About
I was an elementary school teacher for many years. I stopped teaching to raise my kids but they are now in college and I love working with children again. I especially enjoy teaching kids how to read! It is so exciting to watch them beam with pride as they become readers! I play lots of fun reading/phonics games which keeps the kids interested.
I adore working with children and teaching them to be more fluent readers. It's the greatest joy to watch a child learn to read for pleasure. It is such a wonderful gift that you can use for your entire life. You don't need anyone else to do it and it's very entertaining.
I have been teaching kids to read since 1995, first with my first and second grade students and later with my own children. I used to teach first grade at Sandy Spring Friends School in Sandy Spring, MD and then later I taught second grade at Packer Collegiate in Brooklyn Heights, New York.
I have my Masters in Elementary Education from Johns Hopkins.
Highlights
1 employee
5 years in business
Serves Monkton , MD
Payment methods
Cash, Venmo
Photos and videos
Reviews
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kathy M.
Missy is an excellent tutor! She started working with my son when he was 5, entering pre-K and unable to read. He is now 7, in the advanced reading class at school and an excellent speller. I see him using the tools she taught him to sound out new words daily. Her work gave him a lot of confidence. Her lessons are fun, fast-paced and involve games, which kept him focused throughout the lesson. Missy is also reliable and professional. Highly recommend.
December 13, 2023
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carolyn O.
My daughter was having difficulty with letter sounds and writing her letters. Missy was such a help! She also helped my daughter with her handwriting. The best part was that she enjoyed learning because Missy made it fun!
December 12, 2023
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I first go through the alphabet to see if the student knows his/her consonant and vowel letters and sounds. If they are confident with their sounds, I present them with consonant blends and digraphs. I also present them with short and long vowel combinations to see if the child can differentiate the two. I play a variety of games to do my assessments and to introduce and enforce new concepts. I also use many different books and children’s scripts to work on fluency. My students enjoy our time together while they learn to be strong readers.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I was certified in Elementary Education in 1991 and then got my masters in education from Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, Maryland. I then taught first grade at Sandy Spring Friends School in Sandy spring, Maryland. When I had my children, I took a little break from teaching. However, I missed working with children tremendously. Therefore, I began teaching first grade again at Boys Latin in Baltimore, Maryland. A few years later, I began tutoring students who were having difficulties with a variety of skills including, phonics, sight vocabulary, handwriting, fluency, sentence structure etc.
I absolutely love working one one one with students. It allows me to create lessons that are highly customized to meet each student where they are.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
I charge $75 for a 45 minute session or $100 for an hour.
How did you get started teaching?
I have always known I wanted to work with children. Even as a young child, I would ask all of my neighbors if I could babysit for their younger children. Working in a preschool for my senior project further added to my enthusiasm for teaching and guiding young children. Their innocence and eagerness to succeed allows them to see progress almost immediately. It is so rewarding to witness their proud smiles as they begin to strengthen their reading and writing skills.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with a variety of children. Some have ADHD while others have difficulties with processing speed, fine motor skills, memorizing, pronunciation, and/or fluency. I adjust my lessons to fit each child’s abilities and needs.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I had a student a few years ago that was adamant about not wanting to read. This child refused to look at books and had no interest in learning. I then introduced one of my reading games which consisted of a magnetic fishing rod. The child was asked to find a certain letter on a fish which was mixed in with a variety of other little magnetic fish. When my student used his magnetic rod to pick up the correct fish, he was thrilled! He was so excited about trying to win the game, he wanted to play it over and over again! Therefore, for a few months , all we did during our sessions were play different kinds of reading and writing games and activities. This child had no idea he was learning to read and beamed with pride when we finally got out one of my books and discovered that he knew most of the words in the book!! Seeing his excitement was incredibly rewarding.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
I feel it’s extremely important for a teacher to meet the child where he/she is. An educator must be flexible in his/her plans because every child learns differently and at their own pace. A teacher’s lesson plans must be loose to allow for necessary adjustment to fit the student’s learning style.
Services offered
Literature
Reading And Writing Tutoring