Have you ever eaten a boysenberry? It tastes like a combination of a raspberry and a blackberry. Of the berries I grow -– boysenberries, strawberries, mulberries, blueberries, and blackberries -– boysenberries are my favorite because they are persistent.
In 2024, the winds of Hurricane Beryl slammed a wooden fence onto my boysenberry seedling. When my neighbors and I finally removed the fence, the plant was still vibrant, crawling among storm debris. Over the years, I’ve watched it expand and produce juicy, sweet berries.
Although my students can sometimes lack the sweetness of boysenberries (but they sometimes have the plant’s thorns), I love to watch them grow into their potential. Once they achieve one milestone, they dream bigger. Spring’s berry season often coincides with the fruits of their persistence: higher grades, better test scores, and full rides to college.
Stronger literacy gives them the confidence to apply themselves and become more than they thought they could ever be. I want this for all students. Readers can do anything. Where is your student as a reader? On August 8 and August 13, you’ll get your answer.
8th Through 12th Graders
Sign up for a free, 30-minute session with me. Sign up here: https://calendly.com/jdledwith
Kindergarteners through 7th graders
Sign up for a free, 30-minute session with Myavia Garner of Success For All Reading Solutions. Sign up here: https://calendly.com/successforallreadingsolutions/free-placement-assessment
We will learn about your child’s literacy and share resources for them to be as bountiful and vibrant as my berry patch.
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