LifeChanger of the Year Nominee Profile

Jennifer Forman was nominated by her friend, Verly Elie.

"With great pleasure, I nominate Ms. Jennifer Forman for the LifeChanger of the Year award. She is a gifted educator and leader who has impacted the lives of many students in her community," said Elie.
 
Ms. Forman began building her leadership skills in high school by serving as a Writing Center tutor. For one period a day, she worked with three students to help them become better writers. Many of these students did not pass the Maryland State Assessment the year before and lacked the literacy skills necessary to complete their daily coursework. As a result of her hard work, leadership, and dedication, all three students passed the state assessments at the end of the school year. Their grades in English improved from Ds and Es to Cs and Bs. Ms. Forman taught these students to be proficient writers, which gave them the confidence and skills to graduate and attend college. 

Ms. Forman has served as an educator for Montgomery County Public Schools for 23 years. During her first year of teaching, Ms. Forman had several students in her third-grade classroom who were still learning to read. She worked diligently to teach her students foundational reading skills using research-based interventions. Her hard work did not go unnoticed. One of her student's parents wrote her a note at the end of the year, saying, "Thank you for teaching my son to read. You have given him the best gift that will be with him forever."

Ms. Forman wanted to make an impact on a larger scale, so she obtained her Master's degree in Reading and received her Reading Specialist certification. Using a structured literacy approach, she uses research-based strategies and intervention programs to teach students to read. Ms. Forman is also an instructional leader. During the 2020-2021 school year, when schools were closed for COVID, she created professional development for teachers on how to use virtual tools to plan engaging and meaningful reading and writing lessons. This year, Ms. Forman led professional development sessions on the shift from teaching reading with a balanced literacy approach to a structured literacy approach. As the reading expert at her school, she helps teachers improve their craft, resulting in student achievement. 

Ms. Forman is also a leader outside of her school. For the past four summers, she has served as a facilitator for numerous reading and writing trainings where she instructed hundreds of MCPS elementary teachers. With her leadership and expertise, Ms. Forman provided her fellow educators with the knowledge, skills, and strategies to hone and improve their reading and writing instruction. As a result of her past success in this larger leadership role, she was invited to serve as a facilitator for a Structured Literacy course this summer. 

Ms. Forman's leadership and dedication have impacted many different communities throughout her life. You can often hear her say, "It is my job to teach students to read so that they have the skills necessary to follow their dreams and succeed in any career they choose."