Campfire Curriculum with Helpful Heather

Heather Waild is a Reading Specialist in Chesapeake, Virginia. Her efforts earned her the Virginia State Reading Teacher of the Year in 2017 and Portlock Primary’s Teacher of the Year (2014-15). She has a love for helping struggling readers in Title 1 schools and this motivated her to earn her Master’s degree from Regent University with a Reading Specialist endorsement. During the summers she works as a Reading Specialist for the Horizons program. Although her life as a military wife postponed her lifelong dream of becoming a teacher, it allowed her to travel around the globe and view the way other educators teach. She goes by ‘Helpful Heather’ because she believes that teachers should support and assist each other.

I believe that every student can learn and deserves the best chance to learn. My students should know that I care about them and want them to love learning (reading). My classroom has always been balanced literacy based. I love teaching small group instruction and designing meaningful center/station work. Students should be able to create in a hands-on environment and be guided to do so independently.

Heather is a member of the International Literacy Association (ILA), Virginia State Reading Association (VSRA), and Chesapeake Reading Council (CRC). She currently resides as Past President for CRC. She has won multiple grants over the past few years including Chesapeake Public School’s Educational Foundation Instructional Grant (2015), Young Writer’s project grant (VSRA 2015 and 2016), and Community Service Grant (VSRA 2014 and 2015). She was honored to present at the 2016 VSRA Conference in Norfolk on comprehension strategies (Comprehension Queens).

Virginia Wesleyan College (Bachelors Degree) Regent University (Masters in Education with a Reading Specialist Endorsement)

http://www.campfirecurriculum.com/