Today we’d like to introduce you to Asha Wesley.
Alright, so thank you so much for sharing your story and insight with our readers. To kick things off, can you tell us a bit about how you got started?
I grew up in a corner home in South Memphis, Tennessee, surrounded by my grandmother, my aunt, and my mother. My grandmother worked for the Memphis Literacy Council, and I spent countless days watching her tutor, then turning around and played “teacher” myself once her sessions ended. In elementary school, my favorite past time was journaling. I loved to create stories, draw pictures, and put on plays for my family. Creativity was my outlet as a child, and it still is today. I never imagined I would become a kindergarten teacher…let alone receiving numerous awards and opportunities simply from being in the classroom. But once I stepped into education, I saw it clearly. There was a major gap, and it started in kindergarten. I couldn’t ignore it. I wanted to create something more than just worksheets. I wanted a keepsake, something families could hold onto, something that would truly prepare their children and build confidence before they ever stepped into a classroom. Something tangible, that in this digital world, you could find this resource in a time capsule and remember your years learning the foundation that set you up for academic success.
I never set out to become a teacher, but looking back now, I realize it was already in me. From the green chalk board I used to write on at the Memphis Literacy Council to my late mother’s creative vision, teaching wasn’t something I chose, it was something that was quietly being built in me all along.
I attended LeMoyne-Owen College in 2009, where I graduated with a Bachelor’s in English. In 2013, I enrolled at the University of Pacific in Stockton, California where I received my Master’s of Education in Curriculum and Instruction. While receiving my Master’s, I was under the mentorship of Diana Puccio through the Aspire Teacher Residency program teaching first grade. I always had a love for children, but I didn’t know how to teach them (lol). I must credit Diana for giving me the tools through her mentorship coupled with my “kid-watching’ abilities. Diana centered her teaching around the whole child and differentiating instruction while providing key strategies during instruction. I student taught at a school where 85% of the students were proficient at reading. When I graduated and was hired to teach Kindergarten in Memphis, I quickly learned that every child did not have an intrinsic motivation for reading; most of my students had never picked up a book.
I was flabbergasted! My class of kindergarteners, but most of them, had little to no exposure to an academic foundation. Using the curriculum provided by the school, along with my nurturing instincts as a new mother, I worked tirelessly to prepare my students for success. My dedication did not go unnoticed. In 2016, I was nominated to attend the “Teacher of the Year” White House event, and in 2019–2020, I was honored as Journey Coleman’s “Teacher of the Year.”
I was often asked, “What should my child know before starting Kindergarten?” My honest answer, especially during my first year of teaching, was “nothing at all.” The reality was that nearly 80% of my students entered Kindergarten without any foundational skills. Many didn’t recognize letters or connect sounds, and I quickly learned that this wasn’t unusual, because preschool is not mandatory. That experience revealed a gap, children were entering school unprepared, parents were unsure of how to support them, and teachers were left trying to bridge the difference. From that challenge, I created a resource designed to close this gap. My vision was to create a paced learning journal that fosters conceptual understanding of skills, rather than relying heavily on rote memorization. I wanted memory book features, anchor charts, and worksheets into one interactive planner, something that engages and empowers children, guides parents, and supports teachers all at once.
I am a mother of two boys, and that alone fuels my drive. Over the years, I’ve explored different paths in entrepreneurship, from waitressing, to launching my own clothing brand, Flawless Apparel, to even investing in an 18-wheeler—all while continuing to teach. Those experiences came and went, but they all led me back to what I know best: education. They left me with a deep desire to give back using my knowledge and connection to the classroom. Now, as an intervention specialist, I see it every day; students without a strong reading foundation often fall into gaps that become harder and harder to close. Catching up feels overwhelming, and getting ahead can feel out of reach. That reality is what drives me—and it’s the reason I created The Kinder Korner, home of The Kindergarten Planner, the only workbook families need to confidently prepare their child for kindergarten.
We all face challenges, but looking back would you describe it as a relatively smooth road?
Is anything worth having ever smooth? Absolutely not.
I lost my mother on her birthday, October 30, 2024. She battled paranoid schizophrenia and colon cancer. During that time, I was balancing everything, being a mother, teaching kindergarten in inner-city Memphis, and caring for her (in my house) while trying to navigate and avoid her episodes. Not to mention, I lost my trucking business and moved out of my home. It was one of the hardest seasons of my life. After her passing, I was pushed out of the classroom. But even in that, there was purpose. I was given the opportunity to apply for an intervention specialist position at my current school, an opportunity that shifted everything for me and allowed me to have the energy to create the workbook that I dreamed of.
Appreciate you sharing that. What else should we know about what you do?
Currently, I serve as an intervention specialist at Journey Coleman, where I wear several hats. I support students in grades K–8, providing targeted reading intervention to address skill gaps and implement instructional strategies that help them become proficient readers.
I am known for having the longest work history at my school, with 12 years of service. I taught kindergarten for 11 years before transitioning into my role as an intervention specialist in my 12th year. One of my proudest accomplishments was becoming the first Teacher of the Year for my school’s organization. It was a bittersweet moment, as I had lost my grandmother just weeks before receiving the honor.
What truly sets me apart, though, is the joy I bring into the building each day. No matter what I may be going through, I show up with a smile. I believe deeply in being a safe space for my students, a place where they feel seen, supported, and cared for. Because the truth is, you never know what a child is facing outside of school… and I always want to be a bright spot in their day.
Is there anything else you’d like to share with our readers?
I am having a FREE community event April 25! I am launching my brand, The Kinder Korner, and my book, The Kindergarten Planner will be available for purchase. Summer is approaching and we have to get those kinder babies ready! 🙂
Pricing:
- 60.00 (on the website)
- 45.00 (at the event)
Contact Info:
- Website: https://www.thekinderkorner.com
