About
If you are concerned about your child's progress in school, reading skills, or their confidence in their academic skills, perhaps the right connections aren't being made. As an Orton-Gillingham tutor with a Master's in Elementary education and 11 years of classroom teaching experience, connections are at the heart of everything I do. I first want to establish a personal connection with the student (and this can absolutely be done online!). Then, we will go about our work of building and strengthening connections in the brain using a variety of research-based, multi-sensory techniques. Each child's program is custom built for his or her individual needs. In a typical session you might see (depending on age) movement, colors used for specific reasons, bumpy textures, chants, rhymes, songs, objects used for association, and more. The most important thing you might see though, is a child who is gaining confidence as they discover that they CAN read and write well!
I love helping children gain confidence in themselves and succeed. My favorite part about teaching is the connections I make with them and the connections I help them make for themselves. For example, I love it when a student is working on something and says, "Hey! Mrs. Parham! That's exactly like what we were talking about yesterday. I get it now!" The child has made or strengthened a connection in the brain by seeing something in a new or different way. That connection is part of a massive network of connections that all come together to help us read and write! The process of a child learning to read and write is fascinating to me and I love every part of it.
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Sarah F.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I offer a free, no-obligation assessment and consultation. When I meet with the student, I assess a variety of skills including:
phonemic awareness, phonics, sight words, approximate reading level, spelling, fluency, writing, and comprehension.
I then create a plan and will meet with the parent to discuss my findings and a course of action for their child.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I am a licensed teacher with a Master's degree in Elementary Education and 11 years of experience teaching in the elementary classroom. I have also been tutoring 1:1 after school and during the summer for 11 years. I have completed comprehensive Orton-Gillingham training and use this multi-sensory method along with other tried and true techniques with my students.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
I offer a free assessment and consultation. My fee for tutoring sessions is $50 per hour paid monthly in advance.
How did you get started teaching?
I majored in Music Education during my undergraduate studies. During my student teaching I fell in love with elementary students. I did end up teaching music for one year before returning to school to get my Master's degree so I could teach core academic subjects. I have taught first and third grade, and I have always taught 1:1 in some way -- for over 10 years it was private flute lessons, but for the past 11 I have mainly tutored reading, writing, and math. I love it!
What types of students have you worked with?
I've worked wiht a WIDE range of ages and abilities. I've worked with 2-year-olds to seniors in high school. Being a classroom teacher, I've had students with learning disabilities, giftedness, ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, autism, anxiety/depression, developmental delays, and those that just need that extra bit of learning support to succeed. I get to work with everybody, no matter their ability or background. That's what I love about my job and why I chose to go into elementary teaching.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
1. Early intervention is key. If your child is struggling with reading, the sooner we can close the gap, the better. However, it is never too late to start!
2. If your child has dyslexia/dysgraphia or you suspect they might, explicit multi-sensory phonics instruction (Orton-Gillingham) is a MUST.
3. Read, read, read with your child. Their comprehension level is likely higher than their decoding level, so read to them and talk with them about the books you read together. Even as they get older, kids love being read to and it is a critical part of their literacy development.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
The teacher/tutor will likely ask about the history of the child's literacy development. Did they follow typical development patterns as far as talking? How are their expressive and receptive language skills at home? Do they like to read? Do they like being read to? How do they do in school? Have they had any tutoring or interventions? Do they receive special services at school? Is homework a struggle? What specifically do they struggle with on the homework?
The teacher/tutor will probably also ask about what your concerns and goals are. Though we are trained to assess and diagnose, nobody knows your child like you do. Speak up with what you see at home, and that will give the teacher a more complete picture.