Spotlight on Maggie Cabrera

Maggie Cabrera

We would like to introduce Maggie Cabrera, our remarkable Raising Robust Reader from Minnesota. For those who may have missed the expedition through the "reading code," allow me to paint a vivid picture of the adventure. Our young reader, under the nurturing guidance of her mother, Becky, embarked on a daily quest to unravel the mysteries of words, with the whimsical assistance of none other than the Elf on the Shelf and the lovable snowman, Olaf.

Each morning brought a new set of clues, transforming the mundane task of learning into an enchanting exploration. Through this innovative approach, Maggie not only learned the secrets of how words work but also discovered a love for “doing our words.” 

For those who were fortunate enough to witness this firsthand, it was a delightful journey filled with laughter, learning, and a sprinkle of magic. Becky, with her creative flair and unwavering dedication, found her calling in nurturing decoding and literacy skills and fostering a love for reading.

But the story doesn't end there. Becky's passion for literacy extended beyond her own home and into the community. At GiGi's Playhouse Down Syndrome Achievement Center in Minneapolis, she took on the role of literacy coordinator, weaving the techniques of Raising Robust Readers into the fabric of their One-on-One literacy program. 

So, whether you're a newcomer eager to embark on your own reading adventure or a seasoned member looking to relive the magic of Elf and Olaf, join us as we celebrate the remarkable journey of our Raising Robust Reader, Maggie Cabrera. Together, let's continue to inspire, empower, and help our learners become independent readers.

How old is Maggie?
She is 13 years old.

Can you share a bit about her personality? 

Maggie is silly but she is also very empathetic.

What are Maggie"s favorite things and activities?

She loves singing and dancing to TikTok videos, puzzles, and reading books.

What do you use or do to motivate Maggie?

 As odd as it sounds, getting her away from her iPad/TV is simply a matter of asking her if she wants "to do her work together", and she comes running. That means our study time, and she loves it! She is motivated by our time together. I try to incorporate puzzles and games into our reading or math activities. Early on, it started with Elf on a Shelf. He would assume his funny position and hold a sign with a few words for the week's phonogram we were working on. Of course, he had to go back to the North Pole, so Santa brought Olaf as a replacement study buddy. Olaf and Elf brought daily fun with introducing new sounds and words.

Does Maggie have difficulty with verbal skills or additional challenges?

We suspect she may have some dyslexia, but no formal assessment as of yet.

What aspirations and dreams do you have for Maggie's future, and how do you work towards those goals together?

 I am hopeful that she will find meaningful employment someday. She has expressed interest in cashiering or waitressing. We do a lot of practice with her cash register and play coffee shop/restaurant. We work on reading the menu and identifying prices and additions (like adding flavor shots to coffee). We then work on the calculator (her cash register), and making change (if paying in cash). I haven't done this yet, but I'm going to add 'closing tasks', so I can sneak in a bit more reading 😊

Do you homeschool, or does Maggie attend school?

Maggie attends 7th grade at her local middle school.

In what ways has the school environment been supportive, and are there areas where you believe improvements could be made?

In my opinion, the school district is very behind others when it comes to inclusion. Since kindergarten, Maggie has been in a separate resource room. Any talk of inclusion in general ed has been met with resistance every year. This year, however, I am starting to see some positive developments. Her teacher has started a Unified Physical Education program at her middle school. This means that the kids in Special Education go to general ed PE, with 8th graders that have expressed an interest in the program (or, in some cases, some of the gen ed students were encouraged). There was hesitation from staff, 8th graders, and Special Education students in the beginning, but it has been largely successful all the way around!! Maggie is flourishing with her social skills. They just started a Health class, and Maggie goes to the Gen Ed room. I was told last she is the typical teenager, talking away and needing to be reminded it's class time! The school had their annual volleyball tournament, and the Unified class had 20 people on their team, playing the staff side of 6. Apparently, it was some kind of adapted ball, and no one on the staff side knew how to hit it…..there were a lot of laughs and fun being had! They are so pleased with how the Unified trial is going that they are already talking about expanding to Music and getting it into other schools in the district. 

What prompted you to look into going beyond sight words to teach Maggie to read?

It was during Covid, and the content/curriculum for Distance Learning was just not there. I started looking around online for reading programs and stumbled on Raising Robust Readers. This whole thing was such a game-changer for us. Before Covid and this program, I would occasionally work with her, reviewing her worksheets that would come home from school (3rd grade at the time). Now however, we try to do focused study time daily (incorporating play). The "reading road" provided us a catalyst to set up goals (usually weekly), and it has never stopped. Our study time together and her learning to read were most definitely the silver lining of COVID!