About
***Fully COVID vaccinated and ready to work safely with your student***
Integration is the cornerstone of my practice. Integration of reading and phonics techniques together with writing and print concepts to help students make connections and understand skills in a way that will generalize to the classroom. Integration of kinesthetic, tactile, auditory, and visual learning styles for a multi-modal approach that fosters retention of learned information. And brain-based integration strategies such as midline crossing, gross and fine motor imitation, and primitive reflex integration activities strengthen neural pathways so that all parts of the brain are speaking to each other for maximum student achievement.
I am willing to travel to you, but bear in mind I can offer more equipment (scooterboard, peanut ball, etc.) for strengthening if you are willing to travel to me.
I work very hard to make sure my sessions are FUN! In a typical session with me, I will start with a gross motor warm-up to help the brain and body be fully engaged. We can work on physical skills such as hand strengthening, cross-body motor imitation, or heavy work and joint compressions to calm and prepare the body. We can work on reading a book at the child's level or we can move to writing about a topic of interest, or practicing letter formation in shaving cream or sand with new writers. I love to reward students with stickers or token boards or implement strategies to help them evaluate their own work to create a sense of momentum and forward progress. The smiles of kids, realizing that they really are super smart, keep me loving my job!
Reviews
Renessa T.
Lemann F.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
1. Clarify goals with parents/caregivers.
2. Collect baseline data for student performance.
3. Develop a plan with input from the parents.
4. Implement the plan through weekly sessions.
5. Collect additional data to assess progress.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
Bachelor's Degree in Writing, 2008, Houghton College
Bachelor's Degree in Occupational Science, 2016, SUNY University at Buffalo
Master's Degree in Occupational Therapy, 2016, SUNY University at Buffalo
Working for the past 5 years in Douglas County school district with a diverse caseload of students.
Additional formal training in handwriting intervention, primitive reflex integration training, visual perceptual skills training, developmental coordination disorder, dyslexia
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
For one hour, I would charge between $50-70 dollars. The lower end would include a shorter lesson of 45 minutes or a lesson where the student does not need to engage in physical/preparatory activities. The higher-end would include more time engaged in behavior management or more time spent in physical/preparatory tasks such as midline crossing and motor imitation for brain integration or primitive reflex integration therapy.
How did you get started teaching?
I started working with adults with disabilities as a job coach. I loved the teaching aspect of working with people, breaking down a task into parts, and breaking down those parts even more to help people be successful. Seeing your students, young and old, make growth and feel that sense of pride is amazing!
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with special needs and general education students. I have worked with cognitively typically and intellectually disabled or neurodivergent students. I primarily work with elementary-aged students. We work on an integrated approach to reading and writing, where students can begin to improve their physical skills for writing by writing on a topic of interest. I love working with kindergarten, first, and second grade students so that we have the best chance to work on whatever needs improving before it becomes an ingrained pattern.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
When we discuss student progress, I always make sure to tell the student about the discussion we had in language they understand. "Your teachers have been telling me how great you've been doing, you used to have trouble remembering letter names, and now you're reading words. We're so proud of you!" Seeing the smile on their face as they realize that they are making progress is priceless.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
I think brain-based practices are really important to build connections to help the brain be ready for learning. I don't like to spend too much time doing "sit and get" activities like worksheets. Look for someone who gets you moving!
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
What do I want to get better at?
How will I know if I'm making progress?
What does success look like for me?