Spencer Russell | Source | Founder at Toddlers CAN Read

Spencer Russell

Founder at Toddlers CAN Read
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Spencer Russell is the Founder of Toddlers CAN Read, a groundbreaking program that helps thousands of parents across the world teach their children to read.
With a background as a former award-winning kindergarten and first-grade teacher, Spencer has received widespread recognition as one of the most outstanding educators in his city, state, and national charter network. He has become a trailblazer in literacy innovation with his unique approach to education and his unwavering dedication to providing children with the best start in life.

Spencer recently delivering a rousing keynote at SXSW on Why It's Time to Stop Talking About the Literacy Crisis. His incredible work has also earned him a feature in the TikTok Sparks Good docuseries, which highlights small businesses that have found success on the platform. He has also been featured on FOX, Parents.com, Family Education, Today’s Parent, and PopSugar Parenting. His platform has gained over 3.5 million followers across social media who love his approach to reading and aims to create the most accessible and effective early childhood literacy program in the world.

Recent Quotes
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  • "The way we think and talk about our kids affects how we treat them. Our kids can sense whether we genuinely believe in them or if we're just going through the motions. We were put on this earth to build our children up, not tear our children down. And if we don’t genuinely and truly believe our kids are the incredible and intelligent little people that they are, then they’re sure as hell not going to believe it either."

  • "The best teachers are never the ones with amazing day ones: they’re the ones who reflect on how to make day two better. They’re never the ones with perfectly behaved kids; they’re the ones whose kids push back so they find creative solutions to keep them more engaged. They’re never the ones without self-doubt: they’re the ones who whether the storm and remind themselves that they can do it."

  • "I decided to teach my son to read early because I wanted him to have a better experience in school than I did. I didn’t want him to have the same challenges and insecurities that I had growing up. And, like many of the folks who have found comfort within our Toddlers Can Read community, I wanted to open the world up to him through reading."

Media
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  • It’s Time to Stop Talking About the Literacy Crisis | SXSW EDU 2024 Keynote

    In this provocative keynote, we’ll move beyond the traditional discussion of the problems of reading instruction in America and discuss what we can actually do about it. We will debunk the most common myths about early childhood development and reading instruction, learn how to make the science of reading more accessible and easier to implement, and discover the most important and yet least utilized weapon in the war on reading: our children’s parents. About SXSW EDU: The SXSW EDU Conference & Festival cultivates and empowers a community of engaged stakeholders to advance teaching and learning. SXSW EDU is a component of the South by Southwest® (SXSW®) family of conferences and festivals. Internationally recognized as the convergence gathering for creative professionals, SXSW EDU extends SXSW’s support for the art of engagement to include society’s true rock stars: educators! Connect with SXSW EDU Online at: Visit the SXSW EDU website: http://sxswedu.com/ Follow...

    Video
  • Teachers Aren’t the Solution to America’s Literacy Crisis—Parents Are

    Spencer Russell, award-winning educator and founder of Toddlers CAN Read, says that parents are the key to narrowing academic gaps within a broken system.

    Article
  • A Texas educator is using TikTok to teach toddlers how to read

    After feeling behind in school as a kid, Spencer Russell has made it his mission to encourage early childhood reading.

    Article
Employment
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