Hi! My name is Katelyn Dover and I am a student, avid reader and educator in Central Oregon. Reading has brought me so much joy throughout my life and I am passionate about handing off that joy to my students as I teach reading in early elementary school. In my many years in this profession, I have come to see that many students struggle to learn to read. I know this problem is not isolated to our community or our state. I also know that the sheer amount of information available can be overwhelming.

I created this website to be a resource hub. I am currently a doctoral student at the University of Florida and have learned so much about the trajectory of learning to read and helpful next steps when students experience difficulty. It is my hope that what I am learning can serve our community and, more broadly, the community of people devoted to promoting literacy. For the joy exists to be a place where questions about literacy are answered thoughtfully and clearly and the people asking them are empowered to take the next step to promote literacy in their realm of influence.

If we were to sit down for coffee, I would choose a local coffee shop and look for their specials and probably ask the barista all about their favorites so I didn’t miss anything. I would ask you all sorts of questions and probably overshare a little, because I genuinely enjoy connecting with people. I may talk about my love for family, or my recent conversation with my best friend, a book I’m reading or my favorite travel destinations. I’m sure at some point the conversation would touch on my drive to improve literacy outcomes for my students. This website title came from my hope to spread the joy of literacy and also my goal to model after the best servant-leader I know who, “for the joy set before him” endured so much suffering on my behalf (Hebrews 12:2). I may not have all the answers and I certainly don’t know a quick fix to the problem of literacy, but I hope to be one more person rolling up my sleeves, knowing how difficult this work is for all involved, and willing to shoulder all I can of this burden to make it easer for those who come next.