really nice, really growth, happy things I do for myself during the year. So I love that for a summer for for our audience.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:15:04 – 00:15:45

For sure. And the other thing I love about that is it’s that growth in, like, oh, I’m learning these things, I’m setting aside that time for myself being really intentional, like I am doing this for me. But also, when you get there, I feel like that’s the initial decision, and then when people get there at this virtual event because a lot of times you think, oh, in person events are all about community and you get to meet people. But what I found is the type of people who get drawn to this educate and rejuvenate event, because we have both that educate and rejuvenate side. Everybody there is really wanting to up level themselves, too. So the chat in these conferences, you know, because you’ve been part of it all 3 years now, I think. It is just like on fire. Everybody there and supporting and uplifting each other and some there’s all these side conversations going on.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:15:45 – 00:16:17

Like somebody’s like, oh, I’m going through this or whatever. And people are, like, chatting with each other and I have people I’ve had people say they’ve met friends through the event, whether they just stay online friends or some of them have actually met in person. One person messaged me a picture like, hey, we drove an hour to meet each other, and we met through educate and rejuvenate. And I love that. And I love that an event is a way to find your people. If you feel like maybe you don’t have what you’re looking for in your school or your, community or neighborhood, you can find people who are like minded online. And that’s the beauty of the internet is we can meet people from anywhere.

Amy Neilson 00:16:18 – 00:16:28

Yeah. I love that too. And I love the the messages. So the session that you’re having me teach or the general session is about a unique approach to teaching kids to read.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:16:28 – 00:16:28

And I

Amy Neilson 00:16:28 – 00:16:54

love that there’s just so many cool things to to get to talk about. And, like you said, I’ve been able to participate for 3 years, which has been amazing, but what a cool thing to be able to go and learn. I know this is such a concern that so many parents have. Right? And I get to talk to parents essentially every day that have this concern. And, of course, teachers struggling with as well because the stats show that 7% of our 4th graders are falling behind grade level in reading, which is crazy. That’s, like, 2 thirds of our kids.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:16:54 – 00:16:54

I know.

Amy Neilson 00:16:55 – 00:17:40

And the stat I just saw recently too is that 27% of our 12th graders are below proficient in reading, and that just made me sick because I have a a kid that just graduated, a 12th grader that just graduated this year. You know, I’m at her graduation ceremony in this enormous building. Right? There’s there’s between 7 and 800 students graduating from high school in this class and just looking out of this group of beautiful, beautiful humans moving out into the world and thinking, wow. Over a quarter of these kids, you know, according to the statistics, are below proficient in reading and the impact that has it it’s devastating. Yeah. And yet the statistics show that if we’re doing it right with the right tools and strategies that 95% of neurotypical kids can learn to read by the end of 1st grade. And so I’m, like, we gotta do this.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:17:40 – 00:17:43

We need to do it right. Yeah. Let’s spread the word.

Amy Neilson 00:17:43 – 00:17:54

We have the tools and strategies. Let’s get them to everyone so that we can you know, let’s get them to teachers. Let’s get them to parents. Let’s get them get them as far and wide as we can so we can all work together to change this because we have to.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:17:54 – 00:18:20

Yeah. We we want that statistic to change. Right? We want those kids learning how to especially where it’s shown that they can, and it’s just the ways that we can do it. And again and what I’ve been telling teachers too is there’s no need to feel guilt about where ways you might have taught before. I even have things in our resources where I’m like, oh, yeah. That we need to update or whatever because we’re learning. It’s a thing in life and in teaching reading. As we learn something new, we get better.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:18:20 – 00:18:38

And Yes. So but this is an opportunity to do that in a really fun way, and and I love that your title is a unique approach to teaching kids to read. I feel like I’m just so intrigued by what you’re going to teach in that session, which I don’t want you to give it all away today, but I’m sure it’s along the lines of what you were just talking about. But

Amy Neilson 00:18:39 – 00:19:01

Yeah. I think it’s really fun because one of the things that I’m known for I I used to think I I don’t know. Like, there’s this idea that we’re supposed to try to fit in and, you know, whatever. This has never been me, and I think, it was partly I get it from my parents. But, yeah, I like uniqueness with something very celebrated, and we say we have a a saying in my house with my kids that that whatever makes you weird makes you awesome. And so I’m all about unique.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:19:01 – 00:19:02

Let’s do it. Right? But

Amy Neilson 00:19:03 – 00:19:42

but, yeah, when you can find something that just works so beautifully well and that works with and taking everything that we have the most amazing science that we’ve ever had in the history of the world. Right? And so we can take what science is telling us works, right, and those those strategies and those principles and then add this other piece onto it that just uplevels it in such a beautiful way. And it just works. And it’s so so incredible. So I can’t wait to share it and and talk about it at your event, and maybe we all get to learn something a little bit more about reading because we’ve got to do this together. Like, one person isn’t gonna make the difference in those statistics, but if we if we team up and we all work together, we can change it, and we have to. Right?

Kelsey Sorenson 00:19:42 – 00:20:16

Yes. And it is a lot about teaming up and doing it together. And I know you mentioned, because we were chatting a bit before we hit record on this episode, about how you can’t do it all alone either. You’re like, I am doing everything I can to get these tools to every teacher, every parent, but obviously, you can’t do it all by yourself. And so I know you’ve created this awesome certification program where people can learn to be reading coaches, but other than that, you’re also teaching about it to people who upgrade their ticket to Platinum and Educate Rejuvenate. You’ve got a special session about, basically, learning about becoming a reading coach. Right? Can you tell a little bit about that?

Amy Neilson 00:20:17 – 00:20:41

Yeah. Of course. So this is a huge thing for me. One of the things I learned, and I learned this from this amazing woman, her name’s Eileen. And Aileen was, like, a pastor for 20 years with her husband, and and they were broke. You know? Like, her husband was driving Uber to to survive. But one of the things that she learned was, like, the way to help more people was to be able to help people help other people. Right? And that’s the way it’s sustainable, and you can keep going.

Amy Neilson 00:20:41 – 00:21:05

And so, anyway, so I learned that from her and some other mentors I’ve had. But this idea that the way to reach more people is to help people reach more people. And so I’m like, okay. How do I how do I do this? How do I reach more kids? Right? I need to find people that can reach kids and then find a way to help it be a win for them and so that it makes sense for them. It makes sense for their family. It helps and blesses their family to go and help and bless other people. Right? And so I’m like, okay. I can do this.

Amy Neilson 00:21:05 – 00:21:31

This is gonna be amazing. So, yeah, so we created this incredible program. It’s a certification program that’s meeting this need, and we’re going and we’re teaching teachers and parents and and people that have the skills and ability to work with children. And we’re teaching them how we’re teaching the science of reading. We’re teaching them these skills and strategies and our unique approach, and then giving them the curriculum to do it. And then certifying them. We’re also giving them the business side and teaching them exactly how to start a business because this is something I know how to do. Right? I’ve got a team meeting.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:21:31 – 00:21:32

Yeah. You we’re done it. Yeah.

Amy Neilson 00:21:33 – 00:22:18

Right? And so combining those two things, this incredible power of using this system and program and unique approach to learning how to read, to teaching kids to read, And then, you know, this business side and teaching them step by step walking through how to set up a business and doing both of those things together. And my gosh, we have people that have their wait list full before they’ve even opened their dates yet. It’s it’s amazing, and we’re doing it. We’re reaching. We’re stretching and reaching more people and and helping these teachers that are either wanting to earn money on the site or leave the classroom. And we have moms or retirees that are trying to find a way to still help and make a difference in their communities and provide for their families or ease their financial situation or save extra or whatever. It’s just it’s incredible. And I love that we can feel really good about what we do every morning when we wake up and just feel like, oh my gosh.

Amy Neilson 00:22:18 – 00:22:51

You’re so proud to tell people what you do, right, for a living. And you’re ready to do this and change the world, and I’m like, I can preach about this all day. So, yeah, I’m gonna come to your event and and share that information with with the people to upgrade your platinum pass and say, oh my gosh. Here’s this incredible opportunity, and and you can actually earn money and help your family while changing the statistic and changing the world. And the more I can help you do that, the more kids you can reach. Right? And so this is, like, my new best strategy for reaching more kids and and changing these statistics, which is my goal. We’re doing this.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:22:52 – 00:23:46

I love it so much. So what I love, too, is that, because you’re teaching the general session, we’re teaching, okay, this is what everybody needs to know, that everybody who attends the event will get, but then when they upgrade to Platinum, we have this whole side hustle track where people are gonna learn different side hustle things or business if they wanna start something. And if people are really interested in the reading side, which we get a lot of people who are like, oh, I love the reading sessions. Those ones tend to be really popular. So they should definitely come to your Platinum Pass session too, where they can learn about, maybe, that opportunity, where if they’re in the classroom and they’re looking for something different, or they just wanna know how to apply it better in their classroom, or they’re maybe a homeschool mom and they’re like, this could be a really cool opportunity to learn something to do on the side, while also learning how to benefit my kids with all these strategies. Right? I just feel like it’s such a great opportunity for them to learn about this and especially for those who are, like, oh, that sounds like a dream. That sounds amazing. I love it.

Amy Neilson 00:23:46 – 00:23:58

It is. I just think it’s such a beautiful, beautiful thing to be able to do, and it comes with so many benefits. Right? The fulfillment and the knowledge you gain yourself, it’s so fascinating. Like, you love to learn. Right? You wanna learn about the nervous system. Right?

Kelsey Sorenson 00:23:58 – 00:23:58

Oh, yeah.

Amy Neilson 00:23:58 – 00:24:20

I love learning about the brain. I’m obsessed with my podcast, Raising Healthy Kid Brains. Right? I love the neuroscience and all this stuff. I heard someone on my podcast say she was an armchair neuroscientist, and I fantastic expression. I love it. Yeah. Right? So we love to learn, and so I think learning about how the brain works and how reading looks the brain becomes Oh, yeah. All these people doing the imaging, and they can see exactly what’s happening.

Amy Neilson 00:24:20 – 00:25:04

It’s magic. Right? So if we can learn all about that, and that piece is so fascinating, but then, yes, you can take that and then go change the world with it and and feel so good about what you do and still have, like, more flexibility than you’ve ever had. You get to pick who you work with and your hours. And I I mean, I’m like, I just how does it get any better than this? I think it’s amazing. So I’m so excited to share it and, excited to come to your event and get to talk more about that because I think it’s I think it’s gonna be a really powerful tool. I’ve watched it, changing lives already, and I’m excited to do more because, again, the more that I can help moms and teachers be able to find ways to support their family by doing this, the more kids we can reach overall. And so I call it my win win win. Right? Like, it helps my team, and it helps your family, and it helps the kids that you’re reaching.

Amy Neilson 00:25:04 – 00:25:17

And so if I can make it a win for all three people, then that’s just sustainable and global, and we can just keep going and going and going until every kid everywhere can read. Right? And so that’s the ultimate goal. I I yeah.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:25:17 – 00:26:01

That’s definitely the ultimate goal, and I just love that this sort of this, like what you’re teaching at this event is really going to help get one step closer towards that goal. And so for all of you listening, whether you’re on Raising Healthy Kid Brains or Educate and Rejuvenate the podcast, make sure to grab your ticket. We’ll both have a link in our show notes. And then if you want what Amy was talking about, if you want to be able to learn about becoming a reading coach, be sure to upgrade that ticket to platinum because you’ll not only get that, but you’ll get extended access to all the sessions. You’ll get the whole side hustle track where you’ll get some general ones about how to start a business or how to do TPT and other different things. So if you’re kind of exploring ideas, if you’re like, I might wanna be a reading coach or I might wanna do this, you’ll get all the information there. So be sure to come. It’s going to be a great time.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:26:01 – 00:26:22

And again, there’s sessions on everything, not just reading too. We’ve got it on math, science, social studies, burnout, homeschooling for those of you who are parents who are teaching at home. We’ve got classroom management. We’ve really got experts in everything. And it’s not to overwhelm you. It’s so you can pick what is applicable to you and watch what you need. You don’t have to watch everything, but you can. It’s kinda like you choose your own adventure.

Amy Neilson 00:26:23 – 00:26:33

Yes. Which is good. That’s very healthy. Yeah. I love that about your virtual event too because, you know, I’ve I’ve attended quite a few events. We’ve gone to some events together. Right? I think we went to our first TPT Yes. Together years ago.

Amy Neilson 00:26:33 – 00:26:34

Right? But what I love about this

Kelsey Sorenson 00:26:35 – 00:26:43

Oh, my gosh. Yes. That was when I was terrified to go on an airplane, and you were like, do you remember this? I don’t remember. I know. I laugh because I’ve gone on it so many times.

Amy Neilson 00:26:44 – 00:26:59

Yes. I know. I think I was so cute and Kelsey hadn’t been on an airplane without your husband, right, for, like, years years years or something. I don’t know. Anyway, she was Years. Yeah. She was like, can we can we just go together? I’m like, yes, you betcha we can. And so we we went together and it was so much fun.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:26:59 – 00:26:59

And and

Amy Neilson 00:26:59 – 00:27:03

then I think did we get stuck in an airport on our way back or something? There was a storm in Dallas.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:27:03 – 00:27:27

We did. Yeah. Our flight was canceled. Our flight was canceled, and then I was totally panicking. And you were so calm controlled. And see now, I’ve had that happen so many times that I’m I’m good with that now. And at that time, that was before I’d, like, even found, like, all the coaching tools and got diagnosed with anxiety and everything that I had. And so it’s just really it’s really cool when we see how far we’ve come in life in general, You know?

Amy Neilson 00:27:28 – 00:27:55

Yeah. And that we can be there for each other because the reality is is we all have Yeah. Things where we need someone, which is so good because that’s how we get that connection. Right? If if none of us ever needed anybody, then we’d just be off loaners, and we know that that our human bodies and our minds and hearts need connection. And so I love that we can be there for each other in all kinds of different ways, and it’s just beautiful. This is what connects us and and brings us together. But, yeah, I love the piece where at your event that you can we got a little sidetracked on the airplane thing, but that was really funny. I’m glad you

Kelsey Sorenson 00:27:55 – 00:27:57

brought it up. We did. Sorry.

Amy Neilson 00:27:57 – 00:28:16

Sorry about that. Oh my god. That’s perfect. That’s what makes this more fun to listen to. Yeah. But some of those conferences you go to, and I go to conferences and you’re sitting there for 3 days or whatever, and you’re like, oh, this really is not something that fits me. Right? But you don’t wanna you you don’t know if you can lead. And, like, where do you go? Anyway, so I love that yours is, like, you get to pick and choose the parts that fit you, the parts that you really wanna grow in.

Amy Neilson 00:28:16 – 00:28:30

You get to pick the pieces you want and have access to a wide variety of things so you can really choose how you wanna grow this summer when you’re doing your rejuvenating and and learning. I think that’s so fantastic about this event. So everyone go get your tickets is basically what we’re saying, right, to educate Rejuvenate.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:28:30 – 00:28:36

Yes. For it. Come join Amy and I. We’ll both be there. Yes. It’s gonna be a party.

Amy Neilson 00:28:36 – 00:28:45

Right? And come see us and and no airplanes involved this time, so everyone’s safe. And it’ll be it’ll be amazing. And I can’t wait to chat with everyone there.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:28:47 – 00:29:01

Yes. And then, did you wanna share where people can find you? So if they’re on my podcast, where can they find you in general? If they’re like, oh wait, I just wanna hear more about all the reading things she’s talking about or whatever. Absolutely. Yes. Of course. Come find me all over the Internet.

Amy Neilson 00:29:01 – 00:29:20

We’re at planning playtime is, like, our core, like, place where we kind of have all of our stuff come from. So you can come find me at punning playtime, dot com. We’re on punning playtime on Facebook, Instagram, all over the place. And then, of course, can get you from there to our our resources. We’re actually getting ready. I haven’t even told anyone about this site, Kelsey, but we are getting ready to launch a

Kelsey Sorenson 00:29:20 – 00:29:21

whole

Amy Neilson 00:29:21 – 00:29:23

new, like, I know can I tell secrets, right, to

Kelsey Sorenson 00:29:24 – 00:29:24

You can tell a secret?

Amy Neilson 00:29:25 – 00:29:57

Her first. Right? To a new social media account that we’re getting ready to start and launch here shortly that is all about reading, and that’s all it is. And it’s gonna be so incredible. I love it. So, so excited about it. And so every day, the content is just all focused around reading, around this mission of of helping parents and teachers just have the information they need. And and just in little tiny bite sized pieces, a little tiny bit every day to just give you little ideas on how to help your kids read in a really beautiful structured way and using this, like, pieces of this unique approach to make it amazing. So, anyway, that’s coming.

Amy Neilson 00:29:57 – 00:30:09

But come find it all at Planning Playtime. I’m planning playtime.com, planning playtime on all the the social media platforms, and we can get you from there to our reading curriculum to our reading coaching program, all that kind of stuff right from there.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:30:09 – 00:30:30

Awesome. Okay. Well, and then I guess if they’re listening on your podcast, mine is pretty easy to find everywhere. It’s also educate and rejuvenate dotcom. Educate and Rejuvenate almost everywhere except we haven’t rebranded our TPT yet. I was actually nervous to do that before the back to school because I’m like, oh, people are looking for stuff. So our TPT is still wife, teacher, mommy. So but everything else is under educate and rejuvenate.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:30:30 – 00:30:36

The book coming out, August 13th is educate and rejuvenate. And yeah, that’s basically where you can find me.

Amy Neilson 00:30:36 – 00:30:47

Amazing. And Kelsey’s fantastic. So if you’re listening from the Raising Healthy Kid Brains podcast, come check out Kelsey. And I’m excited for your book, Kelsey. We’ve been talking about this for, like, I don’t know, a year now or so.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:30:47 – 00:31:01

I’m so excited for you. It’s been over a year and it’s coming out now. And, yeah, I’ll get you the link to the wait list too because if you’re listening now and you sign up for the wait list for the book, there’s an opportunity to get a ticket to the event that way as well. So I’ll get that to you as well. Yeah. I know. It’s kind of a little secret fun way.

Amy Neilson 00:31:01 – 00:31:02

That’s like back end.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:31:02 – 00:31:06

Yeah. We’re sharing all the secrets. We didn’t even plan this.

Amy Neilson 00:31:06 – 00:31:06

This is

Kelsey Sorenson 00:31:06 – 00:31:10

what happens when you get I know. 2 friends just chatting and co hosting.

Amy Neilson 00:31:11 – 00:31:28

Well, and here’s a funny thing. I don’t think we’ve told everybody, but Kelsey and I are actually, like, almost neighbors, which is so funny because we met in, like, business land. This is what we call it. My my kids and my family. Yeah. Business. There’s, like, my regular life, and then there’s business land. So Kelsey and I met in business land and then found out that we live, like, really close to each other.

Amy Neilson 00:31:28 – 00:31:30

So we actually, like, get to go to lunch in real life.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:31:31 – 00:31:34

Except we don’t do it as often as we should. We were just talking about that. I know.

Amy Neilson 00:31:35 – 00:31:37

We’re planning it. We’re we’re doing it soon.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:31:37 – 00:31:46

Yes. It’ll be great. It’ll be great. Okay. Well, thank you, Amy, for agreeing to do this episode together. It was so much fun to just co host and talk about all the things. I know.

Amy Neilson 00:31:46 – 00:32:07

This is so fun, and I’m so excited. Thank you for for joining me and letting me come be with you. And I’m super excited for your event, and it was fun to to get to chat with you about reading and educating and having a little bit of rest while maybe actively learning a little bit this summer. So I’m excited for everyone to get to to figure out their way to do that and and invite them to come join us at this event.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:32:10 – 00:32:53

If you enjoyed this episode, please hit subscribe so you don’t miss the next one. And if you’re hungry for more, be sure to check out the book that I wrote. It’s called Educate and Rejuvenate, a 3 step guide to revitalize your teaching, renew your spirit, and reignite your passion for life. It is scheduled to be released in the summer of 2024. This book takes all the life coaching skills we talk about here on the podcast and puts them together in one easy to understand guide. Plus, when you pre order, you’ll receive a PDF workbook and additional resources to deepen your understanding and application of the concepts we’ve covered on the book and on this podcast. You won’t find these resources anywhere else. Visit the link in the show notes to join the wait list and be the first to know when the book becomes available for pre order.

Kelsey Sorenson 00:32:53 – 00:32:57

0:00 – 32:58

Let’s continue this journey of growth and rejuvenation together. Until next time.

More about Educate & Rejuvenate: The Podcast

Being an educator is beyond a full-time job. Whether you’re a teacher or a homeschool parent, the everyday to-do list is endless. Between lesson planning, grading, meetings, and actually teaching, it probably feels impossible to show up for your students without dropping the ball in other areas of your life.

Educate & Rejuvenate: The Podcast is the show that will bring you the teacher tips, practical strategies, and inspiration that you need to relieve the stress and overwhelm of your day-to-day. Your host, Kelsey Sorenson, is a former teacher and substitute turned homeschool mom. Tune in weekly to hear Kelsey and her guests cheer you on and help you thrive as a wife, teacher, and mommy. Because with a little support and community, you can do it all. For access to every single Wife Teacher Mommy resource, join the club at educateandrejuvenate.com/club.

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Educate & Rejuvenate is the virtual teacher conference that you can not miss! Find out more about our summer and winter events.

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