Charles MacTavish, an academic support teacher at Geary Elementary Community School in Geary, New Brunswick, has been a driving force in the school's transformative journey, offering unwavering support to both students and colleagues. His steadfast dedication to inclusive education has earned him the 2024 Dyslexia Canada Educational Excellence Award.
Nominated for the award by the mother of a former student, MacTavish reflects on the honour: "It is an honour to know that she acknowledges the hard work you put in and that they can see the impact it has on their child and the community."
Throughout the pandemic, MacTavish provided additional interventions to students, including the one who nominated him for the award. "We really focused on those phonics skills — looking at evidence-based reading practices to try to improve her reading success," he explains.
In the province of New Brunswick, evidence-based instruction has taken centre stage. Last September marked the launch of a new literacy curriculum emphasizing foundational skills, complemented by a province-wide assessment for kindergarten to grade 2 students.
As an academic support teacher, MacTavish plays a pivotal role in this educational landscape. Created as part of a pilot project to bolster classroom educators, his role involves providing direct literacy intervention to identified students while collaborating closely with teachers to deliver tailored instruction. Through co-teaching, co-planning, and the promotion of effective practices, MacTavish ensures that every learner receives personalized support in reading and numeracy.
He acknowledges that there were some trial and error. "The change was definitely worth it when you could see how children in my classroom were becoming better readers using evidence-based foundational reading instruction," he says.
Reflecting on his journey, MacTavish acknowledges the challenges of transitioning to evidence-based literacy instruction. "It honestly felt like a significant change because it was very different from how I was taught to approach literacy previously, including what I learned in university," he explains.
"Through experimentation and perseverance, the results speak for themselves. Witnessing the remarkable progress of students in my classroom reaffirms the value of evidence-based foundational reading instruction."
With a keen focus on addressing individual needs, MacTavish underscores the profound impact of tailored interventions. "It really allows us to target everyone's specific needs, and I think because of that, we have seen a lot of reading growth throughout the year," he concludes.
To learn more, listen to Charles MacTavish’s interview on the Dyslexia Canada podcast. It is available on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and everywhere you typically access your podcasts.
In this series, we profile the recipients of the 2024 Dyslexia Canada Educational Excellence Awards. This prestigious award recognizes individuals across the nation who have made exceptional contributions to ensure that all Canadian children have access to essential literacy support.