Meet Nancy Ziehme
Nancy Ziehme first encountered Stevenson Learning Skills in her first-grade deaf education classroom, where all of her students had hearing impairments and no prior letter recognition knowledge. The transition from her junior high resource classroom, to first-grade deaf education was a significant change for Nancy. She was initially overwhelmed by the new expectations and the variety of reading programs she was asked to implement.
During this time, Nancy embraced the Stevenson Learning Skills program. Even though this curriculum didn’t align with traditional reading strategies she had used before, Nancy followed the lessons as outlined in the teacher manual. Within a few weeks, it became clear that the students were making remarkable progress, retaining information, and developing a strong preference for the Stevenson program. By the end of the school year, they were reading CVVC and CVCV words and had developed a love for discovering new vocabulary.
As the year progressed, Nancy reached out for additional support, calling the program’s 800 number to consult with Nancy Stevenson directly. With guidance, her students made even greater strides. This experience sparked a passion for sharing the program with other educators. Over the following years, Nancy, alongside a colleague, began conducting short introductory workshops for teachers across Texas. Encouraged by Nancy Stevenson and her son, William Stevenson, Nancy Ziehme eventually became a senior consultant and trainer for the Stevenson Learning Skills program.
Nancy has traveled extensively across the United States, meeting and working with teachers from all types of classrooms. Her experiences have included observing and demonstrating lessons in a wide variety of educational settings. Nancy remains deeply grateful to the districts and teachers who embraced the program and allowed her to contribute to their classrooms.
In addition to her work with Stevenson Learning Skills, Nancy has also tutored students individually and in small groups, achieving significant success with a wide range of learners. She even returned to teach junior high resource at a private school, where she implemented the Stevenson Reading program with students in grades 7-9. Starting with a group of students whose highest reading level was at the 2nd-grade level, all five students ended the year reading at or above the 7th-grade level!
Nancy Ziehme is deeply committed to transforming lives through the power of reading. The legacy of helping children become readers, especially through the groundbreaking work of Nancy Richardson Stevenson, is a constant source of inspiration for her. Nancy’s dedication to this mission has not only changed the lives of countless students but has also made a lasting impact on educators and classrooms across the nation.