
About
Would you like to see your son or daughter gain confidence and become a "happy reader"? Are you looking for someone who works at your child's pace, building a strong foundation for more advanced reading?
Children hold a special place in my heart, and I am committed to helping them flourish. I will work faithfully and consistently with your son or daughter as we experience one "Aha!" moment after another.
Born into a long line of teachers on my father's side, I discovered my passion for teaching through engaging with my Chinese students. Soon after I started, I earned my TESOL certificate.
From teaching English as a second language in China, via an online platform, I found my passion for teaching reading, and transitioned to a reading interventionist program. Currently, I have elementary and middle school students, and collaborate with more than 3,000 tutors.
In January 2021, I began working with students struggling with dyslexia and ADHD while learning the Barton Reading and Spelling System, one of the top programs noted for teaching students struggling with dyslexia. I wanted to learn more about dyslexia because several of my students had dyslexia and I found students affected by dyslexia were widely misunderstood and pigeon-holed.
One of my tutoring highlights has been working with an extremely shy student who hid behind a curtain for much of class; today, he sits at his desk out in the open: tall, confident and aware of his intelligence and exceptional talent. Students become the vision of who you see them to be.
In another situation, I had the pleasure of working with a bright 15-year-old student who needed help with fluency and comprehension. He had chosen a 400-page book for us to read in just six weeks. Initially, I tested his ability in fluency, vocabulary and comprehension to pinpoint his performance in all three areas; armed with the results, I developed a tool for comprehension he could use when reading. My student used what I had produced without any instructions. (I had intended to explain the aid in the following class.) In our third lesson, with just one week of having used the chart without directions, he raved about the effectiveness of this learning aid. As we read, in our third lesson, I could already see improved comprehension.
I am eager to meet your child and help them gain ground in their reading ability, developing within them an excitement about the world of reading!
I like meeting students where they are and working with them to reach their full potential. Helping them to see their progress is critical to building their confidence in their abilities. Along the way, I am intentional about pointing out how much they can do, not focusing on what they cannot do yet. It is said that a student will become who you say they are. That is why it is so important for them to see their advancement and their potential.
Photos and videos
Reviews
Anna P.
Leah B.
Jose R.
Craig J.
Malia H.
Ramona J.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
First, I email an intake questionnaire so I can learn more about the student, enabling me to respond to any parental concerns and obtaining any previous feedback from teacher(s).
Next, I set up a time to do a comprehensive QRI assessment. If the assessment shows any weak areas, I have additional assessments: phonemic awareness and phonics, vocabulary and spelling. I also have a dyslexia screener should the parents want me to test for dyslexia. While only a psychologist can diagnose dyslexia, I can say "According to the dyslexia screener, your child shows many tendencies of dyslexia" or "Your child isn't showing a propensity for dyslexia."
I drill down on the specific issue(s) above so I will have good data and solid feedback for the parents. Within 24 hours, I provide a thorough written report about the assessment for the parents.
Based on the results of the assessment(s), the parents' preferences and the parents' endorsement of my proposed educational plan, I put together a flexible strategy to help the student achieve the goals we set.