Reading Tutor

I always begin by talking with the parent about their child's needs.  A parent, after all, knows their child best, and is their first teacher.  Parents also know what underlying feelings their children have about reading and writing, which plays a large role.  Then, I assess the student.  This will mean listening to them read, noting the reading behaviors they exhibit (and don't exhibit), how they solve words, their fluency, etc.  Then I'll ask them some comprehension questions of various levels to get a more overall picture.  From there, I'll know what further assessments might be needed, such as phonics and/or spelling.  When I have as full a picture as possible, I can formulate a plan and set goals--both are shared with the student and the parent.  

From there, it's a constant loop of assess, decide, teach as we move toward goals and set new ones as progress is made.  

I was a classroom teacher for 15 years:  K, 1, 2, and 4.  After that, I was a reading specialist/interventionist for 4 years in a K-5 school, where I worked individually and in small groups with students on very targeted goals to help them achieve confidence and success in the classroom.   And now, I'm in my 2nd year as a literacy coach, where I work with teachers in helping them improve their literacy instruction. 

In addition, I have a master's degree in K-12 literacy, and am a licensed reading specialist.  I have a Master Teacher certificate from Ohio, where I taught for 7 years.  I have extensive training from Teacher's College Reading and Writing Project, and have attended countless literacy conferences and trainings over the past two decades.  My work as both an interventionist and as a coach require that I am well-versed in the most current best practices in literacy instruction, and I pride myself on the knowledge and skills that I have grown in my long career.   

I charge $30 per session for online tutoring, $40 for in-person, to account for travel time and cost.  Sessions are typically 30-45 minutes, which is the max that most children can handle.  Instruction is intense, so a lot is packed into each session.  This fee includes my outside assessment analysis, goal-setting, and lesson planning/preparation.  

I knew from the start that I wanted to be a teacher.  I was one of those kids who had a classroom full of stuffed animals that I loved to teach.  :)  Then, in high school, I taught Sunday school and fell in love.  There was no turning back, and I'd choose this path all over again.  

I began my career in a suburb of Milwaukee, WI, then moved to a smaller town further from the city and taught in a rural K-8 school for several years before moving all the way to NC for my husband's job.  I taught in a brand new school there for 4 years where I got a lot of my high-level literacy training.  We then moved to Ohio for about 7 years, where I continued to teach and learn.  We couldn't take the cold weather anymore, and moved back to NC, where we are staying put!  We are right on the NC/SC border, so I'm actually teaching (well, coaching) in SC in a fantastic, top-rated district.  This is where I'll stay until I retire.  

ALL of them.  I've worked with students across all socioeconomic realms, in small, rural schools, and in large urban schools.  About half my career has been in affluent schools and half in Title 1 schools.  I've worked with students who are just learning English, autistic students, students who qualify for gifted and talented education, and every kind of student in between.  

Know that sometimes the work will seem hard, but that's because your tutor knows you can do it.  It's our job to push you to your highest potential, and we are there every step of the way to help you!

I would honestly say any questions at all that you might have!  The teachers you work with should be open, honest, and transparent, so no question is off-limits.  Think about time, the kind of work you'll be doing, what materials you will need to have on hand.