Article Written by WSFA 12 News
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MONTGOMERY, Ala. (WSFA) - For the second school year in a row, the Alabama Literacy Act is in full effect. The new law mandates that third graders must read at grade level before advancing to the fourth grade. To help keep students on track, many schools hired reading coaches and reading experts like Tammy Marshall.
“I tell them that it doesn’t matter if you’re not where your neighbor or your friend is. We’re going to get there,” she said.
The longtime educator with Montgomery Public Schools is originally from Lowndes County. She taught elementary school-aged students for 24 years when her administrator asked if she wanted to transition and work in a new role, as a reading specialist.
“They saw my reading data and asked if I was interested in the job, and that’s how it started,” Marshall said. Marshall has been working as a reading specialist for the past three years. During the first year, she trained and looked at the data, and now she’s back in the classroom at Pintlala Elementary School.
“Most of my mornings are spent in the classrooms, going from classroom to classroom, assisting teachers, co-teaching with them, modeling lessons if they need me to, pulling small groups here and there, and just being there to support the teachers as they need me,” said Marshall.
“I love it here. We have a good little family atmosphere here at Pintlala, so they know that my door’s always open,” she said. The Alabama Literacy Act opened a new door and career path for Marshall, but she said she’s just happy to still be working in a school. She says teaching has always been a lifelong dream.
“I was inspired by my kindergarten teacher,” she said. “I always wanted to be like her, Miss Bush. My mom even said she always knew I’d be a teacher, and here I am.”