Your Ideas Could Empower Early Readers

In this conversation, Amy Ingle interviews Lisa Vadola, founder of Preschool Readers, about her journey in early literacy education. Lisa shares her passion for helping preschoolers develop reading skills and the innovative programs she has created to support this mission. The discussion covers the transition to virtual learning during the pandemic, the importance of community engagement through initiatives like Little Free Libraries, and the misconceptions parents have about early reading. Lisa also reflects on her experiences with the United Nations and her future goals for expanding her programs globally. Throughout the conversation, she emphasizes the importance of keeping learning fun and engaging for young children.

Lisa Vodola: www.preschoolreaders.com

IG: @preschoolreaders

FB: @preschoolreaders

Titles

Empowering Young Readers: The Preschool Readers Journey

Innovative Approaches to Early Literacy

Sound bites

"We help preschoolers learn to read."

"What sets us apart is how we teach."

"We need to meet them in the sweet spot."

Takeaways

Lisa Vadola founded Preschool Readers to bridge the literacy gap for preschoolers.

The accelerated reading program helps children start kindergarten with confidence.

Initial assessments help determine readiness for reading programs.

Transitioning to virtual learning during COVID expanded their reach globally.

The unique teaching approach focuses on engagement and personalization.

Little Free Libraries promote community reading and engagement.

Parents often misunderstand the balance of early reading and play.

Building a community around early learning is a key achievement.

High energy and choice keep children engaged in lessons.

Success stories highlight the long-term impact of early literacy education.

Chapters

00:00 Introduction to Preschool Readers

00:54 The Journey of Founding Preschool Readers

01:49 Signature Programs and Unique Approaches

02:57 Transitioning to Virtual Learning

04:51 Innovative Teaching Methods in Early Literacy

06:27 Community Engagement through Little Free Libraries

06:55 Misconceptions About Early Reading

07:37 Building a Community of Learners

08:39 Keeping Children Engaged in Learning

09:36 Success Stories and Impact

10:27 Youthfulness in Leadership

11:42 Accreditation by the United Nations

13:46 Future Plans with the UN

15:09 Global Expansion of Programs

17:26 Rebranding and Instructional Framework

19:19 Future Goals and Aspirations

19:50 Advice for Young Entrepreneurs

22:00 The Importance of Passion in Business

23:07 Exciting Projects on the Horizon

25:06 Sweetest Tips for Success

26:47 Conclusion and Contact Information

Transcript

Amy Ingle (00:25)

Lisa Vodola is the founder of Preschool Readers, an innovative company dedicated to helping young children unlock the power of early literacy. With a passion for education and a background in early childhood development, Lisa has spent years developing strategies that make reading fun and accessible for preschoolers. Through Preschool Readers, she's empowered countless families and educators to nurture confident, capable readers from the very start.

Lisa's mission is to inspire a lifelong love of learning and give every child the head start they deserve. So Lisa, thank you for coming on today.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (00:59)

Thank you for having me. I'm so excited.

Amy Ingle (01:01)

Yes, yes. So I want to start out with some questions. First thing I wanted to ask, can you share the story behind founding preschool readers and what inspired you to start this journey?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (01:12)

Yes, so at preschoolers, we help preschoolers learn to read and we support the professionals who work with them. For years, I was a special needs kindergarten teacher, which I absolutely loved. I worked with students on the autism spectrum, Down syndrome students, nonverbal students. And I quickly came to realize that there was a disconnect between what they were learning in preschool, but expected to know at the start of kindergarten.

And it really led me down the path of early literacy and creating a program where preschoolers could start school, start kindergarten with a nice strong head start.

Amy Ingle (01:46)

Nice. Okay, great.

Can you tell me about some of the signature programs you've developed at Preschool Readers and what makes them unique?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (01:53)

Yes, so our ⁓ we have an accelerated reading program. So not all preschoolers are ready to read, but for those who are, this is a nice accelerated program that gives them the confidence, the early reading skills to start kindergarten ahead, kind of ahead of the curve, because nowadays kindergarten is not what it used to be when I was in school half a day. And now it's full day and just so much more. They're expected to know so much more. So our accelerated reading program.

really give students that nice strong head start going into kindergarten.

Amy Ingle (02:24)

Great. What about those that aren't ahead?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (02:25)

⁓ you know, and what I should say is we do an initial assessment for those to find out if they are ready. And if they're not ready, we always just tell parents come back in like six months. We'll reassess them at no cost because at that age, they they learn and grow so quickly that just six months later they could be ready for reading. But we what we tell them is to practice the early, you know, those foundational skills of letters, letter sounds, practice those things at home.

Amy Ingle (02:51)

Okay, all right. So what was the process like in designing and launching your flagship program? Any challenges or surprises along the way?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (02:58)

I am so grateful to say that it has been a complete joy. I think you know that I am absolutely passionate about what I do and I feel so blessed to be able to do something that I love. And I don't think there's been really, I don't know if it's just my positive attitude, but I don't think there's been anything that's been that difficult. I think it's just been learning and growing and that's just my favorite part. I mean, maybe one difficult part could have been COVID, right, for a lot of us, but I turned.

our in-home reading program, I added the virtual component. And so now that's just a permanent model of the business. And it's been great because now we can work with students all over the US and all over the world, actually. But I wouldn't say that there's been anything that's been like a huge, I don't know, problem. What was the question? Sorry, I just kind of messed that up. Sorry. Yeah.

Amy Ingle (03:43)

Yeah. Yeah. Well, how did you go from like one-on-one in person to

online? I know that, you know, during COVID, it really changed things for a lot of businesses. I know it did for Sweet Spot and for my Madi Spas. So like, how did you come up with that concept and how did you dive into that?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (03:56)

Yeah. Yep.

Yeah, so actually I was so hesitant to go virtual, right? Because we work with three, four and five year olds and I thought they shouldn't be learning online. They're so little, they should be playing. But then I thought, well, I have to go with the times, right? So I had to think about how to make it engaging and active and hands on and virtual, you know, with the virtual sessions. And so I almost just, I actually really enjoyed it because I just went full in and did a bunch of research.

on how to make it engaging and active and personalized virtually. so we just added different components to the virtual sessions and it just, it went, it's just going so well. Yeah.

Amy Ingle (04:41)

Right, okay

great. So what makes your approach to early literacy different than from traditional methods?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (04:47)

So we, there's a lot of reading programs. There's phonics programs, there's tutoring programs, but what I think really sets us apart is not so much what we teach, but how we teach it. We are really active. We're really inclusive in our instruction, really active, really engaging, and we really personalize our sessions. So I think the how is what really sets us apart. ⁓ Also, all the teachers have at least their master's degree in education. So that's a big, a big plus because they come with a lot of experience.

Amy Ingle (05:13)

Yeah, that's

right. Now I was reading on your website that you started a mini library. Tell me about that.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (05:20)

Yes, yes.

The Little Free Library. Actually, we started that in Tampa at a local park. we, oh my gosh, that's so much fun. we, if you bring a book and you leave, you leave a book and then you take a book, right? So it's for the community. And then we also had free story times at the Little Free Library. So we would hire like the local princess company would come and they would dress up as let's say Cinderella and read a Cinderella story. And then all the kids came dressed up as Cinderella.

So really helped to build a community in the park, just of reading and getting together and enjoying stories and books and dressing up with Q.

Amy Ingle (05:54)

Now,

if someone's listening and they're interested in starting like a chapter in their community, do you help communities do that? Yes.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (06:02)

The Little Free Library?

You know, actually, I haven't really helped anybody. I actually know my parents have a Little Free Library for adults and then kids, but I haven't actually helped anybody start it. think the website offers a lot about that, about the Little Free Library. I think it's just littlefreelibrary.org or com, and that's where I learned about it. Yeah.

Amy Ingle (06:19)

Mm-hmm.

Okay, so was this

a concept that you took from another place?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (06:29)

So it's

already out there, Little Free Libraries are already out there, and most people do them in front of their homes. But I thought, why not take it to the community and bring one to the community? And that's kind of where that came from. Yeah.

Amy Ingle (06:35)

Okay.

Okay. Okay.

So what are some misconceptions parents have about early reading?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (06:47)

I think there's like the two sides that starting or starting too early is not a good idea because they should be playing and then some that just pushed too hard from the beginning. And I think we need to meet them in the sweet spot in the middle ⁓ because I think that if you're making learning joyful and playful and fun, then then we should be introducing it earlier on because like I said, the standards have increased so much that

Amy Ingle (07:01)

nice wording.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (07:14)

If we can do it early, let's do it earlier and just make it playful. So meeting parents in the middle, yeah.

Amy Ingle (07:18)

Okay.

Yeah, yeah, I see. So looking back on your journey with preschool readers, what would you say are your proudest achievements so far?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (07:28)

⁓ I love the community that I built with my teachers who I love, my students, my families. I think just building a community that really values early learning and more than just the learning, building the confidence and creating a love for overall learning, not just reading. I think that's probably my favorite thing. Did I answer that okay?

Amy Ingle (07:50)

Okay, nice, nice. Yeah, yeah,

no, that's great. No, I love it. So how do you keep young children engaged and motivated during reading lessons? I wanna know how you do this in person and how you do it online.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (07:54)

Okay, okay, sorry. Okay.

Yes. Oh my goodness. lot of.

Yeah, so most all of it is I'm very enthusiastic and as you know from seeing me, I have a lot of energy. I know I have a lot of energy. I think I when I hire I'm very specific about who I hire. I want very high energy. I want happy. I think just keeping keeping kids moving is really important and I think the.

Amy Ingle (08:10)

I can, you are always, every time I see you.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (08:27)

giving them choice in what they do is really, important and personalizing learning. So like I just worked with a student not that long ago online and I had a choice board, which is like just a board of pictures of Pikachu who he actually had on his shirt during the session. So it was awesome. So he loved Pikachu and he picked one of the pictures of Pikachu and behind it.

It said what we were going to do. So it was either going to say, read a story, complete a worksheet, play a game. So he picked Pikachu. And what was hiding behind that was our next activity. I think keeping the sessions personalized, offering a lot of choice, and keeping it high energy and active is what keeps three and four and five-year-olds enjoying the session.

Amy Ingle (09:10)

Yeah, yeah, I could see that. That's probably

a lot of fun for them. They don't look at it as work, it's play. It sounds like it. Sounds like it. Can you share a success story from one of your programs that really captures the impact you're aiming for?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (09:15)

No, it's a lot of fun for us too. You know, yeah.

Yeah, so one that comes to mind is recently a parent reached out to me. Her son had just been accepted to the private high school of his choice. High school and she was thanking me who worked with her son when he was three. OK, three. She she thought enough to reach out to me to thank me for helping to build a strong enough foundation that he could get into the private high school of his choice. And that just made my day. We get a lot of.

Amy Ingle (09:33)

Okay?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (09:51)

comments and testimonials from families. I'm always honored when somebody comes back with their second or third or even fourth child to work with us. That's always a big deal. But hearing that, she thought of me at a moment when he was in high school. I hadn't seen him since he was three. That was a big moment for me. ⁓ yeah, any stories like that, which we get a lot, but that one was, I don't know, it's just.

Amy Ingle (10:07)

Yeah, that is... That is...

That time span made it more impressive. Yeah, that's really cool. That's cool. So you're often told you look younger than your age. Has that ever impacted how people perceive you as a business leader and entrepreneur?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (10:14)

So many years. Yeah, exactly. Yeah, exactly. Yeah. Yeah.

Thank you.

Well, first of all, thank you, Amy. ⁓ It's actually really beneficial. It hasn't impacted me in any negative way. I think in early childhood, having that useful, energetic, playful look and energy is really important. So actually, it's been really great in early childhood, I think, to have that younger look and energy about you.

Amy Ingle (10:29)

Never

Mm-hmm. Okay. Yeah, I've had to deal with that in the past before which it's a compliment, but it's frustrating so I can see where it just kind of depends on maybe what Career choice you choose as to if you're judged by your looks. Yeah, and when it comes to youthfulness

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (10:52)

Yeah.

Yeah.

The field maybe. Yeah, yeah. Yeah, yeah, no, early childhood,

early childhood, even the other day I was working with students I kept saying, I love your necklace. I love your hair. I love your ear. know, they're just so sweet. yeah, like you said, it depends on the career field. But in early childhood, I think it's a benefit.

Amy Ingle (11:20)

Yeah, yeah. Well, I've

been waiting for two weeks, I think, to hear all about your trip that you just went on. So if you could please let the listeners know, kind of from start to finish, this amazing trip that you went on and why. So if you could tell us the story, I'd love it.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (11:28)

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, so preschool years was accredited by the United Nations to attend the Beijing Declaration high level meeting in New York City. And so I mean, that was a huge process, right? We had to apply. They don't just accept any businesses. ⁓ They want to really make sure that your work aligns with their mission. And so our work in early literacy instruction and the work with with what we do with

professionals really resonated with them and what they're trying to do because the Beijing Declaration is for rights, the rights, advancing the rights of girls and women. So they look at the work that we're doing with in early literacy, which girls, and then what is the field of early literacy instruction? Teachers are mostly female. So, and we're working with teachers and training them. And so they, yeah, they accredited us, which felt like such an honor because so many of the businesses are nonprofit.

And so I attended the meeting in New York, which was just like a dream. It was amazing to be surrounded by so many important people. mean, it was all world leaders, government officials, and they were there to share the ways that their country was advancing the rights for girls and women, but also sharing the gaps and challenges that still exist. it was pretty amazing.

Amy Ingle (12:57)

Was this about the same time that Netanyahu and Trump were, okay, they were there.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (13:02)

Yes. So

I was there on Monday. They were all there. I think Trump was there the next day on Tuesday. And I almost went back for another meeting, but then I was held up at another meeting somewhere else. So I didn't get to make it. But yes, it was all the same week. security was insane getting in. ⁓ yeah. But that's I'm saying. It was pretty amazing to be in that environment, which is like just so many.

Amy Ingle (13:09)

Wow.

Wow.

I bet.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (13:29)

powerful decision makers, know, and to be a part of it. Yeah.

Amy Ingle (13:31)

Right, yes. So

did they introduce you as one of the acceptance?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (13:35)

no,

so basically what we did was we sat in and we listened. So I didn't get to speak or share or anything. We just sat, we sat in the main, ⁓ my goodness, what is it called? The main building that you see, or the main room that you see on the news that I cannot think of the word right now. You get to sit, yeah, but my goodness, it's like.

Amy Ingle (13:50)

Okay. Like auditorium. Is it like a?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (13:55)

Okay, anyway, you sit in the room and you hear them and you hear them all the world leaders speak about what's going on in their country. So that's what we got to do. if yes, and if you can't understand, and if you can't understand like the language that they're speaking, they believe these little earpieces that you can put in and it translates for you. So basically what we were hearing was what's going on in different countries to advance the rights for women and girls. Yeah. Yeah.

Amy Ingle (14:02)

wow, you could hear, you listened to all that.

Okay, wow, that's neat. What would you

say was most impressive when you were there? Besides the security.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (14:23)

I think just being in a room where, like you said, the next day the president was there and all these, just being in a room where so many important people have been and where so many important decisions and conversations are made and had, I think was just the most impressive part to me. And to be acknowledged by the UN for our work was a really big, I felt like that was a really big deal. I was very grateful for that, yeah.

Amy Ingle (14:40)

Mm-hmm. Yeah.

It is a big deal. You should

be so proud. It is a big deal. Wow. So tell me your next steps then with the United Nations. What is the next thing that you'll be doing with them?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (14:50)

Yeah, I'm grateful. Yeah.

⁓

so I don't know what I'll be doing next with the United Nations specifically. ⁓ I can look into getting preschool readers full time accredited. I think I'd have to be a nonprofit for that because I was accredited just to attend that specific meeting. So yeah, but there's some things that I'm definitely looking into to stay more involved because I like in the summer. I think you know I went to Italy to present in the summer before that I went to Thailand.

So I'm really enjoying this global connection with other educators and children. It's been really interesting and I'm just learning a lot that I can apply to preschool readers.

Amy Ingle (15:28)

Mm-hmm.

Right. So would

you say that your online program is now going to be useful for children across the world? Okay.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (15:44)

Yeah, yes, we

actually have worked with different students in different countries. But the biggest thing that we're focusing on, which I briefly mentioned, was that we're rebranding actually. And so I think this week or next week, or maybe by the time this airs, the new website will be live and there'll be two sections to the website. we'll have parents and educators, parents and caregivers, which will be our accelerated reading program will be offered there. But then we're also going to have educators and professionals.

And that's where the biggest thing that I've been most passionate about lately is my instructional framework. And that's where I said, that's what sets us apart. We have the reading instruction, that's the what we teach, but how we teach it is my instructional framework. So that is something that I've already started training teachers in the Philippines on, on how to use. And this is a, a, a instructional framework that can be used with any curriculum. So no matter what reading curriculum they're using, because like I said, that's what sets us apart, the how we teach.

⁓ So that's my biggest, you know, next thing that we're working on. And like you said, sorry. Yeah, I'm sorry to continue. And then on the educator and professional side, it'll be the framework, but it'll also be the accelerated reading program so that schools can then bring it into their schools, right? Because right now we do work with students. We have worked with students internationally on like the tutoring end of things, but this will be they can now incorporate

Amy Ingle (16:43)

nice, you're such a busybody. Say what?

nice.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (17:05)

the reading program into their school, their classroom. Yeah.

Amy Ingle (17:08)

Okay, all

right. And how are you going to launch that with school systems?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (17:13)

Yes,

so so preschools aren't really part of the overall school systems because school systems are usually K through 12, right? So it's really just making those connections, attending things like I have in the conferences that I've gone to in the United Nations and meeting people through these different networking events to share to share the program and then you know meet business.

meet preschool owners that way because usually in preschool they're independent owners. They're not part of the big school, which makes it little easier to get into. think, you know, you don't have the whole. Yeah. Yeah.

Amy Ingle (17:47)

Okay, so more private is easier Mm-hmm. Okay. All right

So I was wondering if you are going global. Are you going to be? hiring teachers that can also teach other languages or is this just going to be English reading

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (18:03)

Okay,

that is something you are thinking way ahead of me. That is like one of my goals down the line. Yes, because when you've got the bones of just early reading, it's pretty much the same. And I do a family in Germany that has talked about using it there, but really using the English version version there. But I do, I would love to, like you're saying one day, have it translated into early reading for different languages, not just early reading.

for English learners in other countries, right? Because that's kind of, already do that. ⁓ But yes, that is, that is, I have lots of goals. That is one of them. Yep. In different countries, yeah. ⁓

Amy Ingle (18:37)

Mm-hmm.

Lots of goals. And I'm just thinking, I'm like, yes, and what about all like the military bases? Yeah, you could really put it in their preschools

there. That would be very helpful because they have limited resources abroad. ⁓ I'm thinking with you. This is exciting.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (18:52)

Yep.

Mm-hmm.

I know, I believe me,

it's like, have so many ideas at some time. I'm sure you're like this too. You have to just like calm yourself in like one step at a time.

Amy Ingle (19:04)

Yes. Do you ever wake up

at like three in the morning and you're like, shut the brain off, shut the brain off.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (19:08)

Yes,

yes. No, sometimes I don't go to bed till three in the morning. yes, because I'm up so late working on so many things. But that's why, again, I'm so grateful that I'm passionate about it, right? Because we're doing it every day. Yeah. Yeah.

Amy Ingle (19:12)

Well.

Yes, yes, you have to be passionate to be an entrepreneur

and to be successful, that is for sure. Okay, so I have some more questions for you. So what advice would you give to other young looking entrepreneurs who might face similar perceptions or challenges? Now, you said you really don't have challenges or perceptions that impact your business. However, if it did, how would you give advice since you are an entrepreneur?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (19:27)

Yeah.

Yeah.

Yeah, I would just say, yes, this hasn't happened to me in early childhood, but just know your stuff really. If you know what you're doing and you are like knowledgeable in your field, I don't know why you would be questioned too much. But again, I'm speaking from somebody in early childhood, very female dominated area. So I would just say.

Yeah, maybe be as knowledgeable as you can in your field and then. I don't know that's tricky. What would you say?

Amy Ingle (20:19)

would agree with you, you know, the more knowledge that you have and how you convey it will give respect and you can receive respect as well back. And I think that does help. I've always looked younger than you probably the same always looked younger than your age. I know like when I was little, I would talk and when I was like three, four, I would talk and my mom was an English teacher. So, you know, I said a lot of good gromical.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (20:20)

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm. Mm-hmm.

Yeah, you look amazing. ⁓

Amy Ingle (20:48)

words and phrases as I was little and people would just be astounded because I was so tiny. But as you get older, sometimes people don't take you seriously. You know, and when you're passionate like you are and like I am about our careers and we just are all get go and let's do this and let's start this, people look at you like you're crazy and you're just a dreamer. You have to prove yourself for sure.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (20:48)

Yeah. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Yeah, that is true. I

definitely have had people go, you're dreaming or that's just an idea. But I just, think just to just put your head down and keep going. Yeah. Yeah. And I think, yeah, and I do think now that I'm thinking about it, enthusiasm can be perceived as just happy and you don't really know what you're doing. Right? So, but.

Amy Ingle (21:18)

Mm-hmm, agreed. And you're gonna hit some walls for sure.

Yeah, I think you're right.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (21:31)

I just keep, as you know, I'm getting my doctorate, so I'm still in school. I'm in my third year. So I just keep trying to add to what I know. And I think that helps me underneath that I know that I know what I'm doing. the things that I don't know, I try to keep learning, or I'm always learning, always researching. But you're right, I didn't think about even just sometimes being too happy. People can look at that as that you're just happy and you don't really know what you're doing. Yeah.

Amy Ingle (21:43)

Mm-hmm.

Mm-hmm.

Right, yeah, you're just flying by the seat of your pants.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (21:59)

Yeah.

Amy Ingle (21:59)

I've gotten that before. Yeah, yeah, I've heard all kinds of different remarks back ⁓ over the years. So now we can be like, told you so, right? Told you so.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (22:05)

Yeah.

Yeah, look at us. Yeah, I'm

so proud of seeing everything you've done. It's amazing. Yeah. Yeah. So is it. I know both of us, feel like. Yeah.

Amy Ingle (22:13)

⁓ thank you. And same back to you. Yeah, you've like grown so much since I've seen you know, since I first met you. Yeah,

we really flourished. I think just surrounding yourself with other mind like people really does help. Really does help. So thank you for your friendship. I do have a question. I know you talked about some of the things that you have planned going forward.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (22:27)

Yeah, yes. Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah.

Amy Ingle (22:39)

But if you could share any other exciting projects or expansions that you have on the horizon, that'd be great.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (22:44)

Yes. So the biggest thing I'm looking forward to is hopefully finally getting my doctorate. So I mentioned I'm in my third year. So I'm doing a lot of research, a lot of writing, which has been amazing for the business because I'm just learning and applying so much. So that is something that I'm looking forward to hopefully working to finishing, I should say. The other thing is rebranding. that

website relaunch and then getting my instructional framework, is probably my biggest passion at this point out there, is really what I'm focused on right now.

Amy Ingle (23:17)

Okay, so you may not know this, but I'm going to ask what are you planning your thesis on?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (23:20)

Yeah. Yeah.

Or inclusive instruction, so I'm actually going to probably align it with my instructional framework, so maybe implement it in somewhere and study it to see. You know, like I'm doing a lot of informal observations and I see that it works. I see that our students love our lessons. I see that the teachers love it because it's engaging and fun, but to actually really study it and get data on it would be interesting. So that's.

That's where I want to take, which is great, right? Because I'm taking what I'm already passionate about, and I'm already doing every day, and now I'm going to be able to study it. So I'm not at that stage yet, and I don't exactly know what the research question will be, but it will be along the lines of evaluating how effective it is.

Amy Ingle (24:08)

Yes, that'll be great

because once you get that completed, that will help also with marketing to other. Yeah, it'll be great because you'll say, have data on my own program. That is, that's really cool.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (24:11)

yeah. Marketing, yes, exactly, yeah. Yeah. Yeah, and so

like I said, like right now I have testimonials and I have student feedback and observations. I know it works right, but to get the hard data would be great, like you said for marketing and for selling to districts and things like that. Yeah.

Amy Ingle (24:29)

Mm-hmm. Yeah, that's cool. So what

is your sweetest tip of the day?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (24:36)

Okay, so my sweetest tip of the day would be just to have fun doing whatever you're doing because even when I hire my teachers and they're sometimes they'll be nervous like I don't know why they'll be worried that they're going to mess up a session with a student. I'm like if you have fun, just you have fun. They'll have fun because it's contagious and I really think that's why. I just enjoy what I'm doing because I'm just it's just fun for me. I love learning. I love growing. I love I love working with the kids.

And so I think that would be my tip just to have fun. And I feel like you have fun doing what you're doing, right? Every time I see you, yeah. So that would be my tip, yeah.

Amy Ingle (25:10)

I do, yes, yes,

I do, I do, yeah. There's stressful moments with any career, with any business that you own, but the overall, yes, I have fun and I think that's really important, as you say. It is important to be able to go to work and not look at it as a job, but as part of your life and you enjoy it.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (25:16)

They're stressful moments, right?

Mm.

Yeah. Yeah.

Yeah.

Well,

yeah, and sometimes that will ever since I started teaching a bazillion years ago, I remember calling my family and saying, I can't believe I get paid for this because I just enjoyed it so much. do. just think I know. And I know. And it's not like we got we were paid a lot in education, that's for sure. But ⁓ but when I was teaching, I just remember thinking like this is so it's just so fun to be around the children and their energy is contagious.

Amy Ingle (25:44)

Don't say that too loud. People will stop paying you.

Yeah.

Mm-hmm.

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (25:59)

And so

if I just try not to take it too seriously, I mean, it is important as early childhood, but I think if we're having fun, then they're having fun. And that's what we really want kids to enjoy learning overall. Yeah.

Amy Ingle (26:12)

Mm-hmm. Yeah,

and it's a good foundation to start out with. So you're starting with the littles and then as you see when they turn older and into high school, their parents are thanking you and sending you thank yous and emails and text messages. I think that's amazing. you're really making an impact. That's great. OK. Yes, yes. So how can listeners get in touch with you?

Lisa Vodola, Preschool Readers (26:15)

Yeah.

Yeah.

Doing well.

Yeah.

Yeah, yeah, that definitely made my day. Yeah, we hope that that's our goal. Yeah.

So they can reach out through our website, which is PreschoolReaders.com.