| Cindy Wilson was born and raised on a farm in northern Illinois where she spent most summers reading in the hayloft and on the back of a slow old horse, and most nights reading under the bedcovers with a flashlight. In fourth grade she was chastised by her teacher for including a reference to a beer-drinking horse in a poem she wrote, and in seventh grade for reading a novel inside her history text during class. She eventually straightened out enough to receive three degrees from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign and taught various levels of 5 – 12 band, library skills, social studies, and detention in addition to the bulk of her teaching: reading, literature, and language arts. She lives north of Springfield on six acres with her husband and cat, and spends her summers gardening, reading, freezing vegetables, reading, canning, reading, fishing, reading, mowing, and reading in her hammock. The rest of the year she teaches literacy and seminar classes for preservice teachers K-12 at the University of Illinois at Springfield and supervises student teachers, making sure they all know about the benefits of belonging to the Illinois Reading Council and the International Reading Association.
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| Patricia Ann Braun’s teaching career began in 1970 in a third-grade classroom where reading was the main area of instruction. Six years later, she earned a master’s degree in reading, and taught reading in the first through eighth grades in suburban, urban, and rural communities. Programs and methods she taught included basals, phonics, class novels, readers’ theater, oral interpretation of literature, and reading workshop. After 15 years of classroom teaching, she started teaching reading methods to master’s level and undergrad students. At this time, she began doing Illinois Writing Project workshops focused on reading and writing methods as well as on content-area reading. After 30 years of teaching, she earned a doctorate in reading. Currently, she works with two teachers in a collaborative classroom dedicated to developing 21st century literacy skills. In a flexible open space students read, research, write, and share stories every day. In an effort to include oral interpretation in the reading curriculum, Patricia started the annual West 40 Speech and Drama Festival, at which students recite and interpret poetry, plays, oratories, and stories. Even before her formal education, neighbors would send their children to “The Club,” where Patricia would read aloud daily. Because reading aloud is a tradition in her classroom and her family life, Patricia focused her doctoral studies on reading aloud in the content areas. Teaching reading is more than a job or career for Patricia: It’s her life.
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| Tammy Potts began her career in reading with fifth graders in Arcola, Illinois. What she remembered most were the lessons learned and the joy shared with her first class read aloud–The Trumpet of the Swan. Subsequent to that she taught primary students who had been diagnosed with learning disabilities. It was then when Tammy realized she needed to improve her understanding of and her ability to teach reading. She enrolled and was accepted into the Master’s and the Reading Specialist’s program at Northern Illinois University. Dr. Jerry Johns was her first reading professor and her inspiration. With his leadership at the Northern Illinois University Reading Clinic, Tammy learned about the reading process, diagnosis of difficulties, and the delivery of services to struggling readers. For 27 years, Tammy filled the role of reading specialist for Gower School District #62 in Burr Ridge, IL. During her thirty-year tenure, Tammy taught remedial reading, sixth grade reading, sixth and seventh grade health, speech and communications and character education. For nine years, she served as the student council advisor and for a total of twenty-seven years she coached cheerleaders and the marching flag team. The last three years of her career were spent in the 8th grade literature classroom. In addition to working with struggling readers and academically talented students, Tammy had the privilege of working with a multi-racial and multi-cultural student population. During the summer of 2005, Tammy was invited to be a member of the design team, who created the Teachers’ Academy-Best Practices in Reading Grades 4-8 for the Illinois State Board of Education. After her retirement in June of 2006, she continued this work with the Illinois State Board of Education and the DuPage County Regional Office of Education. Tammy helped to coordinate the Trainer of Trainers program for thirty educators from around the state of Illinois. Nine cohort graduate students were enrolled in her 2007 summer assessment course at Loyola University Chicago. Tammy said it was a gift to work with such a talented and energetic group of ladies. For four years, Tammy Potts has worked as a literacy consultant and the Literacy Coordinator for the DuPage ROE. In this capacity, she works directly with county teachers to improve reading instruction.
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| Susan Cisna received both her Bachelors and Masters Degrees at Eastern Illinois University in Charleston, Illinois. She currently teaches eighth grade language arts at Tuscola, Illinois, where she is also Student Council sponsor, Yearbook Advisor, and Cheerleading Sponsor. Over her 32 years of teaching, Susan has taught 1st, 4th, 5th, and 8th grades. Susan developed “Voices from the Prairie” which is a student/parent literacy program for junior high school students in Tuscola. For this program, she has received support from IRC through a Literacy Support Grant. She has served as the President of East Central/EIU Reading Council, Regional Director of Region 6, Corresponding Secretary for the Illinois Reading Council, and Chairperson of the Exemplary Reading Program Committee. Among her numerous teaching awards, Susan has been honored with the Illinois Teacher of the Year Award of Merit, the Illinois Education Association’s Advocate of Education Award, and the Illinois Reading Council’s Reading Teacher of the Year for 2004. Most recently Susan was honored by the State of Illinois House of Representative with House Resolution 1141 honoring her for her achievements in the field of reading education. One of her most important literacy goals is achieved by conducting workshops and presentations for teachers throughout the state and at national and international conferences. When she is not traveling, Susan enjoys reading, scrapbooking, and sewing. She resides in Villa Grove, Illinois with her husband, Dennis.
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| Diana L. Woods currently serves as a Title 1 Reading Teacher at East Richland Elementary School in Olney, Illinois. She has been instrumental in the success and recognition of the reading program. The IRA recognized the ERES Reading Program as the Exemplary School in 2003. ERES continues to be a Spotlight School and a demonstration site for Aspire. Diana L. Woods received her Bachelor’s Degree in Education/Special Education from Eastern Illinois University in 1976. In 1977, she began her career in Danville, Illinois working with Learning Disabled students at Northridge Jr. High School and Danville High School. After leaving Danville, she was employed for brief times in Elwood, Braceville, and Gibson City. She has taught in various capacities including special education, music, Title 1 and kindergarten. After moving to Olney, Illinois, she worked a short time as a teacher’s aide. She was approached by the primary school principal as to her interest in becoming a trained Reading Recovery teacher. This training occurred during the 1991-1992 school year in which she served as a part time Title 1 Reading Teacher. The following years she worked as part time Title 1 and part time First Grade teacher. In 1995, she began her current position as full time Title 1 Reading Teacher. Mrs. Woods serves in a leadership role for the East Richland Elementary School RtI Team. She has provided staff development within the district, region and state. Mrs. Woods has been extremely successful in writing grants to expand reading opportunities for the students and staff. She has created Fourth Grade Book Clubs, established a Comprehension Strategies Read Aloud Library and been able to purchase additional books for first grade classrooms. She has served as treasurer and currently serves as President of the South Eastern Reading Council in which she has been instrumental in the survival of this council. In addition to her school responsibilities, Mrs. Woods is active in her church serving as Secretary and Treasurer of the Mission Team, providing weekly missionary reports and playing the piano for worship services.
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| When Linda Oshita began her career in education as a fourth grade teacher at Sheridan Elementary School in Bloomington, Illinois, she quickly discovered what was missing in her preparation. She had taken all the required courses, had displays and interactive activities planned, and studied the manuals provided by the district, but found that her expertise in teaching reading was sorely lacking. Her students didn’t fit neatly into the program she had been given. She knew she needed more training if she was to provide instruction to serve the various reading abilities of the students in her classrooms. It was 1969 and a little investigation revealed that one of the few programs of dedicated study in Reading was right in her own backyard at Northern Illinois University. She was hired by the Harlem district in the fledgling Title 1 program as she pursued her course of study. By 1971, she had completed her masters and moved to Maryland where, as a fifth grade teacher and part-time Reading Specialist, she put her new degree into practice. Over the next ten years as her own family grew, she kept her hand in through private tutoring in Rockford. In 1984, she took her skills to the Rockford Public Schools where she served as a Title 1 Reading Teacher at Nashold Elementary, moving into a Reading Specialist position in 1991. At the same time, she had the opportunity to teach Developmental Reading at Rock Valley College, assisting college-bound students to develop their reading and study habits. Over the next 20 years, her Reading Teacher assignment evolved into Curriculum Coordination and ultimately a doctorate in Educational Leadership from National Louis University in 2008. Linda currently utilizes her reading experience as Director of Area II RESPRO (Regional Education Service Providers) through the Regional Office of Education. Her professional affiliations include the International Reading Association, the Illinois Reading Council where she serves as Region 1 Director, and the Northern Illinois Reading Council where she is currently treasurer. She actively participates in NIRC’s Teachers as Readers and in the Alpha Delta Chapter of Alpha Upsilon Alpha, academic honor society.
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| Karen Ringas began her career in education thirteen years ago as a reading teacher at Indian Prairie School District in Naperville. She pursued her Reading Specialist Master’s Degree from National Louis University, graduating in 2003. When she observed the changing populations in classrooms, she decided to complete an English Language Learning approval at National Louis University in 2007. She helped to reform the reading curriculum and teaching at the Indian Prairie schools as a District Leader. Karen started a program called “Breakfast with Books” at her elementary school and had great success bringing parents and students together for discussion. This new program was recognized at the 2008 conference held by the Illinois Reading Council where she received the Parents and Reading Award. In 2008, she received “Most Influential Educator” from a former student who had a perfect GPA in middle school at a district awards ceremony. In the fall of 2008, Karen left Naperville to become a reading specialist in Wheaton-Warrenville District 200; the same district in which she had attended Kindergarten through High School. Other awards and recognitions of Karen’s work include presenting at the IRC conference, working with the Victory Project in Aurora and assisting with the LIFE program (Literacy in Families Empowers.) Karen has served as Publicity Director, Vice-President and President of the Fox Valley Reading Council. During her time as president, the council achieved the Illinois Council of Excellence and International Reading Association’s Honor Council. Her professional development and growth has been profoundly influenced by her active membership in the Illinois Reading Council.
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| Roberta Sejnost, who received her Doctorate of Education in Curriculum
and Instruction from Loyola University, Chicago, has been a high school
teacher and a university professor and is currently literacy consultant
to the Kane County Regional Office of Education. Roberta has been a
member of the board of directors for the International Reading
Association’s Secondary Reading Special Interest Group, as well as a
member of the Executive Board of the Illinois Reading Council, and has
served as an officer in several of the Illinois Reading Council’
special interest groups. A nationally recognized staff developer and
presenter, Roberta is a certified trainer in Authentic Assessment,
Brain-Based Learning, Portfolio Assessment, Multiple Intelligences, and
Reading and Writing Across Content Areas. She has won numerous awards
including IRC’s Reading Educator of the Year and the International
Reading Association’s Contribution to Literacy Award for the State of
Illinois. Her published book includes Reading and Writing Across Content Areas is in its second edition. Two additional books, Teaching Adolescents in an Extended Time Period : Strategies to Entice, Enlighten, Engage and Extend, and Promoting Literacy: Strategies for the Adolescent Learner will be published soon.
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