We recently connected with Stacey Roselli and have shared our conversation below.

Stacey, thanks for taking the time to share your stories with us today So, let’s start with a hypothetical – what would you change about the educational system?

I look at education from an emotional standpoint. For over two decades, I have only worked with children who are dyslexic thinkers. More often than not, children with language-based learning differences have a disadvantage in the traditional education system. Our students do not fit inside the school’s box, and they are left with feelings of stupidity and are challenged by a lack of self-esteem. Often, the school staff does not know how to help these learners, and they are placed in situations that make them feel inadequate and broken.

I would change the way language arts is taught. It is slowly happening, but the lack of teacher-training in the science of reading and how our brain learns to read is rarely taught to those learning how to become teachers.

I would change the way teachers are supported and trained. Teachers deserve to be set up for success. Is it fair to expect one person to engage and understand the learning needs of 25-30 students? It is not realistic, and it isn’t fair.

Moreover, I would take kindness and character building over test-taking and rote learning. If we build confident and kind individuals who can think critically, they will have a fulfilling life and create positive change in our world.

As always, we appreciate you sharing your insights and we’ve got a few more questions for you, but before we get to all of that can you take a minute to introduce yourself and give our readers some of your back background and context?

I am the founder and CEO of The Reading Village, a business idea that came out of a great need. We are an educational organization focused on bringing together students, families, teachers, and other professionals. Our primary focus is working with students with language-based learning differences, specifically dyslexia. It takes a village to raise a child, and it takes a village to teach a dyslexic child how to read.

Our mission is simple: We want all students to feel confident in their ability to learn; we support the mission by providing them with the resources they need for success in school and beyond.

I am most proud of knowing that we are helping to change lives. We explicitly and systematically teach children the skills they need to be confident people. Parents often come to us not knowing what to do. They cry because they feel deflated and unsure about the future. We assure them that all will be okay, and a few months later, we have parents crying happy tears because their children are feeling good about themselves and the learning process.

From a business perspective, I am also proud of the culture we have created within our organization. People feel safe to say when they don’t understand, or that they don’t know the answer to a question.

We see first the student as a whole child: a child with ideas and feelings who deserves our respect.

We’d really appreciate if you could talk to us about how you figured out the manufacturing process.

This past October, The Reading Village had its soft launch for our educational card games! It has been a labor of love and worth every moment. Creating the games has been so much fun. It brings me such joy to watch children play and be engaged. They are practicing language skills without knowing it. These products came out of need. Dyslexic thinkers need multiple exposures and practice to master the sounds of our language. Why not play to get that practice?
Bringing the games to life has been a journey. I have done it old-school style where I knocked on the doors of local printing companies to see who could help manufacture the best product. I had samples of paper being sent to me from businesses all over the Atlantic coast. Fortunately, we found a small business in New York whose owners believe in customer service and eco-friendly printing options. They fit our style, and now we are helping each other.

While manufacturing a product, I have learned that I will learn along the way. I have learned to get people to help me because I don’t talk “printer talk”. I have learned that small businesses appreciate my business.

We are now working with a woodworker in Michigan who makes beautiful cardholders. The crafter understood my need for a non-toxic product and sent me samples until I was completely satisfied.

We are also collaborating with a designer from Colorado who understands how every word in our directions can help the games come to life. She understands that every card letter and position has an intention. She understands how meticulous I can be, and she always gets the job done– and done beautifully!

How do you keep your team’s morale high?

Take time to reflect. Take time to see how your decision will impact others. When I don’t take this time, I am finishing a task to check it off the list; but, I may not be thinking about how it will impact a team member’s feelings.

Have check-ins. Ask yourself and your team, “What more can I be doing? What is working and what isn’t working?”

It is crucial to me that everyone feels valued and that all opinions matter. It is important to show everyone that I am always learning and that their ideas spark creative content that makes our work more successful for the children.

Contact Info:

• Website: www.TheReadingVillage.com
• Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/thereadingvillagellc/
• Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/TheReadingVillage/
• Linkedin: https://www.linkedin.com/feed/

Image Credits
Game Playing Photos by: Susan Reiter Family Photo: Lisa Jones Card Design images: yah GRAPHIC DESIGN, Lara Russo