The primary goal of Running Readers is fostering a love of learning, of interpreting the world, and turning that love into real-world success & HAPPINESS.

WE HELP YOU FIND YOUR STORY.

WORDS

READING

Hi! I'm Austin! You're probably wondering why you need reading. The beauty in books is incredible. There, right in front of you, is virtually everything you need to know—from the very beginning to our present world. Poor reading comprehension means you're forced to memorize everything your teacher says in class, since you can't rely on your own understanding of the book (whether science, math, history, language, or literature) for support. Reading comprehension is the baseline for all other skills.

HERE IS WHAT WE DO:

1. Catch the fish. (Immediate help.) If there's a continuous backlog of homework, there will never be any time to understand it. I will sit with you and help you devise a plan to finish your homework. I'll read through your book with you, helping you understand it. The storm passes. The skies clear. Now that we're on calm waters, it's time to learn the skill—reading comprehension—that will sustain you, that will keep you swimming.

2. Teach to catch the fish.  (Lifelong success.) During every session, whether we're working on a specific project or building confidence for the future, we are developing 4 key skills: fine reading (details), broad reading (greater context), reading speed, and reading involvement (i.e. enjoyment). If you're not in school yet or just beginning your journey, we cultivate a love of stories and storybooks.

WRITING

Everyone dreads writing that book report. That paper. It blankly stares at you, and you are lost for words. Even if we can now understand what we're reading, you still have to write the darn thing—worst of all, using our own words, not somebody else's!

HERE IS WHAT WE DO:

1. Catch the fish. (Immediate help.) No, I won't write your paper for you. What we will do, however, is go over the prompt together. I'll ask about everything you've read, and help you gather your resources. We'll read over what interests or confuses you the most. We'll write a single word, what you think defines the story most.  Passion. Ambition. Fury. We'll make a bullet list of talking points/facts & figures. And then you will start your essay. And it will probably be brilliant, but just in case you think it isn't, I'll be waiting there to help you polish it into something "school-ready."    

2. Teach to catch the fish. (Lifelong success.) Thesis. Body. Conclusion. Whether or not we call them by their name, whether they are invisible or not, every paper has them.  There are certain skills which curve toward A-grade academic writing and it is worth taking the time to get a grip on them. The key, as in anything, is to know the guiding principles so well that you no longer have to think about them. That's when you, as an individual, can really shine.    

STORYTELLING: IMAGINING WITH BOTH SIDES OF YOUR BRAIN

Here is what is truest to my heart. 

Every teacher, parent, guardian angel will tell you that the point of all that learning you've gone through is teaching you to tell your own story. To discover it. To interpret it. To love it. To see that this world is a world of possibilities, it is very much the "real world," but you have the opportunity to create an even better one. You have the ability to write it. An even realer one. Your own one. This is the power of storytelling. This is the power of magic. This is the power that nobody else has but YOU.       

HERE IS WHAT WE DO:

1. Paint the fish. Once upon a time there was no such thing as this expression. But some guy, who was a fisher, he had a can of paint, and this painter couldn't paint anything useful. No matter what he painted it all came out wrong, like a pile of soup. I mean, who paints a pile of soup? He filled up all his buckets and went down to the river. He poured out his heart to the river but all he saw was a rainbow. He put his head down, ashamed.

"I could never paint a rainbow," said the fellow.

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