Becky Gordon, Founder Of Creative Language Arts

Music has always been a part of my life. My family’s roots are deeply planted in gospel music. One of my grandfathers was a Baptist preacher, and the other, a gospel songwriter. So, as young girl growing up in rural East Texas it isn’t surprising that I began singing in church. I loved music from the start, but when I began piano lessons at an early age, I must admit that I found practicing tedious. I much preferred playing by ear to actually reading the notes. It was at least a year before my piano instructor realized that I was cheating by listening to her play, and duplicating what I heard rather than reading the notes on the page. Thus began my adventures with music.

I graduated from Southwest High School in the ‘big city’ of Fort Worth after my father was transferred from East Texas. My high school had an amazing music department and I sang in the choir, and performed in a number of musicals, as well as continuing to sing in church. After high school I graduated from Texas Wesleyan University with a Bachelor of Arts degree in elementary education and music and began teaching music in the Fort Worth Independent School District. After two years as an elementary music teacher, I married and was offered a job at Wesleyan supervising student teachers. I finished up my masters degree at Wesleyan and found that I missed working with children. I sought employment in Arlington, where my husband, son and I then lived, and have worked here ever since.

I began teaching fifth grade in Arlington. I enjoyed working with fifth graders, but after several years, I was given the opportunity to teach English language learners in a pullout ESL program at our school. I have come to believe that this is my destiny. I have found ways to incorporate my creativity in everyday language lessons. Since the kinds of materials I thought my students needed weren’t readily available, I began making my own. I wrote songs, plays, and learning units that met my students’ needs. These materials have helped create exciting learning experiences and reduced stress levels for my most precious non English speakers. I call this my ‘no fears, no tears’ approach to language acquisition. I currently teach English as a Second Language, kindergarten through sixth grade, a great variety of levels, and a great variety of cultures, and I often say that I have the best job in the world. My students are so eager to learn, and using music and rhythm helps to make teaching and learning fun and meaningful. Isn’t that what education should be all about?

In the summer of 2005, my husband and I launched our company, Creative Language Arts. We offer a variety of fun language learning materials that are teacher tested and recommended. Our materials are designed to lower the stress of second language learning and as a result allow English to be acquired more quickly. My students will usually sing and chant with me even before they are quite ready to speak to me. Smiles, not tears is our goal, and so far, we are all smiles.

Mission

To make English language learning fun and meaningful with a variety of innovative educational materials.