Jean Osman, age 90, died on May 17th in Rochester, MN. Jean was an instructor in Education at Carleton from 1975–1986. She returned as a tutor and tester in the Learning Center from 2000–2002.
Jean was a trailblazer for state and national organizations that work for students with dyslexia. She co-founded the Reading Center/Dyslexia Institute of Minnesota in about 1956 and later became its Executive Director. She especially trained teachers and tutored students using the Orton-Gillingham approach. Jean remained engaged with this work even into this year.
A more complete description of her work can be found at The Reading Center’s site.
Comments
What to say about Jean, a Humanitarian, Defender of Dyslexics and trainer of teachers and tutors. More than that a Friend. She has a command of language of very few people I have known. Her knowledge of Orton-Gillingham Philosophy of teaching allowed her to meet the many needs of many dyslexics and many teachers. Myself, I am an adult dyslexic, with two masters degrees, one in Counseling. Although I was never tutored by Jean, I wish I was, I did take many of Jean's Workshops and some of her practicums, where I found a love for the language and she helped to fill in the pieces I had missed. I was also lucky that she stayed with my Mom Betty and My Dad Sam at our house during some of her practicum workshops and got to know Jean as a person. Thank you Jean. You will be missed! -Charlie Sheffield, BA, M.ED, MA, Cincinnati OH