Meet Our Consultants
Our Consultants are experienced and passionate educaters ready to guide you through the Pathways Program. Teacher success is our goal.
We’re always happy to visit with you.
Terry Clinefelter, MA
Author/Founder
Let me introduce myself. I am foremost a classroom teacher. I have a bachelor’s degree in elementary education with an emphasis in special education. My master’s degree is in reading with an emphasis on testing and diagnosis of reading problems. My public teaching experience includes preschool, EMH, and first grade. My ten years of clinical teaching ranges from kindergarten to adult learners. My educational and clinical experiences, combined with on-going training in effective research based instructional techniques, have allowed me to see a wide range of students gain years of reading growth in relatively short periods of instructional time.
Helping teachers to better understand the reading process and successful instructional techniques has been a continuing goal of mine. During my ten years of clinical work I also provided training for teachers to local school districts. As a result of my time spent training teachers and modeling instruction with their students I developed classroom models of instruction reflecting both my classroom and clinical experiences and knowledge.
When I train and model, I share my passion for teaching and respect for the learner. I have a strong commitment to the teachers I train and wish to see them knowledgeable in the reading process and empowered in their ability to teach a broader range of students to read at grade level. My belief is that the teaching of reading is a rocket science (United Federation of Teachers Item No. 39-0372) and that there is much to bring teachers up to date on. I also know that teachers need specific assistance in understanding just where and how to effectively include this new knowledge into their instruction. The bottom line is in the outcomes. Do I have a teacher who is empowered and more students under his/her instruction are reading at grade level? If so, I now have an excited teacher and a confident student. I’m often asked, Don’t you get tired of teacher training and doing the same thing over and over? My answer is: It’s never the same and I’m always learning.
Jane Seward, MEd
Trainer/Consultant
Jane’s belief in the research, Scientists now estimate that 95 percent of all children can be taught to read at a level constrained only by their reasoning and listening comprehension abilities, (Fletcher and Lyon, 1998), was behind her passion to teach primary students to read proficiently. She believes that making meaning is the foundational reason for reading, and concluded that children cannot understand what they cannot decode. The search for systematic phonemic awareness and phonics instruction led Jane to the PTR model.
Ten years of classroom experience utilizing her model as well as a seven-year position as a reading specialist for the Pratt, Kansas Special Education Cooperative have allowed her to teach a wide range of students to read at grade level and serves as an inspiration to teachers as she provides PTR training.
Jane’s educational background includes a Masters degree in Education from Wichita State University. She currently provides learning opportunities as a literacy specialist at Educational Services and Staff Development Association of Central Kansas (ESSDACK) in Hutchinson, Kansas. Her evaluations are consistently high and she strives to make learning engaging and fun. Jane looks forward to working with you to ensure that all students learn to read proficiently and grow to be lifelong learners.
Jennifer Phillips, MEd
Trainer/Consultant/Owner
Jennifer Phillips holds a Master’s degree from Lesley University and is recently retired from public education: 10 years in the classroom, 2 years as a Literacy Coach, and 17 years as an Instructional Coach for the Blue Springs School District. Jennifer was an in-district Pathways to Reading trainer for 15 years. She also completed Instructional Coach Training with Jim Knight out of the University of Kansas, as well as the New Teacher Induction Program at the New Teacher Center in Santa Cruz. Recently she completed her Dyslexia Certification and Orton-Gillingham Training through the Dyslexia Training Institute. Jennifer is also LETRS trained.
In 2004, Jennifer earned the honor of Blue Springs School District Teacher of the Year. During her time as an instructional coach, she helped facilitate literacy lab classrooms in the Kansas City Metropolitan area with staff developers, including Ellin Keene, Debbie Miller, Katherine Bomer and Matt Glover. Jennifer also helped coordinate the district creation and on-going revision of K-5 ELA curriculum to ensure its alignment with state standards.
Carol Thompson
Trainer
Carol Thompson holds a Masters Degree from Sam Houston State University in Supervision of Instruction, with a specialty in Reading Instruction as well as an undergraduate degree in Early Childhood Education. With more than 33 years of teaching experience, nearly half that time has included Carol’s implementation of Pathways to Reading. Through her roles as reading specialist, instructional coach and district trainer, Carol has maintained a focus on the development of strong literacy skills for all students.
Pat Dade
Trainer
Pat Dade is a retired literacy coach from the Blue Springs Missouri School District. She taught first grade, second grade, and fourth grade for over 20 years. During her last 10 years in the Blue Springs School District, as a literacy coach, she provided professional development and support to teachers using Pathways to Reading, Reader’s Workshop, and Writer’s Workshop. Pat had the opportunity to work closely with staff developers Ellin Keene, Debbie Miller, Katherine Bomer and Matt Glover to help support the development of strong literacy skills in the classroom. Pat believes that teacher knowledge is the key component for effective, long-lasting professional development.
Jillian Littlejohn
Trainer
