DELTONA, FL, October 27, 2020 /24-7PressRelease/ -- Celeste Gauthier Johnson has been included in Marquis Who's Who. As in all Marquis Who's Who biographical volumes, individuals profiled are selected on the basis of current reference value. Factors such as position, noteworthy accomplishments, visibility, and prominence in a field are all taken into account during the selection process.
Having accrued more than 40 years of dedication to her profession, Ms. Johnson has garnered a laudable reputation for helping students read fluently, as well as coaching her fellow educators in supporting their pupils. As a child, she struggled with reading, which led to her interest in learning about various types of learning disabilities, especially in reading. The more she understood about the process of her dyslexia, the more Ms. Johnson was able to experiment with, and ultimately find strategies that helped her students become better readers.
She earned a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education from Worcester State College in 1976, and continued her academic efforts at Assumption College, completing a Master of Arts in English in 1984. From 1978 until 1988, Ms. Johnson taught middle school reading and language arts in Massachusetts. She relocated to Florida in 1988, and joined the Volusia County School District, where she retired in June of 2019 after 30 years of teaching. During her 30 years in Volusia County School District, she expanded her educational roles to include drop-out prevention, reading intervention, district reading and CRiss trainer, District Peer Assistance and Review teacher, Reading Coach, and ESE Support Facilitation teacher. Ms. Johnson was one of Volusia County School District's School Teacher of the Year nominees in 1999, earned the District Leadership Award, and served as the President of the Volusia Reading Council 2005-2007. She has shared her knowledge of reading in trainings, workshops and conferences with the International Reading Association, Florida Reading Association, Volusia County Reading Association, and Council for Exceptional Children during her teaching career.
Even upon retirement, working with students who seek to overcome their dyslexia remains a passion for Ms. Johnson. After having taught 8th grade reading for many years, Ms. Johnson was asked to develop a program for 6th graders in drop-out prevention. It was during this two year period that Mrs. Johnson discovered many students who could not read. Mrs. Johnson started the first intensive reading program in Volusia County. In 2002, working in tandem with the late Georgia Linda Howard, intensive reading materials were created, and face to face in-service training in the district was underway.
Retiring at the age of 66, Georgia Howard used her high school and middle school experiences with the struggling readers and authored two books: Bridges to Higher Words and High Powered Phonics both exclusively designed for adolescent readers. Throughout her career, she developed a results-based instructional program for supporting and empowering her students and teachers who implemented the program. Unlike most remedial programs, her materials have been specifically designed for the adolescent student. Cognizant of how a reading disability can affect students emotionally as well as academically, lessons were developed to ensure a level of sophistication, empowering and motivating students.
One of Ms. Johnson's greatest achievements in using the program was when she worked with a bright 7th grader who was determined to learn to read and willing to meet with her each morning before school started. In October 2015 his oral reading score was at third grade level and by June 2016 his oral reading proficiency increased to an eighth grade level. As a result of his ability to read on grade level, he was placed in advanced math, science, and U.S. History classes. In April 2017, he was one of 12 recipients of the "Yes, I Can Award" a national award given by the Council of Exceptional Students. Of the 6 categories, he was recognized for academic achievement.
Ms. Johnson has found the work of her late friend and mentor Georgia Howard an inspiration and it is Ms. Johnson's fervent wish to share Ms. Howard's published work with others to ensure success, particularly with middle and high school students where other programs have failed.
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Since 1899, when A. N. Marquis printed the First Edition of Who's Who in America®, Marquis Who's Who® has chronicled the lives of the most accomplished individuals and innovators from every significant field of endeavor, including politics, business, medicine, law, education, art, religion and entertainment. Today, Who's Who in America® remains an essential biographical source for thousands of researchers, journalists, librarians and executive search firms around the world. Marquis® now publishes many Who's Who titles, including Who's Who in America®, Who's Who in the World®, Who's Who in American Law®, Who's Who in Medicine and Healthcare®, Who's Who in Science and Engineering®, and Who's Who in Asia®. Marquis® publications may be visited at the official Marquis Who's Who® website at www.marquiswhoswho.com.
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