ABOUT TERESA MAY, Ph.D.
Teresa May, Ph.D., is the Co-founder and Executive Director of the Margaret Byrd Rawson
Institute. When she met Margaret, Teresa was a former Assistant Professor of Sociology at Hood
College and today an Adjunct Assistant Professor of Sociology at Shenandoah University, Lord
Fairfax Community College, and Northern Virginia Community College. For over ten years, she
headed a private school for dyslexic children. An author of ‘A Parent’s Journey’ appearing in
Why Kids Can’t Read: Challenging the Status Quo in Education. Recipient of the 2002
Maryland Woman of Achievement award for founding the ‘Parents Advocacy Group for
Educational Rights’ and her passionate support for children who learn differently. Serving on
numerous Maryland State Department of Education committees: “Maryland’s Reading First
Leadership Team,” “Reading Literacy Team,” and the “Task Force for Identifying Educational
Best Practices for Students at Risk for, or Identified with Reading and Writing Disabilities.”
Further, a founding member of the first Charter School in Frederick County, Maryland.
Teresa’s children began their education in the Frederick County, Maryland, public school system,
where her oldest son was still unable to read by the 4th grade. At that point, she left teaching in
higher education to head a small private school for dyslexic children that both her sons attended.
Today, her oldest son graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Environmental Technology and a
Master of Business Administration degree. Her youngest son completed a Bachelor of Arts
degree in Environmental Studies.
WELCOME FROM THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR
There is an expression that says, “What we do today ripples throughout time.” Margaret Byrd
Rawson’s life was dedicated to improving the lives of dyslexic children, their parents, and
teachers. Margaret embodied both the wisdom and knowledge of the science of education, with
the art and craft of teaching, particularly for those struggling to learn to read.
She was a true educational pioneer and leader who influenced education in the State of
Maryland, across the nation, and the world in her lifelong efforts to improve the quality of
education for all children. Margaret passed away at the age of 102, applying her knowledge,
wisdom, and teaching to all who crossed her path throughout her life. It isn’t easy to describe the
creative altruism that emerged from this one woman’s life efforts. She played the role of
educator, researcher, and sociologist – teaching the first course in ‘language reeducation’ for
teachers of dyslexic students. This wife and mother was co-founder of countless schools, author
of The Many Faces of Dyslexia and Dyslexia Over the Life Span, former president of the Orton
Dyslexia Society (International Dyslexia Association), and served on their board for many years.
In 1998, the International Dyslexia Association created the Margaret Byrd Rawson Lifetime
Achievement Award in her honor and referred to her as the organization’s heart; how true! In
2004, she was inducted into the Maryland Woman’s Hall of Fame.
Before Margaret passed away in November 2001, I established with her the Margaret Byrd
Rawson Institute, whose dedicated mission is to educate students, parents, and teachers. Her
dream has come true in the unfolding of her Institute. May her life’s efforts live on in service to
children, parents, and teachers globally. May the stone she has cast forward ripple in good works
in all of us, serving children, particularly those who struggle to learn to read. Much work is
needed to bring about true equity in education. The future of our nation and the world depends
on our ability to create a literate and educated citizenry.
MBRI has evolved into an online Institute hosting ‘Literacy Access Projects’ designed to help
transform education by supporting students, parents, and teachers globally. Generous planning
grants help to bring this new vision to life. In 2016 we launched a TeleSummit, featuring some of
the most talented and innovative educational experts, many grounded in the Orton-Gillingham
philosophy. We also developed a Webinar series interviewing Orton Gillingham Fellows focused
on the essential elements of teaching reading, particularly for the dyslexic learner, and cultivating
the empowerment of the ‘whole’ child. These programs are accessible for free on our website,
where you can receive CEU credit with our partnership with Virginia Commonwealth University.
Currently, MBRI is working to create online lessons to help interested students with dyslexia,
their parents, and teachers learn the best practices to crack the reading code.
Finally, we are collecting Literacy Stories, Teaching Tips, and Stories about Margaret, so please
share your experience with us and help inspire others. We post submission contests occasionally,
so please pass our website link on to your family, friends, and coworkers.
Please make sure to do the following:
- Please provide us with your email address to update you on all MBRI activities.
- Make an online tax-deductible donation to support MBRI's exciting online efforts.
- Share your ideas and suggestions for speakers and topics that will be of value to students, parents, and teachers in the future. Please email or call us anytime!
The 13th-century Persian poet Rumi once wrote, “Out beyond ideas of wrongdoing and
right-doing, there is a field. I’ll meet you there.” The internet offers a perfect ‘field’ to build a
global educational community where we can discuss and highlight the best teaching practices for
the dyslexic learner helping all students to crack the reading code.
We invite you to join us, share your insights and experience, and honor Margaret’s lifelong
dedication and service to students, parents, and teachers everywhere!
Warmest Regards,
Teresa May, Ph.D.
Co-founder and Executive Director
Margaret Byrd Rawson Institute