My Approach to Literacy and Learning

I love the vibrant, dynamic, and exciting nature of my work! In my practice, students feel nurtured and understood and are met at their individual levels so they can become confident, engaged, and open to learning.

When students walk into my office, my first priority is to connect with them. I want them to know that I am on their side, that I understand their struggles, and that we can have fun while we learn. Building this connection creates a foundation of trust that makes learning possible. When students feel safe, understood, and supported, their thinking brains can engage more fully in the learning process.

The remediation process is like building and filling a toolbox—one that students can draw upon as they develop essential skills. Together, we work on phonemic awareness, handwriting and graphomotor skills, decoding and encoding (spelling), reading comprehension, vocabulary, written expression, higher-order thinking, and organizational and learning strategies. As students strengthen these skills, they also develop age-appropriate self-monitoring strategies. They learn to pause, reflect, and ask themselves: Am I using my tools? Have I stopped to think? What can I try next? These strategies help students become increasingly independent and effective learners.

I use a multisensory approach to instruction while helping students develop emotional intelligence and the language to understand and communicate about their individual strengths and challenges. In my experience, the more students understand how they learn, the more empowered and open to learning they become. Recognizing their strengths while developing strategies to address their challenges helps students build confidence, self-awareness, and greater ownership of their learning.

I also believe that the more information parents, teachers, and practitioners have, the better equipped we are to meet each student’s needs. As a former classroom teacher, I understand the expectations students face and the increasing academic demands placed on them. My role is to bridge the gap between a student’s current skill level and classroom demands by providing individualized, evidence-informed instruction and strategies that support both students and their families.

I feel honored to work with each student, and I find that every individual offers opportunities for my own continued learning and professional growth. The dynamic, collaborative nature of this work inspires both my students and me. There is nothing more rewarding than watching a child’s—or an adult’s—understanding of language unfold, confidence grow, and love of learning emerge.