Terry Thompson
Terry Thompson
Terry likes to help people. That's why he became a teacher, a literacy coach, and a psychotherapist. "I'm a helper. It's what I do, and it's the core of my personality. It makes sense, then, that I would gravitate toward a career that would allow me to help others. I see potential in children and do my best to help them believe in and cultivate that potential."
He received his bachelor's degree in elementary education from Lamar State College and his master's degree in counseling from Sam Houston State University. He has worked in elementary education for sixteen years in grade levels K through 5 as a classroom teacher, Reading Recovery teacher, basic skills teacher, reading interventionist, state testing coordinator, and literacy coach. He is currently a full-time literacy coach for the pre-K through 5 Title I campus in north Houston. He travels regularly, giving presentations to literacy instructors, and maintains a private psychotherapy practice in Houston.
Terry loves the connections he makes with children when they are actively engaged in the learning process and motivated to learn more. "I'm energized by the laughter, the quizzical looks, the conversations, and the sense of wonder we share as a community as we move from one topic to another. I take pride in the fact that I am an agent of change in the lives of children every day, and that when it's all said and done, I can honestly say, that I made a difference in the life of a child."
When it comes to teaching adults, Terry believes that instruction in a PD setting should be just as differentiated as in the classroom. "Adult learners deserve the same intentionality and reflection in planning that we reserve for our students. Teachers are busy. They don't have time for fluff, and I try to keep this in mind when I'm planning presentations. Workshops should be fun, fast paced, engaging, and interesting. We learn best when we feel safe enough to take risks, so my presentations are casual and respect the fact that we're all in different places in our learning."
Terry put aside a year to write his book and considered it just like his "real" jobs by scheduling time for it and honoring that time. During the process, he discovered that, "I'm a writer who needs large, uninterrupted periods of time to write--and wind down afterward. I also noticed that I'm a writer who edits and revises 'on the run' and, in doing so, reread a lot out loud to myself as I type which is a bit disconcerting for the folks at Starbucks."
In his free time, Terry is an avid reader and likes to travel, especially with friends and family.
