About Susan

 

Susan W. Owens was born in New Castle, Pennsylvania. She graduated from Slippery Rock University with degrees in Elementary Education and Special Education. She taught Educable Mentally Handicapped and Specific Learning Disabilities for fourteen years for Intermediate Unit 1V before moving to Sarasota, Florida
She taught Title 1 and regular classes for ten years at Fruitville Elementary in Sarasota before moving to North Port, Florida, in 1991. When her school became a Title 1 school, her principal requested that she design and implement a program for at-risk students, which would meet their needs. She wrote and developed the PEARL PROGRAM. Many educators visited that program and over and over again requested that she write a book describing her many unique and fascinating methods. She published her book in 2001 and spent the next twelve years speaking at state conferences and conducting workshops for parents and teachers.
She also accepted an adjunct professor position at State College of Florida, Venice Campus, and taught courses in Diverse Populations and Introduction to Special Education.
In 2007 she was invited to Oxford University to present her research on DOMINANCE: A KEY FACTOR IN LITERACY ACQUISITION. After her presentation, many participants called her the “BRAIN LADY’ and stated she should go on Oprah and share her startling research. That opportunity never came, however.
Susan retired in May 2007 and worked that year as an inclusion specialist at State College of Florida in Bradenton with preschool programs.
In 2009 Susan accepted a position with a charter school in Sarasota as Title I consultant.
After forty years of working with children, Susan is still passionate about trying to change the culture of education for atypical learners. She continues to believe we should add an extra year at the beginning of school, so fewer children fail first grade. That would be a year to play, grow, and learn to love school for those children who are not ready for academics. She also firmly believes all at-risk students in ninth grade should be given an opportunity for tech/trade education. An aptitude test would be administered to determine what they are good at doing for a change. Every child would graduate certified in a specific skill or area of expertise. Any child who graduates not ready for college or ready for work is likely to suffer significantly due to a lack of opportunity and hope. All children deserve an education that is tailored to their learning style.