I love the vibrant, exciting nature of my work! In my practice, students feel nurtured and understood and are met at their unique levels in order to become open to learning. When students walk into my office, it is my job to connect with them as quickly as I can. They learn that I am on their side, that I understand their struggles, and that we have fun while we learn. This connection opens up the opportunity for learning – it allows the “thinking brain” to be present. The remediation process is like building and filling a tool box which students use as they gain: phonemic awareness, word-attack skills, comprehension strategies, graph/motor skills, writing skills, higher-order cognition, and organizational and memory strategies. As they start to exercise their brains, students learn age-appropriate self-monitoring techniques as they learn to “stop and think” and “use their tools.”
I use a multi-sensory approach for all my teachings and help build an emotional intelligence and language that students can use to deal with their challenges and strengths. In my experience, the more students know about their challenges and strengths, the more open they are to learning.
Additionally, I feel the more information parents, teachers and practitioners have, the more we can all address the needs of each student. As a former teacher, I am aware of what is expected in the classroom and how the Common Core Standards are increasing academic expectations for children. It is my job to help bridge the divide between where students’ skill levels reside and where they are expected to be in a way that is helpful for students and parents alike.
I am honored to work with each student and find that each individual offers so many opportunities for my own professional development. The dynamic nature of this type of work impassions me and my students. There is nothing better than watching language and a love of learning open up for a child or adult.