Team Read Alum, John Nonato

Job Title & Company: Guest English Teacher, English Program in Korea (EPIK)

Team Read Experience:
Team Read Coach: September 2008 – June 2012 (Emerson, Dunlap and Van Asselt Elementary)
Site Assistant for Reading Leaders: September 2009 – June 2010

I was a volunteer for Team Read for all four years of high school. Through each year of Team Read, I not only watched my student readers improve their reading fluency, but I formed a friendship with each of them. I had the most fun when my student reader was enjoying the story we chose together. Being able to make games and find books that fit the various personalities of each student was challenging, but really prepared me for the future.

Today I work as a guest English teacher in a Korean middle school. My experience with Team Read helped me find out I have the capability to teach a classroom. I learned how to test the steps of reading fluency and it has helped me in creating a process for checking questions with my students in Korea. My challenge now with teaching students who do not speak English as a native language is similar to working with Team Read students. I consistently find myself using the same methods to connect to my current students as I did with my own student reader. It’s through Team Read that I fostered a love for teaching.