Legacy in Motion: Part 3

Tammy Bick
Apr 11
2 min read

Student Voices: What They Taught Me About Teaching

Student Voices: What They Taught Me About Teaching

Some of the most powerful lessons I’ve ever received didn’t come from a book, a training, or a mentor. They came from my students—young people who had spent years struggling with reading, and who trusted me enough to share what that journey felt like.

When I created The Alphabet System™, it was partly in response to a promise I made. But it was also in response to what I witnessed in their eyes: the hesitation when asked to read aloud, the quiet shame when they didn’t understand, the stories they told about being pulled into closets or whispered about during class. These weren’t just students—they were mirrors. They were reflections of a system that needed to change.

After working with them for two years, I asked each one to write a letter. “Tell me what helped,” I said. “Tell me what you wish your teachers had known.”

The answers were profound.

They wrote about the Vowel Circle. About Lexia. About chants and visuals and having the freedom to learn without fear of being wrong. They wrote about sitting in little rooms and coloring themselves blue to hide. They told the truth.

And that truth became part of the system.

Their voices taught me that shame is a heavier barrier than decoding. That reading is not just a skill—it’s a deeply personal act of self-belief. They reminded me that joy matters, that clarity matters, and that no amount of curriculum can replace what happens when a student feels safe.

Student reflections are not just “thank yous” or testimonials. They are sacred. They are guiding lights.

And in many ways, they are the reason The Alphabet System™ works.