Online Teaching Ideas & Resources for Reading with Secret Stories®

Welcome Teachers!

This special teacher page link was created to provide you with inspiration and ideas for incorporating the Secret Stories® into your remote teaching lessons in a copyright-safe way.

Here you will a growing bundle of ideas, inspirations and resources, including: remote teaching lessons and pre-recorded videos, at-home student games and activities, free PD links and more—all of which will be added to each week.

I have also created an “unlisted” Parent Page Link that you can share with your parents to help them understand what the Secret Stories® are, how they work, and learn ways to better support their use for independent reading and writing at home.

Here is a direct link that you are welcome to share with your parents – https://www.thesecretstories.com/free-phonics-resources-for-parents/

Go to the "Unlisted" Parent Page

NEW! Secret Stories® Digital Tools to Support Teachers & Students in Online Learning Lessons!

The NEW Secret Stories® iOS App for Teachers, Students & Parents!
(currently available in the Apple App Store for iPads & iPhones only) Secret Stories Phonics App Preview pic

“OMG! Between the new app and flashcards, I am slaying teaching @TheSecretStories today!!!!!”
—Lauren Gilmore, First Grade Teacher

The NEW Secret Stories® App puts the Secrets at your fingertips for instant access and use in online lessons! It is the number one tool that we’ve created to best support teachers in online learning lessons. It will also make a huge difference in helping support parents to help their child learn and grow as independent readers and writers while learning at home!

You can find it here in the 🍎App Store, and you are welcome to copy and paste this link to share it with your parents- https://apple.co/2FzPZYH (or search “Secret Stories Phonics” in Apple’s App Store).

(Note that this app works with only with iPads and iPhones and will not play on any other devices. The built-in technology won’t allow for screen sharing or broadcasting on other formats, though this is not needed, as it’s not what it’s for. To learn more, check out the videos below.)

App Overview Video

Teacher Video

Digital “Add-On” Tools for Teachers in Remote Learning Lessons

For an overview of the different digital tools shown below, read this blog post.

Secret Stories® Interactive Phonics Grid with embedded sound graphics for remote reading lessons

This “manipulative” teaching tool is a lifeline for modeling how to use the Secrets to read and spell words in online learning lessons. With “hints” of the Secret Stories® sound graphics embedded into each phonics pattern, this digital tool provides concrete connections for modeling both reading and spelling/writing with the Secrets. Model how to “make and break” words in any lesson (i.e. sight words, snap words, spelling words, vocabulary words, story or subject area vocabulary, etc.). This digital product also includes “copyright-safe” Secret Stories® graphics in the form of digital stickers, which you can use as needed with your class to create your own Secret Stories® lessons. (Also ideal for use in traditional classrooms for whole and small group instruction, as well as literacy centers.)
*This product can be used in PowerPoint and Keynote, or uploaded to Google Slides for easy use.

Teacher Video

Better Alphabet™ Song Videos

Digital Mini-Mat Anchors

Secret Stories® Better Alphabet™ Song Videos & Made-to-Match Digital Mini-Mats

The Better Alphabet™ Song Videos make using the Better Alphabet™ Song in online lessons easy, as it ensures that kids “see the letters while singing they’re singing the sounds!” It can also be easily shared with students for continued practice at home.

Pair with the matching Better Alphabet™ Mini-Mats (which are miniature versions of the Better Alphabet™ “full-size” Classroom Anchors for individual student reference and use at home

Teacher Video

Secret Stories® Digital Task Cards for use with ANY text, over & over again!

These interactive phonics task cards make it easy to integrate the Secret Stories® into your remote lessons, and are also idea for traditional use in whole group and and small group instruction, as well as literacy centers.

These “universal” task cards work with ANY text—from guided readers, to math directions—they will get your students searching for Secrets and using them to crack the words!

The best part about these cards is that they can be used OVER and OVER again. The only thing you need to change is the text!

Watch Video

Join the NEW Secret Stories® Facebook Group

Here you will find EVERYTHING-Secret Stories,
including tons of ideas and freely shared “teacher-created” resources to help teach the Secrets in your online lessons.

Copyrights

Copyrights & Trademarks

I thought I would speak directly the question I’ve been asked most frequently over the past few weeks, ever since remote teaching became the norm across the world…..

“Can we copy, scan, screenshot, video, remake, retype, record, or digitally-embed the Secret Stories® images and/or stories into our remote teaching lessons and resources?”

So the “rule” is that in order to maintain copyrights and trademarks, the law does not allow reproduction of the copy written images or stories in any format—including embedding them into lesson material or using them in online recordings.

So, while you can’t “copy, scan, screenshot, remake, retype, record or digitally embed” the Secret Stories® images OR text, there are things that you CAN do that are even better!

(Note: The red “trifold” Porta-Pics (on the left) were specifically designed as a “copyright-safe” way for teachers to send the Secrets home with students to support reading and writing outside the classroom.

These have been a “lifeline” for students in remote learning lessons, providing a “take-home” version of the Secret sound wall used for reference to read, write and spell in the classroom.

Sold at cost, Porta-Pics are $2.60 per student (available in class sets of 25) and are “non-consumable” for use over multiple years.

For parents who want more (i.e. to remediate or accelerate) a Parent/Home Bundle is also available).

Copyright-Safe Ways to Share the Secrets

The new digital teacher tools shown up above were created to ensure that you have everything needed to use the Secrets with your students online, just as you would in the physical classroom. However, if these digital tools aren’t an option, I’ve still got you covered! ;-)

One of my favorite quotes is “Necessity is the mother of invention!”

This was actually the driving force behind the creation of Secret Stories® in the first place, as I was at a loss to make sense of something that, to me, didn’t make sense. (I’m talking about phonics!)

Current teaching times require ingenuity and creativity. We are forced to take alternative paths to get where we (and our students) need to go. Along these new learning paths are new discoveries and ideas that would otherwise go unexplored.

Some of the ideas shared here are mine, but most are from you—learning through trial and error, and making new discoveries as you go! I invite everyone who is reading this to share what YOU are doing!

Let Your KIDS Do it!

“I teach grade 3 English Language Learners in a Francophone school in Canada and ran across the Secret Stories by accident (or by fate) in February and was fascinated. By the time I got it, it was just one month before school as we knew it, abruptly ended. Since then, I’ve been using these special “unlisted” teacher/parent support pages to help us through the home learning. I loved the idea of having the kids create their OWN Secret Stories. I let them choose the sound they wanted, and then create their own poster for it. They could either retell the story as they remembered it, or make up an entirely “new” one to explain WHY the letters made that sound/sounds. I loved them all, but one particularly stood out (you’ll know it when you hear it!) I actually just redid my reading evaluations from the end of January, and even with the current situation, there were significant improvements. We really needed this! What a difference it’s made…..and CONTINUES to make, even in our current “remote-learning” situation!”
—Monique

“Make-Shift” Porta-Pics for Visual Reinforcements

What I love most about the videos above is how students are empowered to take responsibility for their own learning by drawing and telling the Secrets in their own way. I also love that the Secret is embedded within an actual lesson in which the teacher is modeling its use for both reading and writing.

“Make-Shift” Porta-Pics

Giving kids the opportunity to internalize the Secrets by creating their own and then using them for reference to read and spell makes for some pretty powerful learning! Letting them internalize the meaning behind each sound and then depict it in their own way is much more memorable! The most meaningful learning comes from within, so let them go!

I also love the idea of having students use sticky notes on a folder to create “make-shift” Porta-Pics if needed, which can be continually added to for quick reference when reading and writing!

Secret Notebooks

Secret Stories® notebooks are another great way to help kids internalize and deepen their ownership of the Secrets. Have your students draw their own Secrets and then try to “catch” them in words across the instructional day.

In a normal school year, these journals would be a great way for students to share with parents at home about the Secrets they’re learning. However, in remote-teaching situations, kids can flip the process by drawing them and catching words at home, and then sharing and discussing them in live lessons. If your lessons aren’t live, kids can send video clips (or even just the pictures they drew) to show what they’ve done, and then you can share them with the rest of the class.

Less is Best

Even during the normal school year, I always encourage teachers not to “hand-hold” with the Secrets. The Secrets are tools that belong to your kids. They are THEIR tools, and even kindergartners are more than capable of sharing “their version” of them with their parents.

If you are sending home Porta-Pics, the kids can tell the stories that go with them in their own way, which is always the ideal. If students do not have Porta-Pics to take home, all that’s needed is a simple mention in your weekly newsletter, “Your child learned the /al/ Secret this week. Ask your child to tell you the Secret and some words that it’s in!” That’s literally all it takes to pull parents into the learning loop.

It’s so important to let students take on the responsibility of sharing the Secrets with their parents, as this is so much more valuable than you doing it for them. As long as the story they tell end with the correct sound, it’s all good! (Parents can always send a note to ask about any Secret that their child is having difficulty remembering.)

The following video by first grade teacher, Tara Settle, is an excellent example of how best to explain and share the Secret Stories® with parents. (You are welcome to share it if you like!)

Don’t Use Your Lesson to Teach the Secrets, Use the Secrets to Teach Your Lesson

Secret Stories® are the keys kids use to unlock all of the sounds letters make when they get together in words. And just like a real key, the Secrets should always be shared for a purpose and embedded into lessons to read, write and spell words! Share them during read-alouds, writing prompts, word work, spelling activities, math directions, reading games, etc.

Just like in the physical classroom during regular instruction, Secrets are told because they are needed to read and spell words. They are not shared in isolation, just for the sake of sharing them— especially not online, as this would pose a copyright risk.

Fun Ways to Play

Secret Stories® Universal Task Cards

These digital task cards are a fun way to integrate Secrets into your remote lessons—as well as literacy centers, whole group, and small group classroom instruction in the regular classroom once things return to normal!

These universal task cards work with ANY text and can be used at ANY grade level, making it easy to target specific phonics Secrets on an individual, whole, or small group level. They are perfect for differentiating, as they pair with any text—from guided readers, to a poem on the board, to math directions—the Secret Stories® Task Cards will get your students searching for Secrets, no matter what they are reading! And the best part is that they can be used OVER and OVER again. The only thing you need to change is the text.

“Twisted” Secrets

Because there is no “right” way to tell a Secret, why not have some REAL fun?

When kids tell Secrets in their own way, they can take all kinds of twists, as demonstrated by the kindergartner in the video above, who decided to share a “public service announcement” about the dangers of irresponsible driving!

So why not run with this? Have kids literally make up their OWN Secrets by starting with the sound and having them work their way backward to create the story! Here’s what I mean…..

A few summers ago, I was in South Dakota for four days working with PreK-2 teachers from across the state. I got to spend a full two days with each grade group pair, and this was one of the most fun activities that we did to help deepen their ownership of all the Secrets.

Each teacher group was assigned a different Secret and had to create an alternative story to get to its sound/sounds. The result was a blend of critical and creative thinking that was an absolute blast, as you will see from these clips . (In order to fully appreciate these “twisted” Secret Stories®, it helps to know the REAL Secrets about “gh” and “wh” before watching!)

Phonics Flashcard

gh phonics skill

While kids won’t be able to work in groups to create their “twisted” Secrets at home, you can let them choose their own Secret to “twist” and then draw it. If you’re doing live lessons, let them take turns sharing them, and if not, have them send a video clip or picture that you can share with the class.

Secret Scavenger Hunts

I love this idea, and it could be routinely infused into every lesson where a Secret/Secrets are mentioned….not all of them at the same time, but maybe just one to either “kick-off” or “wrap-up” your daily lesson!

Take advantage of the fact that kids are at home, where they have lots of “stuff” all around. Somewhere in all that stuff are prime examples of Secret Stories®! For example:

Find something that has the “oi/oy” Secret in its name (ex. a toy, a coin, my brother Roy, etc….)
Find 3 things that begin with the same Secret (ex. shoe, shirt, shelf, etc…)
You have 30 seconds to find something that’s name has TWO Secret sounds in it (ex. your thumb, a chair, your shirt, etc…)
“Grab & Spell” the first thing you touch when you stand up and close your eyes (ex. couch, mom, table, etc..)
“Stop & Listen” to the first sound you hear and write what it is (ex. birds, tv, radio, sister crying, etc…)
Find a book and count the Secrets on the cover. Can you use them to read the words?
Find a book and count all of the Secrets that are in it. Whose book had the most?
Run to something in the room that has the “ph” Secret in it (ex. phone). Now run to something that has the “er/ur/ur” Secret in it (ex. mom’s purse).

Secret Stories® Phonics— Spotting the

While nothing beats the fun of a “live” scavenger hunt, these can also be done in recorded lessons, with kids either sending a picture of what they found, or kids/parents sharing via email. Ideally, kids will want to see the “discoveries” of their classmates, so take time to share them, when possible.

Flip the learning by saying only the SOUND or LETTERS when giving the above prompts, as this will help kids to become more fluid with the sound/symbol relationships for reading and spelling!

Word Work Games

I mentioned above how important it is for kids to be able to move fluidly from sounds (for phonemic awareness) to symbols (for phonics) and vice versa. What’s interesting about this clip is that these first graders keep trying to skip the “phonemic awareness” step, preferring to just call out the letter names/phonics patterns, instead.

The teacher keeps trying get them to back up and just tell her the “sound,” but their brains are too quick and the sound-symbol connection is too strong.

This is a natural consequence of Secret Stories® use, as kids view the Secrets and sounds as interchangeable…..which basically means that we skip a step! They can build phonemic awareness AND phonics knowledge simultaneously, as both are embedded equally into each Secret.

In the first clip below you’ll see exactly what I mean.

On a side note, if you’re wondering why the teacher keeps telling the kids that she’s going to “put locks on the doors” is because she’s got her 1st graders convinced that if the 2nd, 3rd, 4th and 5th grade teachers find out what good readers they are, they will come and steal them! ;-)

While the kids in the second clip have access to the individual Porta-Pics, by this point in the year, they no longer needed them, as the Secret sound-symbol relationships were already automatic.

(Thanks so much to Renee McAnulty for sharing these great video clips!)

Secret Toy Box

This idea needs no explanation, and much like the scavenger hunts (above), this can be a directed activity (where kids find and make specific Secret toys based the lesson they’re in) or an open-ended one (where kids create what they want and share them, either in live lessons or through video/pictures).

Just promise me that if you do these with your class, you will include ME in the loop, as I would love to see their creations! You can share them with me on Instagram or Facebook, or send them via email. I would also love to see your students’ Secret drawings, so please send those my way, as well! (Special thanks to Becky Phillips for sharing her “toy box” ideas!)

Secret Words

I love this activity, as it’s such an easy and fun way to assess mastery of new Secrets taught. It’s also a great activity for parents to help with. (For free “at-home” reading bucks that parents can use at home, click here. This free resource is also listed on the Parent Link Page.)

word work games

(Thanks so much to Kelli Gunkle for sharing this fun idea!)

Embedding Secret Stories® Into Lessons

remote reading lesson

The above video series is a great example of how to incorporate the Secrets into your “recorded” lessons in a copyright-safe way. Just remember to always include the Secret Stories® website link- https://TheSecretStories.com so that it’s clear to anyone watching what the “Secrets” are and where to find them.

Below is another remote teaching lesson by LeAnn Sharp, a Title I Reading Coach in Raleigh Co., WV that was shared by a fellow reading coach, Amy Mitchell. It’s part of an ongoing series of remote lessons that I’ll be adding to each week, which you can find on YouTube, or in the “Remote Teaching” Playlist, further down below.

As more are posted, I will be adding them here, as well as on the Parent Page Link. You are welcome to share use them with your students, or incorporate them into your own remote teaching lessons, along with the Secret Stories® website link.

Here is another great example of how you can embed Secret Stories® strategies into your online lessons. This one is by Kendra Jo Murray, a K-2 teacher at the Universal American School in Dubai.

Growing Bundles

Be sure to check back each week (or subscribe!) for newly added remote lessons, PD videos and home learning resources posted each week. I hope that these ongoing postings will help to make your “teacher-life” just a little bit easier!

You can also follow me on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter for more ideas not posted here! :-)

Weekly “Remote Teaching” Lessons with Secret Stories®

This growing playlist will be added to each week, as well as shared on the Parent Link Page, so be sure to subscribe for new posting updates.
(Note that the first few videos in this series have already been posted above.)

Please share YOUR lessons and ideas with me at Katie@KatieGarner.com…..
I would love to see them!

Sorry, there was a YouTube error.

At Home Learning for Teachers

Free Professional Development in Your Pajamas

The first and third video below are from my virtual presentations at this year’s Virginia State Reading Conference. The second one was an informal “rant” that was originally posted to my Instagram/ IGTV Channel, and I’m sharing it here because makes a good intro to the third video on fast-tracking letter sounds.

The fourth video is of my complete lecture at the Georgia World Congress Center this year for the National ESEA/Title I Conference. (I actually haven’t even gotten to watch this one yet, myself!)

I hope you enjoy them!

Secret Stories® in Bite-Size Pieces

Since we are all stuck at home, many districts are crediting teachers with professional development hours from online learning. This is a vlog series that I recorded a few years back, and in it, I explain various components of the Secret Stories and how to use them in ‘bite-size’ pieces.

I suggest that you watch it in order, although when you get to the “Word Jail” videos, be sure to read this post, as no longer must words like: of, was, come, does, love, some, want, what, etc… be sent to jail! Now they can be “rehabilitated!” (This post will also be helpful when working with those seemingly “unreadable” words!)

Sorry, there was a YouTube error.

Teacher Feedback

I saw a comment that another teacher had made online about the Secret Stories being the “lifeblood of her classroom,” and wow, that just really nailed it, and I couldn’t agree more with everything that she said! The secrets really do permeate every aspect of our day, not just when reading and writing, but ALL DAY LONG, and even outside the classroom! I have heard other teachers say that they are the most-used tool in their classroom, but I would go a step further and say that the Secret Stories have made me the teacher that I’ve always wanted to be. They don’t just make it easy to teach reading, they make it FUN! And not just for the kids, but for me too! I can totally relate to the teachers in those videos, as that’s how I feel every day in my classroom when I’m telling the secrets to my kids!
Michelle, First Grade Teacher in North Carolina

Wow! What a difference this made in only 2 short weeks! My students can’t start their day without a learning a new “secret” and singing the letter run songs. Thanks so much!

Phyllis, Kindergarten Teacher in New York

I thought of you while doing observations in my primary classrooms as I attended a workshop with you a few years ago, and have since implemented your strategies in two schools. I intend to make them part of the ‘woodwork’ here, as well. We are hoping to be Title I next year, which would allow for some additional Professional Development and hopefully for you to come out and work with my staff. I want my teachers to experience the incredible learning you have in store for them! As the kids would say- ‘You Rock!!’
Danielle, Assistant Principal in Florida

Since your workshop, I’ve seen these strategies in action in many schools, and the SAI/Reading Teachers have all been praising the results with their students throughout this year. I’ve recommended you to several principals, and just wanted to let you know what a hit the Secret Stories were becoming here! Thanks so much!
Sandra, S.A.I Director/ Supplemental Educational Services in Florida

Last year, at this time of year we had 11 kindergarten students reading at or above grade level. This year, we have 34! The Secret Stories are better than anything out there for quickly transforming kids into REAL readers and writers!!!

Debbie, Primary Director in Indiana

Secret Stories is a game-changer for so many kids here in Dubai! Being that all our kids are ELL / English Language Learners— many learning multiple languages, including standard English—at the same time, the Secrets ARE THE WAY TO GO!

I did a little “action research” project this school year using the “Better Alphabet Song,” and by the week of November 3rd, 98% of my kindergartners knew ALL of the letters and sounds! The one student that didn’t get 100% knew 23 out of 26 letter sounds, having begun school knowing only 1 letter! I am just so proud of all the hard work my kiddos have done, all the while having FUN singing, dancing and just being kids!!
Kendra, Kindergarten Teacher in Dubai

I have been an elementary grade teacher more years than I can count, and the strategies you shared at workshop were of more use to me, and more beneficial to my students, than anything I have ever brought back to my classroom! Thank you for revitalizing my year!

Carolyn, Second Grade Teacher in California

After just two days I realized I could no longer teach reading or writing without them! It is absolutely amazing how easily they remember!

Virginia, Kindergarten Teacher in Illinois

I would tell any elementary grade teacher the following— “These are the most useful and interactive posters I have in my classroom. If nothing else goes on your walls, hang these posters!”

Adriana, First Grade Teacher in Minnesota

I purchased your program and can say that I HAVE NEVER BEEN MORE HAPPY WITH A PURCHASE FOR MY CLASSROOM!!!!!! I got moved up from kindergarten to 1st grade this year and thought there was NO WAY that I would be able to move my kiddos to a level J at the end of the year. Well, it’s only December and of my 15 students, 8 are already there, with the others right on track to be there for sure!

I know that I could never have made this much progress without the Secret Stories. I have almost taught them all by just following the natural progression of curiosity in my students, and it’s been amazing to see how much they could take in. While my students use the Secrets on different levels, they ALL know the stories, and as they are ready, start applying the sounds to read words.

I was recently approached by the Reading Recovery coaches at our school who pull some of my students for intervention. They wanted to know what I was doing in my room. Of the five 1st grade classrooms they service, my students stood out as “amazing decoders” in their ability to use decoding strategies to read unknown words. As a result, they are ready to be released from Reading Recovery, having successfully “recovered” to grade level!

Without having had the Secrets in the background to help them read, I know that this would not have happened. They are now going to start using the Secrets with their other intervention students as well. What a powerful reinforcement that my colleagues are coming to me for answers!! Especially our Reading Recovery “gurus” in the district!

Sorry for the long email, but I am just so excited to have found this resource for my students. They are amazing kids and are so excited to spot the Secrets wherever we find them!

Lisa, First Grade Teacher in South Carolina

The reading specialist at my school lent me her copy of the Secret Stories to use over the summer with an LD student that I’m tutoring. Your program is amazing, he loves the stories, and I can finally see him actually “getting” the whole decoding thing. Therefore, I’m personally purchasing the program! Congratulations for creating a decoding program that finally works!
Carla, Reading Specialist/Tutor in Wyoming

I had the pleasure of coming to your session at the Maryland Conference last year and your program is AMAZING! I was extremely excited to start implementing the “secrets” from the beginning of the year and they are working huge miracles in my Kindergarten classroom! My kids are writing more than they ever have before, and they had their vowel sounds down within a month of introducing your “secret” stories! Thank you for understanding children and developing this awesome program!
—Crystal, Kindergarten Teacher in Maryland

I saw Katie at the annual Illinois conference many years ago. That is when I bought my book and original set of posters. That was truly one of the BEST classroom purchases I have made in 12 years of teaching!
—Amanda, Second Grade Teacher in Illinois

It’s day 41 of the school year, and let me tell you a secret… Learning a new way to teach—or learn— is fun! Last week I had the privilege of attending a Vulnerable Readers Summit: When Struggling Readers Thrive. As an educator, it was valuable, engaging and yes, even fun. While I haven’t yet mentally unpacked all my professional learning, there was some great material I could take back and start using in my grade one classroom immediately.
Keynote speaker Katie Garner M.Ed, creator of The Secret Stories, shared a way, based on brain research, to explain all of the phonics patterns and exceptions that exist in written English. Her Secret Stories help students make sense of those times when they discover letters behaving unexpectedly and ask “Why?” Having these stories to teach is much more engaging that an abstract rule and having to answer, “we just have to memorize that word!”
Although we are just beginning with the Secrets, my students can already tell you why only vowels can say their own names—they are Superheroes! Why Letter Y has three sounds? He’s “sneaky” and he stole the superhero capes of E and I, but will only wear them in the middle or end of words where he won’t get caught! I’ve already heard students telling the stories to each other, singing “The Better Alphabet” that we learned, and using alphabet bingo cards to test each other on the sounds.

Lisa, Kindergarten Teacher in Edmonton, Canada

My principal keeps trying to entice me to present at county trainings and conferences with regard to the use of your Secret Stories and my materials focusing on patterns in “sight” words, but I haven’t taken her up on the offer yet. I do, however, share my love of the secrets with any teacher who will listen, and even some non-teachers (my boyfriend knows quite the number of secrets just because I wanted to share what I do all day with him). I use Secret Stories with all of my K-4 students and they all love them! I believe they are the key to teaching reading and students actually “getting it” and enjoying the process. Thank you so much for creating this miracle resource!

Josalin, K-4 Intervention Teacher in Illinois

Ten years ago last October, I suffered a major stroke which left me with aphasia. Through therapy and much hard work, I now feel confident conversing with parents. A friend of mine is a 6-year survivor of a completely different kind of stroke. She is experiencing aphasia, but I’ve also noticed some gaps in her reading-ability. Working with her using your “Secret Stories” has started to make a major difference in her reading-ability, and I am requesting a parent set of your program to allow me to work with her. I will continue to update you on her progress as well as that of my students. Thank you, Katie, for making this program so readily available and so easy for teachers like me to grasp. It adds an entirely new dimension to my program and to my friend’s life as a stroke survivor.
Pat, Learning Disabilities Teacher in Nebraska

LOVE your book! Such an amazing resource that has made a BIG difference for us not only in reading but also in spelling. THANK YOU!! We use the Secrets all day EVERY DAY!!
Miranda, Second Grade Teacher in Vermont

Even in kinder, they them so fast and start using them that there’s really no reason NOT to teach them, especially since they’re seeing the secrets every single day in text! Having a way to explain everything in a way that makes sense (and that kids love!) just changes everything about teaching in kindergarten. Finding out about the Secret Stories was the best thing that ever happened to me as a teacher, and I’m on my 14th year in the classroom!
Kellie, Kindergarten Teacher in North Carolina

I had to share my shocking but very happy and exciting story. I was finishing up my DRA’s today and one of my munchkins jumped from a level 1 at the beginning of the year, ( example…”I see a red boat. I see a red car.”) to a level 30!!!!! Now, I knew from guided reading groups he was on his way to a higher reading group. He was on the radar to be reassessed ASAP!!! But I guessed him at about a 8-10 at best!!! This all happened in a matter of weeks!!! So I ask my little friend, “Buddy, what happened? How did you jump from a level 1 which is a kindergarten level, to a level 30 which is an end of 2nd grade level?!?!” He looks at me and simply says, “Well, you taught me all the Secrets. Now reading is just easy!” Well, there you have it folks. When you learn the Secrets… Reading is easy!
Renee, First Grade Teacher in California

I just wanted to say THANK YOU! I have 12 RTI tier 2 & 3 kindergartners in my class. We have struggled ALL year trying to learn the letters and sounds with our county’s curriculum. During the winter break I finally said “Enough!” and went searching for some other way for my “other” learners to be able to understand the letter sounds. I decided to purchase the vowel pack and downloaded the sampler. I printed them and introduced them. I added the Better Alphabet song to my morning calendar routine. I can not begin to tell you how amazed I am in the number of letters and sounds my kids have picked up in the past 4 weeks! They have learned more letters and sounds this past month than they had learned all year! Even my teacher-friend next door to me is starting to use it in her class because she’s seen such a difference in the kids she is tutoring from my class!
Kim, Kindergarten Teacher in Alabama

I have to tell you about what happened in my classroom today. I had a new student enroll in my class on Wednesday so she had not had any previous exposure to the Secrets. I have told her just a few and she is hooked! So today I did my first M&M quiz, and as I said the first work “chat” she immediately began scanning the Secret posters. I had not yet told her the /ch/ secret, but, because then visuals on the posters are so strong, she found it completely on her own and was able to get the letters. I actually saw the “ah ha” moment on her face! I also saw it with the second word “ship” when the exact same thing happened. It was so amazing to see. I was watching her make the sound all the while she was scanning those posters. And when she found it her eyes got big, she smiled from ear to ear and then she wrote down the sounds! I felt bad because she hadn’t heard all the Secrets like the others had and thought that it really wasn’t fair to her, and then BAM…she did it with your posters. They work… like nothing I’ve ever seen before! She is very thankful for you because she got some extra M&M’s… and I am very grateful for these super effective stories and posters that allow kids to move further and faster than I have ever experienced in my 32 years of teaching. I have probably used hundreds of other methods to teach letters and sounds…nothing works like Secret Stories!
Christi, First Grade Teacher in West Virginia

These stories are enabling my lowest readers in third grade to crack the codes, learning to read and write each word better every day, Thank you! As I mentioned in a previous email to you a while back, as a 10 year stroke survivor myself, I frequently get together with a friend of mine who had her stroke 6 years ago. My friend had a different type of stroke in which she had completely ‘lost’ the ability to read. I worked with her using the Secret Stories and saw much progress–she is able to read parts of words, and your stories help her pick-up on skills she had lost due to the stroke. I will pass this program on to other stroke survivors with your permission. What a difference this has made in so many lives!
Terri, Third Grade Teacher in Florida

To all the elementary teachers out there— Thanks to my experience in Oklahoma, I now use Secret Stories in my classroom and they are BY FAR the most effective and meaningful way to teach phonics. We do not have the the curriculum at my current school so I bought it— one of the best purchases I have ever made as a teacher! This Edutopia article emphasizes the importance of children learning through narratives or stories. Who knew that this could go beyond just reading books aloud? This applies to phonics with the Secret Stories and phonics is now by far my favorite (and my kids’ favorite) time of our day!
Melissa, Kindergarten Teacher in South Carolina

Secret stories are THE BOMB! Invested in the program this summer after hearing about it on the fairy dust teaching summer institute. It’s absolutely amazing what my kiddos have picked up from the Secret Stories and what they remember. Several parents ask about it at conferences a few weeks ago.
Barbara, First Grade Teacher in California

Our new curriculum LACKS phonetic/phoneme word work and our new teachers are not trained. Secret Stories is a game changer. I had my boss purchase 4 sets of SS for new teachers. They only wanted the stories after they saw the impact they were having. There is a huge difference between the students moving on to first grade that experience secret stories. I have had 2 first grade teachers purchase the stories. I have them search for their secret stories and mark them with their favorite color pen once we have finished reading the books. They take the books home and share the markings/secret stories with their parents as they read their books. Sometimes we play a kind of game…they search with blue and then I try to find any that “escaped” them with my red pen. They don’t like any to escape:) I sent you a photo of the “cell phone pocket chart” that I have students sort secret stories on index cards. This is a chart I made when I realized that they love to touch, feel and manipulate the words. They LOVE sorting them by their ‘like’ Secrets. I needed them up and in a different location than sitting in their chairs while I was working 1:1. I have them take words from the current book we’re reading and sort them in with partners while I’m assessing other students. BUT…I love listening to them reason why a word goes in a particular pocket. For example, when looking at the word ‘swimming’ this was their conversation. “I think we should place ‘swimming’ in “ing ang and ong’s” pocket because the “blends” pocket already has so many words.” If any new students join our group and do not know secret stories, it doesn’t take long for my “expert babes” to become the teachers while using the sorting activity. The experts start saying to the new students, “So, do you see any secret stories in this word? Where should we place the card? Watching them sort Secret Stories and concentrate as they mark up their secret stories in their books is so adorable. (K, 1st, 2nd and 3rd graders) They are very serious, I ask them to work and sit like scholars and talk aloud about the stories they are finding. After a fair amount of modeling they pick it up. They sit up straight with confidence and look like little teachers discussing their way through every part of every word. Such intentional reading! So engaged! It’s a teacher’s dream!
Shelly, Kindergarten Teacher in Washington

You did it!! You harnessed muscle memory for phonics skill acquisition! Children who learn this way have a strong foundation and learning will be automatic, and this is critical to the reading and writing process!!! Thank YOU! Genius!!!
Sarah, K-3 Reading Coach in Arkansas

The Secret Stories are the life-blood of our classroom. They are always in view, and always in our whole group and small group conversations. We can’t read words without them. They are our best friends. They are the tools the students are taking with them to second grade!
Tara, First Grade Teacher in West Virginia

Today, my kinders had their 2nd intensive writing session of the school year and I just have to say WOW!! It’s only September and I am amazed at how quickly they are picking up the Secret Stories and applying them!
Chastity, Kindergarten Teacher in West Virginia

We just got your book, posters, and cd today, but I’ve been using your (“Better Alphabet”) song since school started in late August. I retested the children on letters and sounds last week…drum roll….my students know EVERY letter—EVERY sound! I honestly did not know for sure if it would really work. It is amazing! I am happy they switched our phonic program. Saxon phonics focused on one letter a week and was not very kid friendly. We love your Secret Stories!!! PS The blue checks are after 2 weeks of your song….the red checks are after 2 months!
Mandy, First Grade Teacher in Georgia

The reading specialist at my school lent me her copy of the Secret Stories to use over the summer with an LD student that I’m tutoring. Your program is amazing, he loves the stories, and I can finally see him actually “getting” the whole decoding thing. Therefore, I’m personally purchasing the program! Congratulations for creating a decoding program that finally works!
Pat, SLD Teacher in Nebraska

I would tell any elementary grade teacher the following— These are the most useful and interactive posters I have in my classroom. If nothing else goes on your walls, hang these posters!!!
Aimee, Second Grade Teacher in Florida

One of our Kindergarten teachers got this for her classroom and her class went so far, so fast with the Secrets that she nearly passed up the next grade level! What a buzz they have been causing around here!
Sandra, Kindergarten /1st Grade Inclusion Teacher in Pennsylvania

Travis Burke vetted over 20 resources submitted by other SNE members and submitted 12 of his own. His favorite was the “The Better Alphabet Song”—created by Katie Garner (author of Secret Stories Brain Based Reading) as it runs students through all possible sounds for each letter. The Secret Stories resource provides educators with an amazing body of brain research and a high quality model for young learner!

John, Writer at Early Education Online

I am totally in L-O-V-E with the Secret Stories! My K-5 intervention reading groups are absolutely reaping amazing rewards of this resource! I really wish that I had had years ago!
Jennifer, K-5 Reading Intervention Teacher in Florida

I attended a district-wide PD workshop with you last week and absolutely loved every minute! I came back to my 2nd grade room and introduced some reading secrets immediately. My kids are now in LOVE with them and are SO into it, just as you said they’d be! I love that their newfound “need-to-know” is now driving my reading instruction! Thank you so much for such a rewarding & enjoyable day!
Grace, Second Grade Teacher in South Carolina

Our school has ordered the Secret Stories for all of our grade levels- they are wonderful! I have really pumped your strategies with my teachers and they absolutely love them! (as do my OWN children!!) It is great! I tell everyone I know about your book. My oldest son has had a hard time with reading and The Secret Stories have made a world of difference with him. My youngest son has learned to read because of the stories. Thank you so much for what you have done!
Carolyn, Literacy Facilitator in Virginia

Thank you!! I was at the SoMirac conference in Hunt Valley, MD. You were an absolute inspiration for me!! I am/try to be a”singer” of songs to reinforce and cement concept attainment as well.. (even though I can NOT carry a tune in a bucket or anything else!) I find your creative style is almost strikingly similar to mine.. I am not comparing what you do with what I do ..,,but our approach to learning seems so similar. I was awestruck by your presentation and my reading teacher could NOT WAIT for me to see you present… As a matter of fact, I am presenting some little tidbits of your material at a faculty PD next week. I want to engage and motivate my staff to check out your blogs and also try to implement some of your awesome ideas!! Thank you so much for sharing your creative spirit and inspiring me to try new and innovative ideas!! :)

Meredith, First Grade Teacher in Maryland

After your presentation for our district, my school was buzzing the following day…”Was there enough money to purchase your book and materials for all the grade levels?” Nobody wanted to be left out! Our principal was so thrilled that so many teachers were interested, she assured us that every K-5 teacher would be able to have for their classrooms and that she would even “find the money” to have you come out to work with our staff personally! Every one of our teachers has requested a copy and now we are all anxiously awaiting their arrival. Your presentation was like a breath of fresh air! We can’t wait to begin ‘cracking the reading code’ with our students!
Marie, Reading Coach in Florida

I can’t say enough about the Secret Stories! My students always feel so smart when they learn complicated phonics patterns (as “secrets”) that often their older siblings don’t even know! There’s nothing else like it— the kids just see it and get it! The phonics stories take no effort for the kids to remember, and they also provide lots of cues for me, so that when a student is having trouble reading or writing a word, I can give a quick hint to the story (“secret”) and the student instantly knows the story for the phonics pattern or sound they need. I can’t say enough about the difference they’ve made!

Isabel, Kindergarten Teacher in Utah

Students were almost frenzied in their demands to hear more and more of these secret explanations for words and sounds that had never made sense to them before! (and these are the kids who act like they could care less 99% of the time!) Just watching their faces as everything started to come together for them….What a FIND the Secret Stories are! These tools should be a part of curriculum everywhere- What a gift to our children’s future!
Edie, Fourth-Fifth Grade SLD in Massachusetts

I learned more in Katie’s half day workshop than I did in quarter long graduate course on teaching reading!
The Secret Stories are just so easy to teach….the stories, music, visuals, and movement engage students with the complex rules of phonics! Thank you for truly making me a better and much more effective teacher!

Lerline, Kindergarten Teacher in North Dakota

As a newer teacher, I am so grateful to have had the chance to see Katie a couple of months ago at our state reading conference! I learned more in just that one hour session than in all of my teaching classes combined! I love how the Secrets provide such strong framework for instruction while still allowing the flexibility to adjust to individual student needs and my own creative teaching style. I feel like a new door has been opened for me and my students! THANK YOU!!!

Leslie, First Grade Teacher in New Mexico

The secrets give meaning to the sounds that letters are likely to make, which makes them predictable and reliable for students. They love to think about the ‘most likely’ and ‘next most likely’ sounds that different letter patterns will make, based on their their “secret” behaviors. I love to just sit back and watch their thinking process as they try to figure out new words in text with the secrets!

Billie, Kindergarten Teacher in Oklahoma

I am a 2nd grade teacher in Palm Beach County, Florida and have used the Secret Stories strategies to teach reading to my students for the past year now and it has made such an unbelievable difference. My entire class is at least one level above grade-level in reading now and I attribute that progress directly to Secret Stories!
Sharon, Second Grade Teachers Florida

Reason number 453 on why I love first grade. As you know we are huge “Secret Stories” fans. This kids are AMAZING at decoding words. Well, we came across an interesting word today while reading a guided reading book all about Japan. Immediately, these kids start using their reading strategies trying to figure out this new word. Then my hearts stops when they say let’s flip the vowel and try short u and not super hero u. Their faces when they tried sounding out the word was simply priceless. So, it gave us a great opportunity to discuss different languages. I just love these babies!!!

Renee, Kindergarten Teacher in California

My name is Daniel and I teach kindergarten in Washington State. Last year my school district adopted a new reading curriculum and when my team examined the leveled readers before the start of the school year, we were initially in shock. We had no idea how our students were expected to read the new complex text introduced so early in the curriculum. After our initial reaction started to subside we got very motivated to create and find innovating and engaging methods for teaching more advanced phonics skills. Around November I stumbled across a pin with the Secret Story posters for the R-controlled vowels, etc… I had seen it before and I thought it was a neat idea, but I had never clicked on the link. When I clicked on it and found your website and realized the scope of how many Secret Stories there were, I got really excited and shared it with my teaching partners who shared in my enthusiasm. They were the perfect solution to our problem! We made up a few Secret Stories on our own before convincing our school to purchase them for our grade level, but by January we had them and made the full commitment to implement them.

By the end of the year, we had by far the most students reading the Beyond Leveled Readers in the district, and many students needed even more challenging text. By the summer I started presenting about the Secret Stories to other teachers in my district and adjacent ones, and ever since I have been trying to share this amazing resource with as many teachers as I can. After last year’s success, we wanted to step it up a notch this year, so we decided to create a video where we acted out every Secret Story. It took us 2 months to complete, but we are proud of the result. We’ve had our students watch it many times and they are making even more connections to the stories. Sometimes it is a gesture that one of us did that resonates with them, or remembering who acted out the story that helps the students remember the sound. It has proven to have been a very useful project and new resource. We had a lot of fun doing it, and we would be honored if you had some time in your schedule to watch it. Thank you so much for this amazing resource and inspiring us to want to be the best reading teachers for our students as possible!
Daniel, Kindergarten Teacher in Washington

I just wanted to tell you that several of my students had a five minute conversation yesterday during their independent writing time about a whether a word would have Mommy E or 2 vowels walking. I was working with a guided reading group so I didn’t get the entire conversation, or even the word in question. I just heard them stating their opinions about their ideas AND giving reasons as to why they thought that. I was just amazed! Later that day I had a group of 4 who insisted they go to the other classes and tell them about Mommy E because, they said, “How can they read and write good if they don’t know the Secrets?!!” Now everyone in my class wants to go to the other side of the building and tell Secrets! PS. We’ve been asked to go to another school in our county and talk to that staff about what we’re doing, so word is spreading!

Christi, First Grade Teacher in West Virginia

I want more Secret Stories! I had also heard through the grapevine in my district that you were going to be the keynote at our state reading conference this year, so now I’m saving up to go, as I would love to meet you!!!

Kara, Kindergarten Teacher in Ohio

I am constantly amazed at how quickly kids learn the Secret Stories. I’ve been using them for several year with my kinders. I don’t wait to introduce them and I don’t have a special “order”, I just tell the stories as we come across words in our poems, stories, or writing. Today was our 16th day of kindergarten, as we started our poem (one I never would have introduced this early a few years ago), I told the class that I saw a lot of Secrets and decided to list the Secrets we already knew. This is a picture of the list that my kindergarteners knew and as the day went on they reminded me of even more!

Kjersti, Kindergarten Teacher in Washington

Our fourth grade team just ‘shared’ the ‘ous’ secret- the kids immediately ‘got’ it, and BOOM– They were using it! Kids just ‘soak them up!’ Now it seems like there are ‘secrets’ looming around every corner, in every lesson, and our kids want to know them all!!
Janis-Tameika, Fourth Grade Teacher in Washington D.C

The Secret Stories are wonderful!!!! I love how they are being used at the different grade levels. My superintendent came through and was extremely. He’s thinking about taking them district-wide!
Beth, Elementary School Principal in Michigan

My entire class is at least one level above grade-level in reading, with most 2 or 3 levels above, and it’s only January!!! And their developmental spelling is improving every day!
April, First Grade Teacher in Irvine, Kentucky

I have not seen so much excitement from our teachers in the four years that I have been the assistant principal here. They all LOVE the ‘secrets!’
P.J., Assistant Elementary School Principal in Georgia

My intermediate teachers were amazed at the common sense of the secrets to ‘explain away’ all of the inconsistencies in our language by simply telling learners the secret behind the pattern. It’s just so simple!
Barbara, Reading First Literacy Coach in Pennsylvania

The secrets have made their way into the Main Office with a ‘Wall of Secrets’ outside my door! Students just love to share them with myself and my assistant principal. I am so thrilled to see staff so ‘rejuvenated’ about teaching reading!”

Charlotte, Elementary School Principal in Texas

Everyone at my new school just raved about the Secret Stories….AND THEY WERE RIGHT!!!! It is sooooo easy, even for me, with an ‘intermediate’ background! I love how it fits with whatever I am teaching, in any subject! I truly believe this is not only helping my students tremendously in reading, but in their written expression, as well! Such effective, and yet easy-to-use tools!

Elise, Fourth Grade Teacher inFlorida

I share it with EVERY teacher I meet because I know the difference it makes!

Heather, Second Grade Teacher in Florida

I’ve been telling secrets faster I can keep track! The kids are nuts about them!

Ana, Fourth Grade Teacher in Massachusetts

I am a 2nd grade teacher in Palm Beach County, Florida and have used the Secret Stories strategies to teach reading to my students for the past year now and it has made such an unbelievable difference. My entire class is at least one level above grade-level in reading now and I attribute that progress directly to Secret Stories.

Sharon, Second Grade Teacher in Florida

We had a third to about a half of our students reading at or below grade level at the beginning of the year. Within three months, 90-to-95-percent are at or above grade level….the Secret Stories is the only tool that has proved a success…When kids cannot decode words it makes learning pretty much impossible because they’re concentrating on decoding instead of comprehension. Once they can decode, we can teach to learn, instead of teach to read.

Alana, Elementary Principal in Nevada

I immediately put to use the “Mommy e,’ the “Superhero and Babysitter” vowels, and the “Sneaky y!” And don’t even get me started on how much my kids love the musical brainteasers!! They are so quick now with moving from the sounds to the symbols and back again… and LOVE doing it!
Nancy, ELL Tutor in Texas

I know of a teacher who taught 9th grade students reading using “Secret Stories” as a tool. She taught students who slipped through the cracks, and were reading at early elementary levels. She was able to make significant progress with her students, it was really amazing! I will be teaching 2nd reading recovery classes next year and can’t wait to use if with my kids!
Emily, Reading Recovery Coach in Ohio

Thank you!! I was at the SoMirac Conference in Maryland. You were an absolute inspiration to me! I am/try to be a “singer” of songs to reinforce and cement concept attainment as well…even though I can NOT carry a tune in a bucket or anything else! I find your creative style is almost strikingly similar to mine. I am not comparing what you do with what I do, but our approach to learning seems so similar. I was awestruck by your presentation and my reading teacher could NOT WAIT for me to see you present. As a matter of fact, I am presenting some little tidbits of your material at a faculty PD next week. I want to engage and motivate my staff to check out your blogs and also try to implement some of your awesome ideas! Thank you so much for sharing your creative spirit and inspiring me to try new and innovative ideas!!
Meredith, First Grade Teacher in Maryland

Secret Stories have completely changed how I teach my K-4th students and how I look at reading!
Josalin, K-4 Intervention Teacher in West Virginia

My goodness, what an impression you made on my staff and I… Thank you so much! Our district has 12 ‘Pre/K- 6th’ elementary schools, with many of them attending the Dallas GT conference. My teachers returned to work today begging me to bring you to the school. Our librarian couldn’t wait to tell me about these “Secret Stories,” and she doesn’t get excited about workshops as such, but she and 2 others so far have been by to show me and tell me all about your presentation and resources. So…I know that you are highly sought after by my staff! Thank you so much for your inspiration and wonderful ideas about reading!
Linda, Elementary School Principal in Texas

What a mind altering session for me on improving phonics! Mrs. Garner was awesome, genuinely funny, and her presentation was very, very, informative. It helped to change my mindset on phonics. I can’t wait to get back to my classroom and try some if not all of the strategies she taught!
Lena, First Grade Teacher in Colorado

I thought I might share some of the messages I received after Katie came and trained our teachers to get them started. We have had a few collaboration sessions on how to implement what she taught us, and since then, I’ve received some of the following messages from other teachers in other schools in my county who I’ve helped implement this amazing tool….

—You can hear Secret Stories all over our building!
—Everybody has embraced the Secret Stories and they use them every single day….singing ‘The Better
Alphabet” Song’ and sharing Secrets, decoding their names and every word they see. They love it!
—I’m so thankful you introduced this [Secret Stories] to us! Thank you!
—They [Secret Stories] are so easily incorporated!
—I love it so much! Thank you!
—When I’ve been testing my kids on letter sounds, they use the sound cues to remember the short vowel
sounds (short & lazy) and their [superhero] arms for the long vowel sounds.
—Best part of my day is walking down the K-2 hallway and hearing the kids singing ‘The Better Alphabet
Song!”
—Thank you so much for bringing this to our county!
(principal)

And my absolute favorite was from a collaboration session with teachers about how using Secret Stories is going in their classrooms, now that they’ve had a chance to get started, and it’s from veteran kindergarten teacher, Deanna Bailey:
—When Katie came and showed us those writing samples, I was really intimidated! I’m just going to be
honest. I thought, there is no way I am going to get my kids there by the end of kindergarten! BUT…
after using them in my room with my students, I can now say to anyone who feels this way….
“The intimidation needs to go down and the expectations need to rise up…a lot!”

So there you have it! What a testament to the power of backdoor learning with the Secret Stories! Expectations are rising in Wyoming County, and with them, our reading levels, test scores, and most importantly, our enthusiasm for reading and writing!
Amy, Title I Teacher in West Virginia

Katie was amazing! She was so knowledgeable, and what she had to say was definitely a game changer in teaching phonics—just brilliant! So many great take aways that I can’t wait to implement immediately!
Ruth, Third Grade Teacher in Colorado

How do I begin to thank you for the fabulous job you did today! The staff has fallen in love with you! You had as much passion and energy at 3:00 as you did at 8:30! The feedback from the staff was amazing! Nearly every teacher thanked me for bringing you to the school, and they’ve already requested a follow-up training! I even have teachers requesting the book immediately so they can plan to implement their new learning over the summer! It is the highest honor when you are able to motivate a staff that has been working since the beginning of September, and has nearly run of steam at this time of the year. Thank you for a most informative and pleasurable day!
Joanne, Elementary School Assistant Principal in New York

I learned more in Katie’s half day workshop than I did in quarter long graduate course on teaching reading!
The Secret Stories are just so easy to teach…. the stories, music, visuals, and movement engage students with the complex rules of phonics! Thank you for truly making me a better and much more effective teacher!
Lerline, Kindergarten Teacher in North Dakota

Needless to say, I have had numerous messages since Saturday and they are all very positive…
—Engaging!
—Outstanding!
—Best session Mercer County has had in quite a while!
—Katie is FANTASTIC!
—Great Session!
—Every K-5 teacher should hear her!
—Please bring her back in the Fall
—I am going to begin using what I learned on Monday!
…And that’s just a sampling of what I received!
Rick, Assistant Superintendent in Virginia

I have to tell you that the day our staff spent with you on Wednesday was the best in-service training I have attended. I was able to immediately start using the strategies- I am excited and so are my kids! My family at home thought I had be ‘abducted by aliens’ and was nuts because at dinner I was telling every ‘secret’ that I could remember! My teenagers were impressed that you had motivated all those teachers without any power points, videos, or ‘stuff.’ Your humor was wonderful. You are so accurate on the reality of a real classroom. Even one of my most struggling readers picked up the excitement of the first few ‘secrets’ I shared and was so excited about going home to tell them to her parents. Thanks so much!
Julie, First Grade Teacher in Tennessee

Katie was so engaging and I loved all the content that she shared! I would pay out of my own pocket to see her again and learn more! She was that fabulous!!!
Deanna, ESOL Teacher in Nevada

Thank you!! I was at the SoMirac conference in Hunt Valley, MD. You were an absolute inspiration for me!! I am/try to be a”singer” of songs to reinforce and cement concept attainment as well.. (even though I can NOT carry a tune in a bucket or anything else!) I find your creative style is almost strikingly similar to mine.. I am not comparing what you do with what I do ….but our approach to learning seems so similar. I was awestruck by your presentation and my reading teacher could NOT WAIT for me to see you present… As a matter of fact, I am presenting some little tidbits of your material at a faculty PD next week. I want to engage and motivate my staff to check out your blogs and also try to implement some of your awesome ideas!! Thank you so much for sharing your creative spirit and inspiring me to try new and innovative ideas!! :)
Meredith, First Grade Teacher in Maryland

I had the pleasure of sitting your session this morning at NAEYC and want you to know that it was a true honor! I am a former 1st grade teacher and current lead editor for the Literacy Team at “—–” Publishing House. I found you to be one of the best presenters I’ve ever seen. Your passion for and expertise for literacy left me wanting to give you a standing ovation at the end of your presentation! It’s not an easy feat to find people who really get the challenges students and early childhood/early elementary educators alike face on a daily basis!
Jamey, Educational Publishing Editor in California

I attended your workshop at VSRA, and wanted to let you know that Secret Stories was the talk of the weekend! Everywhere I went, people were raving about the ‘Secret Stories’ and how wonderful the workshop was! It’s the perfect ‘support’ to the strategies I use in Reading Recovery- I know my kids will love it!
Jill, Reading Recovery Coach in Virginia

I saw Katie at the ASCD Conference many years ago and LOVED her, and then, I was fortunate enough to see her again when my district brought her to present a workshop to all of our schools. It was, and still is THE BEST LEARNING EXPERIENCE I have ever had 15 years of teaching!
—Krystal, Second Grade Teacher in Illinois

It’s day 41 of the school year, and let me tell you a secret… Learning a new way to teach—or learn— is fun! Last week I had the privilege of attending a Vulnerable Readers Summit: When Struggling Readers Thrive. As an educator, it was valuable, engaging and yes, even fun. While I haven’t yet mentally unpacked all my professional learning, there was some great material I could take back and start using in my grade one classroom immediately.
Keynote speaker Katie Garner M.Ed, creator of The Secret Stories, shared a way, based on brain research, to explain all of the phonics patterns and exceptions that exist in written English. Her Secret Stories help students make sense of those times when they discover letters behaving unexpectedly and ask “Why?” Having these stories to teach is much more engaging that an abstract rule and having to answer, “we just have to memorize that word!”
Although we are just beginning with the Secrets, my students can already tell you why only vowels can say their own names—they are Superheroes! Why Letter Y has three sounds? He’s “sneaky” and he stole the superhero capes of E and I, but will only wear them in the middle or end of words where he won’t get caught! I’ve already heard students telling the stories to each other, singing “The Better Alphabet” that we learned, and using alphabet bingo cards to test each other on the sounds.

Lisa, First Grade Teacher in Edmonton, Canada

I had the pleasure of coming to your session at our state reading conference last year and it was AMAZING! I was extremely excited to start implementing your “secrets” from the beginning of the year, and they are working huge miracles in my Kindergarten classroom! My kids are writing more than they ever have before, and they had their vowel sounds down within a month of introducing the “secrets!” Thank you for understanding children and developing these awesome tools!
—Amanda, Kindergarten Teacher in Maryland

Our teachers saw your workshop at the National Title I Conference and couldn’t stop talking about you! The students absolutely LOVE the stories that have been introduced so far! Much Appreciation from our entire team!
Tasha, First Grade Teacher in Louisiana

My teachers just returned from the workshop you presented at our state El. Ed. Conference and were very excited. I am the Title I coordinator for the district, and I have never seen my teachers this excited about anything before! Congratulations on such an inspirational presentation, and we look forward to using the SECRETS soon!
Joanne, Title I Coordinator in North Carolina

I could listen to her for a very long time. I love how she used every minute to give us the best information she could. Also very comical! Her ideas make such sense and she provided amazing free resources as well. I enjoyed it immensely!
Tabitha, Literacy Coach in New York

Thank you for the fabulous workshop you presented in Santa Clara, California. You certainly wowed me! I have been an elementary grade teacher more years than I can count, and the strategies you shared were of more use to me, and more beneficial to my students than anything I have ever brought to my classroom
Thank you for ‘revitalizing’ my year!
Carolyn, Kindergarten Teacher in California

Thank you for your presentation of “Secret Stories” in our district. The school was ‘buzzing’ the following day…”Was there enough money to purchase ‘Secret Stories’ for all the grade levels?” Nobody wanted to be ‘left out!” Our principal was so thrilled that so many teachers were interested, she assured us that every K-5 teacher would be able to have the “Secret Stories” for their classrooms—that she would ‘find the money from somewhere!’ Every one of our teachers has placed an order for “Secret Stories” and now we are all anxiously awaiting their arrival. The ‘secrets’ are like a breath of fresh air!! We can’t wait to begin “cracking the reading code” with our students!
Marie, Reading Coach in Florida

As a newer teacher, I am so grateful to have had the chance to see Katie a couple of months ago at our state reading conference! I learned more in just that one hour session than in all of my teaching classes combined! I love how the Secrets provide such strong framework for instruction while still allowing the flexibility to adjust to individual student needs and my own creative teaching style. I feel like a new door has been opened for me and my students! THANK YOU!!!!
Carrie, Kindergarten Teacher in Michigan

Everyone at my ‘new’ school just raved about the Secret Stories, so while at the National IRA conference, I attended one of your workshops….THEY WERE RIGHT!!!! It is sooooo easy, even with my ‘intermediate’ background! I love how it fits with whatever I am teaching, in any subject! I even dragged my husband in over the weekend to help me hang up all the posters so I could begin first thing Monday morning!!! I am very excited, as I truly believe this is not only helping my students tremendously in reading, but in their written expression, as well!
Elise, Fourth Grade Teacher in Florida

I ran into a teacher who attended one of your institute presentations at Harvard University, and has spoken of nothing else since! She described your workshop as ‘life-changing,’ and couldn’t wait to try some of the strategies with her students! Well, we wanted you to know that having attended your workshop wasn’t just ‘life-changing’ for her, but for all of our students, as well!!! Just watching their faces as everything started to ‘come together’… WOW!!!
Edie, Fourth-Fifth Grade SLD in Massachusetts

I learned more in Katie’s half day workshop than I did in quarter long graduate course on teaching reading!
Leanne, Reading Specialist in Texas

I saw your workshop at KRA, as my teachers had actually told me about you before I attended the conference. In fact, they INSISTED, in a very nice kind of way—“WE WANT HER!!” The teachers are so excited because of the ‘buzz’ going around the school about you. Apparently one teacher heard about you in a class she was taking- She came back, and you have been the “thing” ever since!! (Your workshops must have had a very beneficial impact on some other school districts in Kentucky as well!) The teachers want you as soon as possible—I have never seen them this excited over anything before!!!!
Suzanne, Reading First Literacy Specialist in Kentucky

As a newer teacher, I am so grateful to have had the chance to see Katie a couple of months ago at our state reading conference! I learned more in just that one hour session than in all of my teaching classes combined! I love how the Secrets provide such strong framework for instruction while still allowing the flexibility to adjust to individual student needs and my own creative teaching style. I feel like a new door has been opened for me and my students! THANK YOU!!!

Leslie, First Grade Teacher in New Mexico

I attended a district-wide in-service with you last week and absolutely loved the workshop! I came back to my 2nd grade room and introduced some ‘secrets’ immediately. My kids are in love with them, and are so ‘into it,’ just like you said they would be! Thank you so much for such a rewarding, & enjoyable day!!!
Grace, Second Grade Teacher in Charleston, South Carolina

I love Secret Stories, and have been singing YOUR praises since I saw you present a workshop 5 years ago at FRA when I was a Title I teacher. I was so thoroughly impressed by your presentation, and would love to see it again! The ‘secrets’ just make so much sense! Please let me know when you’ll be in our area, as if there is anything I can do that will allow our teachers to experience your wonderful workshop, I would love to do it!
Sharon, Elementary School Principal in Florida

We really enjoyed having you come out to our district for the staff workshop! I have already had many positive comments about the ‘secrets’ you shared, and my teachers are already asking for more!!!! Thanks so very much!
Donna, Elementary School Principal in Texas

I thought of you while doing observations in my primary classrooms, as I attended a workshop with you about 7 years ago and have since implemented the SECRET STORIES Strategies in two schools. I intend to make it part of our ‘woodwork’ here as well! We are hoping to be Title I next year, which would allow for some additional Professional Development, and include the Secret Stories. I think they are wonderful, and can’t wait for the rest of my teachers to experience the incredible learning you have in store for them!
As the kids would say- ‘You Rock!!’
Danielle, Assistant Principal in Florida

My intermediate teachers that attended your workshop at a neighboring school were amazed at the ‘common sense’ approach of the SECRETS to ‘explain away’ all of the inconsistencies in our language……simply telling learners the ’secret’ behind the pattern. It’s just so simple!
Barbara/ Reading First Literacy Coach in Pennsylvania

I have not seen so much excitement from our teachers in the four years that I have been the assistant principal here! They all LOVE the secrets!
P.J., Assistant Elementary School Principal in Georgia

I have been an elementary grade teacher more years than I can count, and the strategies you shared at workshop were of more use to me, and more beneficial to my students, than anything I have ever brought back to my classroom!
Thank you for ‘revitalizing’ my year!
Carolyn, Second Grade Teacher in California

I share this information with EVERY teacher I meet because I know the difference it makes!
Heather, Second Grade Teacher in Florida

These ‘secrets’ have even make their way into the office! I have actually created a ‘Wall of Secrets’ outside my door for students to share with myself and my assistant principal. Only one of my fifth grade teachers had attended your workshop at a neighboring school, and he liked it so much that he shared the information with his team members, and now they want kits for their classrooms! I am thrilled to see staff so ‘rejuvenated’ about teaching reading!
Charlotte, Elementary School Principal in Texas

Since your workshop, I’ve seen these strategies in action in many schools, and the SAI/Reading Teachers have all been praising the results with their students throughout this year. I’ve recommended you to several principals, and just wanted to let you know what a ‘hit’ the ‘Secret Stories’ were becoming here! Thanks so much!
Sandra, S.A.I Director/ Supplemental Educational Services in Florida

I was meeting with our Primary Curriculum Coordinator about having you come and train our entire district, and when I told her about you, she said that SHE was actually trained by you in another district she had been in prior to ours! She couldn’t stop singing your praises!! All this to say…We want you to come!!!! And soon!!
Stephanie, Elementary School Principal in Virginia

First, on behalf of our school, I want to thank you SO MUCH for sharing all the awesome tricks you have created with the Secret Stories!!! We all feel like we couldn’t absorb enough of the wonderful things you had to tell us about. What an absolutely amazing experience!
Shawna, Kindergarten Teacher in Texas

I am listening to Katie Garner talk about Cracking the Reading Code. OMG, she’s soooo good. I LOVE her!!!
Scott, a Principal in Texas TEPSA Committee Member

Online Teaching Ideas & Resources for Reading with Secret Stories®

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Secret Toy Box

Secret Words

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Free Professional Development in Your Pajamas

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