Teaching to Learn (7) happy ever after

It wasn't easy but once I'd made up my mind I was going to tell the story. I told it all across America, I spoke to anybody that would listen. I guarded this secret for decades and then I blasted it to the world. I was on Larry King, I was on the ABC News magazine show 20/20, I was on Oprah.

It was uncomfortable for people to hear the story of the teacher who couldn't read. Some people said it was impossible and that I was making the whole story up. But I want people to know there is hope, there is a solution. We are not "dumb", we can learn to read, it's never too late.

Unfortunately we are still pushing children and teens through school without teaching them basic reading and writing skills. But we can break this cycle of failure if instead of blaming teachers we make sure they are properly trained.

For 48 years I was in the dark. But I finally got the monkey off my back, I finally buried the ghost of my past.