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About Mary Ashby-Green

Mary

In Brief

The Full Story

My business arose out of my experience as a teacher of children with reading difficulties.

I have always loved working with children with learning difficulties, because I love the challenge of helping a child to find the key to unlock their personal learning style. It may have something to do with my love of getting to the root of a problem. I have been described as being like 'a dog-with-a-bone' when there is a problem to solve because I just never give up till I have found the answer.

A Solution Discovered

As the Literacy Leader in a busy decile 3 primary school, I was actively seeking a programme that would address all the learning needs our teachers had identified in our students. At the same time, I was home tutoring children with reading difficulties. These children came from language rich homes and parents who read to them, and yet these children presented with the same problems as children from low-language backgrounds.

What I learned though my studies in Learning Styles was invaluable in showing me how to ensure all children can achieve.

I discovered Jolly Phonics with its multi-learning style system and the success it created for our pupils was dramatic and astounding - no change in teachers, just a change of method!

In response to more and more teachers hearing about our success and wanting to find out more, the Jolly Phonics seminars were born. I led these seminars from 1996 to 2005 and trained nearly 2000 teachers during that time.

An Amazing Opportunity

During this time I became Deputy Principal and Acting Principal. When my youngest left home to go to university I knew it was time for me to return to my true love - children with difficulties - but I wanted to work with them in a different way.

An amazing opportunity presented itself - Chris Jolly, publisher of Jolly Phonics - invited me to the UK to co-present seminars with Sue Lloyd, the dedicated junior school teacher who is the author of the programme. I had met both Chris and Sue in their visits to NZ to see for themselves the buzz that the seminars were creating in NZ reading.

My experience in the UK fuelled my commitment. I stayed with Chris Jolly at his place and saw that his business was underpinned by his dedication to finding ways to raise standards of education. I saw the inside workings of the company and met all the staff. I saw the extent of the research that went into each product that was developed and their desire to keep the prices as affordable as possible. I saw the integrity and high standards and professionalism.

I also came to understand the programme better through in depth discussions with the author and watching how she presented to teachers. It was fantastic to get the perspective of teaching to a different audience.

Spreading Jolly Phonics Around The World

The experience of running seminars for teachers in the UK, Umm Al Quwain, and Namibia has been enlightening. The problems that teachers face are the same everywhere.

Nowhere is that more apparent than in our current project in Namibia, where the introduction of Jolly Phonics has made a huge difference to the children's English. We return for the third time this year and I will be holding a 3 day training programme for the teachers from the region as well as working with the schools in the local area.

Helping Teachers Help Themselves

I feel that one of the most valuable resources I created is the CD of activities - Breakthrough to Success for Struggling Reader.

I always want teachers and parents to have everything at their fingertips so they leave the seminar and immediately put into action what they have learned. It takes time to make those games and activities that the kinesthetic learner needs... and time is what every teacher is so short of. With this CD teachers can now print off the games themselves and make their own resources with click of the printer button on their computer.

I am currently turning this into a standalone product however it's available now to participants of my Breakthrough to Success for the Struggling Reader seminars where I expand on how to use these activities to create breakthroughs for your struggling readers, writers and spellers.

More Tools For My Toolbox

I also continued my studies in NLP (Neuro Linguistic Programme) to become a practitioner to work one-to-one with people. I know that if you change your beliefs you change your life, your health and your performance.

I work with so many children who have emotional blocks that have limited their progress. Once these blocks are cleared the child is open to learning and free to make the most of the opportunities that the teacher and school provide.

I just love this work because the results are so fast and it means these children can now gain benefit from what they are being given at school and home. Unfortunately you hear a lot of blame of teachers and the school system and I feel this is something I can really contribute to help not only the child but also the school. When children can be open to learning then it changes the dynamics in the classroom and everyone is happier.

In this way I believe I can help children, teachers and parents to create a more productive learning environment where everyone wins.