Helping Parents Help Their Kids Become Passionate About Reading and Writing: A Video Interview with Linda Mitchell conducted by Dr. Sam Bommarito

This is another in my series of interviews with literacy leaders. This one is with Linda Mitchell. Linda is part of the literacy scene in the St. Louis Metro Region. I first met her several years ago. She told me the compelling story of her grandmother. Her grandmother could neither read nor write. Yet she raised children who were passionate about both. How could this be? I think as you listen to the story you will see that the path taken by Linda’s family is one that could benefit many families in our nation today.

Linda has several different literacy initiatives she is carrying out in the St. Louis region. Her work centers in East St. Louis, Illinois- which is just across the river from St. Louis. East Saint Louis has suffered an economic decline. It is an area with a high poverty rate and all the problems that come with that. But as Linda explains, there has been no decline in the spirit of the people in the region. You can tell that Linda really loves her city and is doing many things to help in its rejuvenation. Her spirit and will come through loud and clear in this interview. Her methods are groundbreaking. She is the epitomy of thinking outside the box. Though the research around her projects has been interrupted by the current Covid crisis, I have no doubt that once it resumes, it will clearly demonstrate the efficacy and value of the things she is doing. Please join me as I talk to this St. Louis area literacy leader about her pioneering work with kids and parents. Here is the link to the interview:

Interview highlights- fast forward to the time stamp indicated to listen to that part of the interview. The overall interview takes 22 minutes

Tell us about yourself and the Imitate Reading Initiative- start of the video

Tell us about your newly revised book:  3-minute mark

Tell us about your video casts and u-tube channel: 10-minute and 45- second mark

Tell us about East St Louis and how it fits into the St. Louis Metro Area- 14-minute and 30- second mark

Closing Remarks- 19 minutes 32 seconds

Linda Mitchell Books

https://www.lindamitchellbooks.com/

There are some excellent interviews about social and emotional learning.

Metro East Literacy Project

http://www.metroeastliteracyproject.org/p/the-imreading-initiative.html

Here’s where Linda explains a little bit about the Imitate Reading Initiative.

Literacy is Liberation! It Takes You Higher YouTube Channel

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCZJyX3VQDSw_MJ2jrz8FyRg/videos

Here’s where Linda posts interviews about a person’s literacy journey and topics pertaining to my children’s book on emotions. I’ve interviewed a lawyer( my son), singer/musician (my daughter), Dr. Kelly Byrd, Julius B. Anthony, a police officer, a railroad worker, community organizer, TV personality, social worker, a blind retired judge and several more.

Penny Press Puzzle Lady

Here’s Linda’s website for her hobby–solving word puzzles. I give tutorials for puzzles in the Penny Dell Press Variety Puzzles magazine. I focus on the fact that doing puzzles helps our brains stay healthy.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCSnTlRu7aM2slvqUdjOw1Yw

In the coming weeks I’ll be talking to more literacy leaders, including some more of being carried out by the many literacy leaders the St. Louis Metro area. Until next time- Happy Reading and Writing!

Copyright 2020 by Dr. Sam Bommarito. Views/interpretations expressed here are solely the views of this author and the people he interviews. They do not necessarily reflect the views of any other person or organization.

P.S. If you found the blog through Facebook or Twitter, please consider following the blog to make sure you won’t miss it.  Use the “follow” entry on the sidebar of the blog.