About SelfTOT
SelfTOT was founded by Richard Easley in 1985. Dick Easley taught multiple subjects in a variety of settings throughout the Orange County, CA juvenile justice system for over 40 years. His students (typically boys ages 14-18) came to his classrooms with widely diverse life experiences and learning styles. Some had adequate high school academic skills; most however, were performing well below their chronologic ages and grade-levels. Easley created curricula across many subjects that allowed his non-traditional student population to integrate back into high school level work at an individual pace. Using an elaborate system of tape-recorded lesson plans, students in Easley's classes wore headphones and listened to cassette tape recordings and worked through lessons in English and reading, math, and science to effectively get "caught-up" to their grade level. When their legal obligations to the county and state were satisfied, they transitioned back to school performing at level, with many ultimately graduating or passing the GED. Some young men experienced what was in fact their first real chance to move past their legal/societal/academic setbacks and began making a positive contribution to society. Troubled young men were for the first time in their lives literate enough to begin the process of critical thinking and maturation. Of course, not all of Easley's students were successful, but his innovative, individual-centric teaching and learning approach was celebrated and emulated throughout the entire system. In 2003, Dick Easley was awarded the California Teacher of the Year Award for his lifetime achievements in educating and making a real difference in the lives of thousands of young men.
Richard Easley formally retired from teaching in 2005, but his pedagogic vision is the foundation of SelfTOT's success. Through constant refinements, improvements and technological advancements, Easley's self-paced, personalized learning programs are now available to anyone seeking to advance, sharpen and hone their academic skills. And now SelfTOT is extremely excited to add award-winning teacher and author MaryAnn Easley's (Richard's wife of over 30 years) prolific and celebrated works to our catalogue. MaryAnn's young-adult novels and vocabulary and grammar programs are available through the SelfTOT.com website and many others including Amazon.com, wildfirepress.com, and MaryAnnEasley.com.
In early 2009, Richard Easley asked his son, Shawn Easley, to join the company to help integrate the delivery method of SelfTOT 's catalogue into the 21st century (mainly to digitize the programs, record and edit new materials, and take the company onto the Web). Shawn Easley, like Dick and MaryAnn, is also a career educator and serves as SelfTOT's Vice-President, Operations; Dick Easley is now back t0 doing what he enjoys most, serving as SelfTOT's head writer and the company's Vice-President, Creative.