Alright – so today we’ve got the honor of introducing you to Ebony Donley. We think you’ll enjoy our conversation, we’ve shared it below.
Ebony, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today How did you come up with the idea for your business?
I came up for the idea to start my business out of frustration with my career and a passion for literacy. As an accomplished teacher I saw a need for more intense literacy instruction for some learners. After over a decade of teaching the middle grades as an intervention specialist I was moved down to the lower grades due to Ohio’s Third Grade Reading Guarantee. That law stated that anyone teaching third grade needed a Master’s degree in reading or a reading endorsement. I had a reading endorsement but had no desire to teach kindergarten through third grades. After being told that I must stay in the lower grades because it was a “high need” area, I considered resigning. I decided on a tutoring company focused on literacy because I already had the necessary skill set, my love of reading, and the need to support myself financially. I had previously noticed a need for more individualized, direct reading instruction for many students. I knew they couldn’t be the only ones with gaps in knowledge. I was certain many other learners needed more intense reading instruction to be successful. I knew I could enhance their literacy skills creating a plan designed for each learner. Literacy Innovations was born out of frustration, a love of reading, and a passion to help.
Ebony, love having you share your insights with us. Before we ask you more questions, maybe you can take a moment to introduce yourself to our readers who might have missed our earlier conversations?
I am an intervention specialist with twenty two years of teaching experience. I hold a Bachelor of Science in Education, Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. I hold teaching licenses for 1-8 Elementary, K-12 Special Education and a reading endorsement. I specialize in reading. My company assists learners of all ages in enhancing their reading skills. I work with phonemic awareness, phonics, word recognition, vocabulary development, fluency, comprehension, and writing. I create an individualized plan for each learner that will insure maximum results in minimal time. I am most proud of seeing the increased skills of my clients. I enjoy hearing feedback from parents about how their learners have flourished under my tutelage. Each learner that has worked with Literacy Innovations has increased their reading skills significantly. Every their grader I’ve worked with to this point has passed Ohio’s Third Grade Reading Guarantee. The majority of them scored in the proficient, accelerated, or advanced categories. Older learners also improved their reading and writing skills significantly. Some learners increased as much as two grade levels.
Can you tell us about a time you’ve had to pivot?
A time when I had to pivot was during the pandemic. The pandemic changed the way I did everything. Up until the pandemic I had been doing all sessions in person. When the world shut down I started doing more things virtually out of necessity. All of my sessions were done remotely and I had to find ways to keep the learners encouraged and engaged. I mailed gift cards, books and other rewards to the learners after successful tutoring sessions. I started a Youtube channel to give parents ideas of things they could do while at home with their learners using materials that were readily available. I also gave book recommendations and activities to do after reading various books. Everything being done virtually allowed me to work with learners in many different states. I was able to expand my reach significantly. I also published a workbook on Amazon to be used as a tool for parents who had no idea what to do with their learners while schools were closed. I took the necessary steps to get paid with grants so that parents could save money while getting their learners the help they needed. I had had not considered any of these things before the pandemic. I was forced to to think strategically to keep my business afloat.
What do you think helped you build your reputation within your market?
I think my dedication and perseverance has helped build my reputation. I am a proponent of literacy and it is evident in everything I do. I treat every client like an individual and I go above and beyond to ensure that my clients are successful. I am sure to establish a rapport with families, community members, and literacy-based organizations. In addition to teaching and tutoring I host free monthly family game nights that are open to the public. During the game nights I encourage everyone, including adults to read at least 30 minutes daily. I give out books, flash cards, and other tools to help the learners be successful academically. I also give the parents tips and strategies to make learning enjoyable. I stress that literacy is a life skill and not just something to be done to pass a test. I provide book recommendations based on the likes of the attendees This shows that I care about the community as a whole and not just people who have the means to hire me.
Contact Info:
- Website: Literacyinnovations.net
- Instagram: @literacyinnovations
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/literacyinnnovationstutoring?mibextid=LQQJ4d
- Youtube: Ebony Donley- Literacy Innovations the Movement