Thriving Readers School
Transform your child’s story- Teach them to read and spell! Yes, even if you don’t know how to teach (yet) or you don’t remember all the “rules.” Whether your child is struggling or just learning, let's create some confident readers and spellers! Join our supportive community to confidently build a rock-solid literacy foundation for your child.
Ensuring your child can read is the best way to empower their future
...BUT I’M WILLING TO BET YOU ALREADY KNOW THAT. ('CAUSE YOU’RE HERE )
Whether you’ve just recently started your journey to teach your child to read and spell or you’ve been working at it for years, you know the importance of a solid literacy foundation. You just need the tools to build it, and then watch your child thrive!
Let’s just call watching your child struggle what it is: painful.
Imagine you could take your child's literacy into your own hands
Do you dream about your child curling up with a book before bed and begging to read more?.... But the fear that your child might struggle or is struggling keeps you awake at night. The uncertainty of whether your child will learn or catch up sits in a pit in your stomach.
It’s more than just a concern; it's a constant nagging. You're not alone in feeling this way. I know countless parents like you that are grappling with the same doubts and fears. The thought of your child falling behind, of them feeling frustrated and defeated, tugs at your heart.
Imagine being able to turn those tears of frustration into tears of pride as your child reads their first book confidently. Picture the joy in their eyes when they spell out words without hesitation. Let me walk with you as you transform your child's story as their first and best teacher.
If this is what you're looking for, you are in the right place!
And if you’re reeeally honest with yourself (and me!), you know your child can do this. You just need to learn how to teach them.
So, what's the hold up?
But... you’ve got enough questions to fill an Amazon warehouse… and no one to help you answer them.
Where do I start?
What if I don’t have the time? What the heck do I do with “sight words”?
What if my child has dyslexia or ADHD or autism?
How do I teach them to spell words?
What if I do ALL that work to teach them and it doesn’t work?
But the worst part? Dr. Google, good ole’ YouTube, and those parenting blogs don’t really help, or at least not enough. Small tips and tricks might help a little, but your child still isn’t actually reading. Week after week, you’re left exactly where you started. Stretched thin as a sheet of printer paper, having your child rewrite their spelling words again, hoping for reel to that speaks to your exact needs in that moment, wondering if you’ll ever be able to teach your child to read and spell.
And sooner or later...
Your head starts filling up with a few easily believable (but totally untrue) thoughts trying to sabotage you teaching your child.
(Believe me, you can actually do it..)
Let's put a pin in the doubts holding you back, shall we?
Big Doubt #1: I don't have the time
After years of teaching kids to read, here is what I know to be true…
You need minutes each day to practice, not hours. In fact, it’s better to use small increments.
Ideally, you spend 5-10 minutes per day on reading and spelling. Starting small yields huge results!
This idea that you need to spend hours reading with your child is a myth. Small, focused increments of time where you actually know how to teach are worth ten times what hours of guessing how to teach your child are.
Big Doubt #2: What if I can't teach them?
Okay, this one’s gotta go! It’s straight up not true.
You don’t need a degree in teaching, a calmer child, or a school to teach them.
Sure, those things are nice—but you don’t need them to get your child reading and spelling.
You can teach your child and get real results with a simple and straight forward approach. I do it everyday! Simplicity (and effectiveness!) is my jam
Big Doubt #3: We can't afford this.
Let’s flip the script here. What if I told you you can’t afford not to?
Seriously. 67% of 4th graders aren’t reading proficiently (yes, even at private schools). You can’t count on school to teach your child.
Sure, you can find a tutor, but if you want a qualified tutor expect to pay around $100-150 per a session (depending on where you live).
The longer you wait, the harder it gets, and the more money you’ll spend. It takes 4x as long to catch up a 4th grader who struggles than a kindergartener or first grader.
Now, slow your scroll for a sec.
Imagine what it would be like to finally teach your kid to read and spell. You are confident in teaching them and they are confident learners.
You would be able to confidently assess your child’s skills, teach them new ones, and know where to go next in their learning.
You would get to watch with pride as your child reads and spells with no hesitation.
You would be setting your child up for success, ready to go after their dreams uninhibited by literacy struggles
Sound too good to be true?
It's not.
...I know because I’ve done it, I’ve taught hundreds of kids and their parents how to navigate this space.
And I can’t wait to show YOU how to do it too.
Made our Relationship Stronger
"This course took the guesswork out of how I can help my kindergartener learn how to read, write and spell based on the level SHE is at. Her confidence has increased tremendously and she's wanting to continue learning even after our 10 minutes a day are up because she's so excited. It's definitely made our relationship stronger. 10/10 would recommend!!"
~Sharlyn, Mother of a Kindergarten
This Course is Enlightening
"For me, teaching reading I felt so lost so it has been enlightening to go through the course! I want to homeschool from K with 3 and 4. But I want to reach to read with confidence."
~Samantha, Mother of a Preschool, Pre-Kindergarten, and 2nd grader
But wait, have we officially met?
Hey, I'm Tara Roepke Sparks!
Beach girl, coffee lover, world-traveler, and a shameless lover of reality TV.
And as a Reading Specialist & Coach for parents who want to teach their kids to read and spell, I’m here to simplify the process of teaching your child.
Because, on a real note, I have a waiting list for tutoring for over a year and I want to help you now!
I've taught hundreds of kids to read over my 7 years as a classroom teacher and 3 years as a reading specialist.
But let’s rewind the tape real quick because it’s important to note it wasn’t always easy for me to teach kids to read.
When I graduated with my Masters in Education I still didn’t have a great understanding of how to teach kids to read…Unfortunately, most colleges are not teaching research based method when it comes to reading.
I could have never imagined I’d eventually have reading down to a simple science that could be done in minutes per day.
After learning the hard way, tweaking my process, and seeing real results, I now can teach kids to read effectively.
From there, I’ve helped hundreds of kids--typically developing kids, neurodiverse kids, dyslexic kids and their families
--> All thanks to knowing the science of reading
Sometimes when I’m working with a child and I see the pride in their eyes as they really begin reading I think:
THIS is what I was after all those years ago when I thought I was a bad reading teacher.
Getting to apply a step by step process that I know works, watching kids read and grow their confidence. It can absolutely be done, I just need the right tools.
I share all of that not to tell you about what an amazing teacher I am...
But to show you what’s possible for you and your child too.
And to highlight why—after over 10 years in the education world and helping hundreds of kids learn to read and spell—I’m more dedicated than ever to helping YOU learn how to teach child so we can see them thriving too.
And let’s take this one step further.
Cause, if you know me, you know I won’t settle for a middle-of-the-road promise.
I’m dedicated not only to helping your child read…
But to helping you assess your child’s skills, deliver explicit and systematic reading/spelling lessons, create a reading routine, and ensure your child has a strong literacy foundation.
Enter: Thriving Readers School & the THRIVE Method
—Aka the exact framework + plug-and-play activities + expert support (from meee!) to take you from worried parent of a struggling reader to proud parents of a thriving kid!
(Told you I’m not into mediocre.)
No more Googling.
No more wondering if what you’re doing is actually helping your child read or not.
No more sleepless nights wondering they will every learn.
Just a proven system, customizable tools, and all the reading knowledge that’s in my education-obsessed brain.
If you’re with me, now’s the time to get excited because your child is about to be a reader!
Love, Tara
Welcome to...
Thriving Readers School
A complete, step-by-step program that equips you to teach your child to read and spell with confidence. Empower your child with essential literacy skills for success in today's world.
The secret sauce behind TRS?
It's the T.H.R.I.V.E Method where we use science and real world practice to teach your child to read the way their brain learns!
TAILORED APPROACH: Your child is unique and learns at their own pace. We tailor your approach so you know what to do for your child.
HANDS ON PHONICS: We take those vital phonics skills and show you how to practice them in a hands-on way.
READING TOGETHER: Let’s build a routine and figure out how this works for your family.
INTERACTIVE TECHNIQUES: Learn how to deliver lessons that are interactive and fun!
VISUAL AND AUDITORY STRATEGIES: Learning to read requires many parts of the brain! Learn to activate them all.
ENCOURAGEMENT AND CELEBRATION: Learning to read is hard work, let’s celebrate along the way!
What's it like actually being in Thriving Readers School? Here what one of our members has to say...
Here's what's waiting for you inside Thriving Readers School
( Let's take a peek inside)
Sound Awareness
Sound Awareness is one of the biggest predictors of reading success, but very few of us know how to teach it! Once you lay a strong foundation in sound awareness, your child will be ready to truly starting reading and spelling. You’ll Learn....
- What is sound awareness?
- How to assess your child’s skills in sound awareness
- What exactly you need to do to teach it How to know when to move on
WALK AWAY WITH THE CONFIDENCE THAT YOUR CHILD HAS A SOLID FOUNDATION TO START READING AND SPELLING!
Letter Names and Sounds
This is the module where you’ll learn the fastest and most effective way to master those letter names and sounds! I’ll answer questions like:
- Do we need to teach the letter names or just the sounds?
- Do we teach uppercase and lowercase at the same time?
- Do we teach a letter each week?
- What do we do about learning to write the letters?
WALK AWAY WITH YOUR CHILD CONFIDENTLY RECOGNIZING BOTH LETTER NAMES AND SOUNDS!
Reading
Alright, this is where stuff gets really fun. It’s time to turn your child’s basics skills into actual reading!! Once you know the code, you can help your child break it! We’ll cover....
- How to blend words
- What about all those phonics rules???
- Common mistakes in reading
- Going from reading words to reading books
- How to choose books
- How to correct your child’s mistakes
WALK AWAY WITH ALL THE SKILLS TO GET YOUR CHILD READING FLUENTLY AND CONFIDENTLY!
Spelling
This is arguably one the hardest tasks for our young learners, but there is a way to set them up for success!
- Learn how to teach those many phonics patterns
- Give your child the supports they need to spell independently
- Learn how to correct their mistakes
- Learn to go from spelling words to sentences to stories!
WALK AWAY WITH YOUR CHILD SPELLING AND WRITING WITH EASE!
Sight Words
Tired of getting those long sight word lists from school and not knowing what to do with them? Memorizing actually isn't the best way to tackle these tricky words. We'll learn...
- Which words are actually irregular
- How to teach these words without memorizing the whole word
- The best way to practice these words
- When is the best time to start teaching them?
WALK AWAY WITH ALL THE KNOWLEDGE YOU NEED TO TEACH YOUR CHILD TO TACKLE THOSE TRICKY WORDS!
COACHING CALL REPLAYS
Don't worry about missing out on those coaching calls, I know sometimes your schedule is busy, maybe you're not quite ready to share with the group. You'll get all the replays to watch when you want!
- If you can't make it, ask in the facebook group and I'll answer on the live call
- Learn from others-these calls will often prepare you for what's coming and help you to avoid mistake
WALK AWAY WITH CONFIDENCE FOR YOU NEXT LESSON!
And you'll be supported every step of the way with student-favorite features like...
Monthly Coaching
$897 Value/Year
Got questions along the way? (Of course you do!). That's where our live coaching comes in.
Think of our Q&A's as quick calls where you can get those questions answered as they pop up! We’ll talk reading and spelling questions and behavior too!
The calls are live 1X month, but don’t sweat it if you can’t make it. You can always submit your question ahead of time and catch the recording later.
Private Community
$597 Value/Year
Inside the TRS Facebook group, you’ll connect with other parents, get feedback on all your teaching, and stay accountable. I will be there answering your questions too!
You’ll have lifetime access to the TRS community. Because once you’re a TRSer, I’ve got your back fo-evaaa.
Loooooove a good bonus stack? Me too.
GET READY TO START THE CAR
Get instant access to over $300 in course bonuses to make teaching your child to read easier than ever!
Guiding Cooperation with Dr. Chelsey
$197 VALUE
When you enroll in TRS you get access to our workshop with Dr. Chelsey!
Whether your child won’t engage in learning time or they have anxiety around reading, we will cover it all!
Dr. Chelsey’s expertise lies in applied educational neuroscience, social emotional learning, and building calm, cooperative family relationships. She has taught and researched at The University of British Columbia, Stanford University, and Mills College.
Discounts on Decodable Readers and Reading Apps
$57 VALUE
We know our young readers need decodable text to begin reading. Unfortunately, we can’t get these at the library!
Get discounts on decodable readers from Express Readers and ChargeMommy books!
We’ve also got discounts on a really great app, Readingcom, to help you with reading too. ‘Cause sometimes you just need that extra support.
Printable Freebies
$97 VALUE
Get a library full of printables to help you teach your child.
~Early Warning Signs of Dyslexia
~Phonics Board Games
~Spelling mapping mats
~Letter/Sound Cards
~ i-spy sound awareness games
~Multi-sensory learning ideas
Risk Free
If my course isn’t the right fit for you, simply request a refund within 14 days of purchase, and you’ll be refunded in full. When you join Thriving Readers School, you’re welcomed into a space that has everything you need to teach your child to read and spell confidently and watch them develop a solid foundation in literacy. This is a proven system based on both the Science of Reading and Writing and by my years of experience teaching hundreds of kids to read. Even though I’m confident this course will be incredibly valuable to you, you deserve to join risk-free to see if it's the best fit for you. As a teacher, I understand the importance of learning in a space and with an instructor you feel most comfortable with. If you ask for a refund there will be no questions asked-no forms, no phone calls, no endless emails. Shoot our support team one email and it will be done.
*Just don’t be that person who joins, downloads all the material, checks out every lesson, and then asks for their money back. We can see that on our course platform, and bad karma will certainly roll your way…
Is this course the right level for my child??
This course is for kids who are learning to read and spell the words, we do not address comprehension. All children have vastly different literacy levels, but this course will be great for most kids aged 3-9! If your child can read and spell this sentence with ease, this is NOT the course to help them:
“The neighbors went to the market to get more fruits and meats for dinner.”
This course does include letter names and sounds, BUT if your child already knows this they will absolutely still benefit from this course! Those trickier sounds and spelling patterns are often the hardest for parents to support. We will give you all you need to master teaching these.
Still not sure if this course is right for you? Take our quiz, I will personally look it over and email you with my recommendation.
This Course isn't for you if...
You’re looking for a quick fix. Building a solid reading foundation takes time. It does not happen overnight. While you don’t need to spend hours a day working with your child, you do need to put in time to learn to teach them and then a little time each day consistently with them.
You are looking for comprehension help. While there is a bonus in this course about comprehension, it is not the main focus. We will be learning about how to read and spell the words so that eventually we can just focus comprehension.
You’re wanting the course to be fully complete when you buy. This is the founding members price for a reason. You will get new lessons dropped each week until the course is complete.
SO WHAT HAPPENS NEXT?
Here's How it Works
As soon as you enroll, you’ll be sent a welcome email with your username and password to access Thriving Readers School. Then, everything is yours & you can get started right away!
You’ll be invited to join our private Facebook group where you’ll meet me at our next live Q&A Call and all of your fellow parents who will welcome you into the community with emojis and cheers.
From there, start implementing and join our calls for continued support and coaching!
