Teaching Style
At The Chicago Home Tutor we know that each child is a unique kaleidoscope of skills and we work to attune to your child’s needs by connecting with him or her and curiously listening and observing. We seek input from parents, teachers, speech-language pathologists, and other involved professionals to help us to see the world more clearly through your child’s eyes. Then, we send a compassionate expert equipped with an effective, scientifically supported program to remove the barriers to your student’s success. Understanding that we as teachers are lifelong learners who, like your student, function best with support, we monitor our progress and consult research and other professionals to ensure that we are providing the best services possible.
My Hobbies
Reading, Spanish, Dancing, Writing
| ADD/ADHD |
 This is one of my top subjects!
Proficiency: Expert
|
| At the Chicago Home Tutor, we have the skills to effectively teach your student with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD).
Our tutors have graduate degrees in education and psychology and years of experience working with students with ADHD in our classrooms and individually. Alongside our scientifically-supported teaching strategies, we use many different interventions that research has shown often help students with ADHD including executive functioning interventions, self- monitoring checklists, the MotivAider, Calm Classroom breathing exercises, on and off task self-monitoring and feedback, and much more. We design our program specifically for your student to work with him or her on inattentive and/or hyperactive behaviors, so that he or she can attend to and focus on our lessons and improve reading, mathematics, or writing skills. Additionally, we have an expert in Orton-Gillingham, and we have found that the multi-sensory strategies used in this method can help to engage and focus students that have struggled to learn to read with traditional methods.
As always, we are eager to coordinate our services with other professionals. Are you considering medication for your child or wondering if the current medication is making a difference? We can coordinate with your doctor to take data during our sessions to provide information on medication effectiveness. We can also collaborate with speech-language pathologists, occupational therapists, and teachers to work on generalization of goals across settings and make sure your child getting the maximum benefit possible from services. |
| Dyslexia |
Proficiency: Expert
|
| We have a certified Orton-Gillingham specialist. Orton-Gillingham is a multi-sensory reading intervention that “incorporates the three learning pathways, which are: auditory, kinesthetic, and visual. This approach is beneficial not only for students with dyslexia, but for all learners. It can be implemented in a large group setting as well as with individuals, small groups and at-risk populations” (continue learning about Orton-Gillingham on their website.) |
| Elementary Math |
Proficiency: Expert
|
| For our youngest students we ensure a solid understanding of early mathematics skills, which are an essential foundation to all later skills. We work on developing number sense, quantity discrimination, counting, and number identification. We begin with adding and subtracting with manipulatives and provide support so that parents know how to practice these skills between teaching sessions.
For elementary and middle school students, we follow the teaching sequence recommendations of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel. For all skills from addition to fractions, we teach the skill from multiple angles: computational fluency, ensuring concept comprehension with the use of drawings or mantipulatives, and application in word problems. We also teach children to be self-sufficient with interventions like Cover,Copy and Compare and Self-Monitoring Strategies. Finally, we will arrange a program for students to practice crucial math fluency facts each day, even on days they do not have tutoring. This will help to make these essentials foundations more fluent and automatic, so that math becomes more effortless and their confidence increases so they can move on to more complex operations. |
| Elementary Phonics |
Proficiency: Expert
|
| Before beginning reading instruction, we always begin with a thorough assessment to make our instruction targeted and efficient. This assessment includes early literacy skills (the building blocks of reading), fluency, and comprehension to help us determine where exactly your student needs extra help or enrichment. For more information on best practices in reading instruction and different ares of reading, see the report by the National Reading Panel.
For our early readers, we incorporate the Sound Partners Curriculum. The Sound Partners Curriculum has been proven by independent studies in the Department of Education's What Works Clearinghouse (http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/interventionreport.aspx?sid=475) to on average improve alphabetics by 21 percentile points, fluency by 19 percentile points, and comprehension by 21 percentile points.
We also utilize Orton-Gillingham which is a multi-sensory reading intervention that "incorporates the three learning pathways, which are: auditory, kinesthetic, and visual. This approach is beneficial not only for students with dyslexia, but for all learners. It can be implemented in a large group setting as well as with individuals, small groups and at-risk populations" (visit Orton-Gillingham website for more information). |
| Elementary Reading |
Proficiency: Expert
|
| Before beginning reading instruction, we always begin with a thorough assessment to make our instruction targeted and efficient. This assessment includes early literacy skills (the building blocks of reading), fluency, and comprehension to help us determine where exactly your student needs extra help or enrichment. For more information on best practices in reading instruction and different ares of reading, see the report by the National Reading Panel. For our early readers, we incorporate the Sound Partners Curriculum. The Sound Partners Curriculum has been proven by independent studies in the Department of Education's What Works Clearinghouse (http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/interventionreport.aspx?sid=475) to on average improve alphabetics by 21 percentile points, fluency by 19 percentile points, and comprehension by 21 percentile points. We also utilize Orton-Gillingham which is a multi-sensory reading intervention that "incorporates the three learning pathways, which are: auditory, kinesthetic, and visual. This approach is beneficial not only for students with dyslexia, but for all learners. It can be implemented in a large group setting as well as with individuals, small groups and at-risk populations" (visit Orton-Gillingham website for more information). For students who read accurately but struggle with fluency, we use the HELPS program, listening passage preview, repeated readings, and much more. Also, students who complete our Sound Partners program (described above), on average improve 19 percentile points in reading fluency. We always embed comprehension instruction into our activities to ensure that students are understanding what they read and developing higher level literacy skills such as determining the main idea, summarizing, and making inferences. Some students may need extra help directly in this area. For these students, we provide direct instruction in reading comprehension using research-supported methods such as Click or Clunk, QAR, Advanced Story Maps, Reciprocal Teaching, and much more! |
| Homework Help |
Proficiency: Expert
|
| Executive functioning encompasses many skills which are essential to thrive in school and beyond. Many students who struggle with working memory, sustained attention, planning/prioritization, organization, time management, flexibility, and goal-directed persistence could benefit from intervention or coaching in executive functioning.
Our school psychologist tutors are skilled in implementing interventions to help improve your child’s executive functioning. Interventions include the use of time management tools (i.e. planners, alarms and checklists), memory strategies (mnemonic devices, automaticity and cognitive training) and social skills strategies for practicing flexibility and theory of mind (taking the perspectives of others). We also use the Homework, Organization, and Planning Skills (HOPS) Intervention which research has shown helps middle school students with executive functioning skills. Additionally, we structure every tutoring session with your child’s executive functioning needs in mind, so that they can gain the maximum benefit from our teaching.
For students with autism, we use the Unstuck and On Target curriculum which is supported by research to improve flexibility. |
| Math |
Proficiency: Expert
|
| In a report from the US National Mathematics Advisory Panel, it is stated that "Use should be made of what is clearly known from rigorous research about how children learn, especially by recognizing a) the advantages for children in having a strong start; b) the mutually reinforcing benefits of conceptual understanding, procedural fluency, and automatic (i.e., quick and effortless) recall of facts; and c) that effort, not just inherent talent, counts in mathematical achievement".
With this in mind, we understand that effort and comprehensive instruction can make a big difference in a student's math achievement, and, at The Chicago Home Tutor, we use the recommendation in this Mathematics Advisory Panel's report along with other research to make sure we're giving your child this crucial strong start.
For our youngest students we ensure a solid understanding of early mathematics skills, which are an essential foundation to all later skills. We work on developing number sense, quantity discrimination, counting, and number identification. We begin with adding and subtracting with manipulatives and provide support so that parents know how to practice these skills between teaching sessions.
For elementary and middle school students, we follow the teaching sequence recommendations of the National Mathematics Advisory Panel. For all skills from addition to fractions, we teach the skill from multiple angles: computational fluency, ensuring concept comprehension with the use of drawings or mantipulatives, and application in word problems. We also teach children to be self-sufficient with interventions like Cover,Copy and Compare and Self-Monitoring Strategies. Finally, we will arrange a program for students to practice crucial math fluency facts each day, even on days they do not have tutoring. This will help to make these essentials foundations more fluent and automatic, so that math becomes more effortless and their confidence increases so they can move on to more complex operations.
For older students, we often combine executive functioning interventions and math skills interventions because as students delve into algebra and more complex word problems, they often struggle to organize themselves and complete all the steps. In these cases, mathematics tutoring is not enough. They need additional support to keep with order of operations, organization, keeping track of the value signs, and all of the necessary steps and details. We use executive functioning skills and metacognitive strategies to complement the math instruction to set these students up for success. |
| Reading |
This is one of my top subjects!
Proficiency: Expert
|
| At the Chicago Home Tutor we use the most current research to improve your student's reading -- from early literacy skills to high level comprehension. We use a variety of strategies for reading instruction and will design an individualized program specifically for your student.
Before beginning reading instruction, we always begin with a thorough assessment to make our instruction targeted and efficient. This assessment includes early literacy skills (the building blocks of reading), fluency, and comprehension to help us determine where exactly your student needs extra help or enrichment. For more information on best practices in reading instruction and different areas of reading, see the report by the National Reading Panel.
For our early readers we incorporate the Sound Partners Curriculum. The Sound Partners Curriculum has been proven by independent studies in the Department of Education's What Works Clearinghouse (http://ies.ed.gov/ncee/wwc/interventionreport.aspx?sid=475) to on average improve alphabetics by 21 percentile points, fluency by 19 percentile points, and comprehension by 21 percentile points.
We also utilize Orton-Gillingham which is a multi-sensory reading intervention that "incorporates the three learning pathways, which are: auditory, kinesthetic, and visual. This approach is beneficial not only for students with dyslexia, but for all learners. It can be implemented in a large group setting as well as with individuals, small groups and at-risk populations" (visit Orton-Gillingham website for more information).
For students who read accurately but struggle with fluency, we use the HELPS program, listening passage preview, repeated readings, and much more. Also, students who complete our Sound Partners program (described above), on average improve 19 percentile points in reading fluency.
We always embed comprehension instruction into our activities to ensure that students are understanding what they read and developing higher level literacy skills such as determining the main idea, summarizing, and making inferences. Some students may need extra help directly in this area. For these students, we provide direct instruction in reading comprehension using research-supported methods such as Click or Clunk, QAR, Advanced Story Maps, Reciprocal Teaching, and much more! |
| Reading Comprehension |
Proficiency: Expert
|
| We always embed comprehension instruction into our activities to ensure that students are understanding what they read and developing higher level literacy skills such as determining the main idea, summarizing, and making inferences. Some students may need extra help directly in this area. For these students, we provide direct instruction in reading comprehension using research-supported methods such as Click or Clunk, QAR, Advanced Story Maps, Reciprocal Teaching, and much more! |
| Spanish |
Proficiency: Experienced
|
| I lived in Spain for three years and am currently completing an Exam of Spanish proficiency. I can tutor students with beginner to intermediate needs. As a native English speaker, second language Spanish learner, I understand how challenging it can be! |
| Special Education |
This is one of my top subjects!
Proficiency: Expert
|
| As a team of school psychologists and specialized teachers working together, we have the skills to help every student reach his or her potential. Our tutors have a variety of areas of expertise and we consult one another to find creative, effective solutions for all of our students.
We begin with a thorough assessment to uncover your student’s precise needs and skill deficits. We then design targeted lessons, constantly monitoring progress to maximize effectiveness and, when needed, alter our approach based on your student’s responsiveness to our lessons.
Our graduate training in psychology has prepared us to work with diverse student populations including students with ADHD, executive functioning difficulties, autism, and emotional challenges. Some of our tutors are also certified to teach English as a Second Language (ESL).
EXECUTIVE FUNCTIONING encompasses many skills which are essential to thrive in school and beyond. Many students who struggle with working memory, sustained attention, planning/prioritization, organization, time management, flexibility, and goal-directed persistence could benefit from intervention or coaching in executive functioning. Our school psychologist tutors are skilled in implementing interventions to help improve your child’s executive functioning. Interventions include the use of time management tools (i.e. planners, alarms and checklists), memory strategies (mnemonic devices, automaticity and cognitive training) and social skills strategies for practicing flexibility and theory of mind (taking the perspectives of others). We also use the Homework, Organization, and Planning Skills (HOPS) Intervention which research has shown helps middle school students with executive functioning skills. Additionally, we structure every tutoring session with your child’s executive functioning needs in mind, so that they can gain the maximum benefit from our teaching. For students with autism, we use the Unstuck and On Target curriculum which is supported by research to improve flexibility.
AUTISM- Here at the Chicago Home Tutor we are very well-equipped to tutor your student with autism. We provide our expert tutoring services in the convenience of your home- in the city of Chicago and surrounding suburbs. Our tutors are school psychologists and special educators who have been trained specifically in attuning to and helping individual students with diverse needs. We have years of experience teaching children with autism – individually and in our classrooms.
Alongside our scientifically-supported teaching practices, we will use social-emotional and behavioral supports to build on your child’s strengths and help remove his or her barriers to success. There are many interventions that research studies show often help students with autism such as Picture Exchange Communication System (PECS), visual schedules, independent work systems, visually-supported teaching materials, social skills interventions, social stories, motivational rewards systems, and much more. We design and select the strategies based on the strengths and areas of need of your child. Finally, we can work with your child to improve executive functioning skills with the Unstuck and On-Target curriculum which is specifically designed for students with autism to help increase flexibility and goal-directed behavior.
We specialize in coordinating with other professionals. At your request, we communicate with occupational therapists, teachers, doctors, speech-language therapists, and social workers to promote generalization of your child’s goals across settings. We are ready to give your child the absolute best academic support available! |
| Spelling |
Proficiency: Expert
|
| For younger students who can write legibly, we use our early literacy programs and methods like Shared Rime to help them learn to spell more accurately. We also help students to produce more content and write more fluently. We connect reading to writing by writing responses to texts we have read. We also begin to teach them important self-sufficiency skills with strategies like the Cover,Copy and Compare Method. |
| Study Skills |
Proficiency: Expert
|
| Executive functioning encompasses many skills which are essential to thrive in school and beyond. Many students who struggle with working memory, sustained attention, planning/prioritization, organization, time management, flexibility, and goal-directed persistence could benefit from intervention or coaching in executive functioning.
Our school psychologist tutors are skilled in implementing interventions to help improve your child’s executive functioning. Interventions include the use of time management tools (i.e. planners, alarms and checklists), memory strategies (mnemonic devices, automaticity and cognitive training) and social skills strategies for practicing flexibility and theory of mind (taking the perspectives of others). We also use the Homework, Organization, and Planning Skills (HOPS) Intervention which research has shown helps middle school students with executive functioning skills. Additionally, we structure every tutoring session with your child’s executive functioning needs in mind, so that they can gain the maximum benefit from our teaching.
For students with autism, we use the Unstuck and On Target curriculum which is supported by research to improve flexibility. |
| TOEFL |
Proficiency: Expert
|
| I have my 120 hour advanced TOEFL certification and worked with advanced students in Spain for three years to help them prepare for the TOEFL and Cambridge Examinations. |
| Writing |
Proficiency: Expert
|
| For our younger students who may have basic motor difficulties which impede handwriting, we use strategies such as Handwriting Without Tears and raised paper to support these students. For students with disabilities that may make legible handwriting difficult or impossible, we work with assistive technology to develop content writing skills. For more complex motor difficulties, we can help you determine if it may be necessary to refer to an occupational therapist.
For younger students who can write legibly, we use our early literacy programs and methods like Shared Rime to help them learn to spell more accurately. We also help students to produce more content and write more fluently. We connect reading to writing by writing responses to texts we have read. We also begin to teach them important self-sufficiency skills with strategies like the Cover,Copy and Compare Method.
As students master spelling are able to come up with things to write about, we begin to focus on organization of thoughts and producing higher-quality content. Here we often combine writing instruction with executive functioning interventions to help students with idea production, organization, and managing the steps and parts of longer projects like five paragraph essays and research papers. We also use similar executive functioning supports to assist students in analyzing the quality of their own writing. We also work to tie higher level writing and reading skills like reading a passage and effectively developing concise written main ideas and summaries.
The comprehensive support provided by a Chicago Home Tutor will allow your student to develop important cognitive skills like organization, self-monitoring, and other executive function skills in addition to improved writing skills! |
| Writing Skills |
Proficiency: Expert
|
| For our younger students who may have basic motor difficulties which impede handwriting, we use strategies such as Handwriting Without Tears and raised paper to support these students. For students with disabilities that may make legible handwriting difficult or impossible, we work with assistive technology to develop content writing skills. For more complex motor difficulties, we can help you determine if it may be necessary to refer to an occupational therapist.
For younger students who can write legibly, we use our early literacy programs and methods like Shared Rime to help them learn to spell more accurately. We also help students to produce more content and write more fluently. We connect reading to writing by writing responses to texts we have read. We also begin to teach them important self-sufficiency skills with strategies like the Cover,Copy and Compare Method.
As students master spelling are able to come up with things to write about, we begin to focus on organization of thoughts and producing higher-quality content. Here we often combine writing instruction with executive functioning interventions to help students with idea production, organization, and managing the steps and parts of longer projects like five paragraph essays and research papers. We also use similar executive functioning supports to assist students in analyzing the quality of their own writing. We also work to tie higher level writing and reading skills like reading a passage and effectively developing concise written main ideas and summaries.
The comprehensive support provided by a Chicago Home Tutor will allow your student to develop important cognitive skills like organization, self-monitoring, and other executive function skills in addition to improved writing skills! |