Writing Tutors, Coaches & Learning Specialists in NYC metro area!

Jordan, M.S. Ed., is a doctoral candidate in Human and Organizational Psychology at Touro University. He received his B.S. in Psychology with a minor in Sociology from Indiana State University and his M.S. in Special Education from Touro College. Jordan’s professional endeavors include curriculum development and educational reform, with a focus on intercultural education and informal learning. He has extensive experience in teaching and providing academic and personal advising in multicultural environments.

Jordan has worked with students who struggle with math or have been diagnosed with dyscalculia, ranging in age from elementary to adulthood. He has been involved in multiple research experiments in education and psychology at Indiana State University, The New School, Columbia University, and New York University. He has taught special education at the elementary, middle, and high school levels, gaining experience in instructing content-based subjects such as English, History and Social Studies, Math, and science across all levels.

He has provided one-on-one multisensory tutoring in every content-based subject to both special education and general education students between the ages of 5 and 21. Classroom teaching and individual tutoring have acquainted Jordan with a range of student profiles, including those with autism, oppositional defiant disorder, ADHD, emotional disturbance, learning differences, and executive functioning disorders. In addition, he possesses proficiency in teaching test-taking and study skills strategies, particularly to students preparing for the Algebra, Living Environment, English, U.S. History and World History Regents examinations, the SAT, ACT, and ISEE. Familiar with the New York State Common Core Learning Standards, he excels in imparting reading comprehension, reading strategies, and writing skills. Jordan places significant emphasis on nurturing students’ independent academic abilities to facilitate their smooth transition to college and the workforce.

Cailin is currently earning her Doctor of Education at the University of Arkansas Online. She received her Bachelor of Arts in English at Marymount Manhattan College, and her Master of Arts in Special Education with a focus on Intellectual Disability and Autism from Teachers College Columbia University. Cailin began her teaching career at a private high school for students with special needs and has been working as a special education teacher for the Department of Education for the past few years. Cailin has taught a variety of subjects at the high school level. She is passionate about helping students transition to adulthood, workforce education, and college readiness. In her teaching career, Cailin has worked with students on the Autism Spectrum, with intellectual or learning disabilities, speech and language processing disorders, emotional disturbances, ADD/ADHD as well as students with self-regulation and executive functioning challenges. Cailin is also passionate about literacy. She enjoys reading and has experience teaching reading comprehension skills to students at a variety of cognitive levels. Cailin has worked with high school students transitioning into college and the workforce for the majority of her career. She places emphasis on helping students overcome the challenges that inhibit them from achieving independence and success.

Jacob is a learning specialist with 15 years of experience serving the learning and developmental needs of students at educational levels ranging from Kindergarten to college. His full-time private practice combines his extensive teaching and tutoring experience with current advancements in educational research and training. Jacob is a graduate of the Bank Street College of Education, with a dual Masters of Science in general and special education, and is certified in New York State for all subjects in grades 1-6, but with years of teaching experience that goes well beyond that age range. Jacob’s research-supported interventions have helped students diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, dysgraphia, dyslexia, dyscalculia, language-based disorders, and communication disorders (including ASD) overcome these barriers and achieve successful outcomes. His areas of expertise include reading comprehension, writing, executive functioning coaching, and subject area remediation. Jacob brings a familiarity with a broad swath of New York public and private school curricula, ranging from elementary to high school levels. He is fluent in all aspects of English, social studies, science, and history content, up to and including preparation for Regents tests, college-level work, and adult education.

Jacob adheres to educational best practices, including multi-sensory approaches, the use of informal assessments to get consistent data and feedback on students’ progress, and sensitivity to students’ developmental stages. His ultimate goal is facilitating his students’ independence and the full realization of their abilities. He strives to make the sessions fun and engaging, using his training as a historian to imbue his practice with a wide-ranging knowledge of culture, literature, art, and politics. Jacob also works as an executive functioning coach, helping students define and understand their goals and strengths, in conjunction with teaching specific strategies, techniques, and habits for time management, organization, and mental stamina. He has had success helping students and families understand how executive functioning affects learning at school and at home. He is comfortable forming learning teams and acting as a liaison between school and home, and regularly engages with psychologists and other specialists who share his students. While retaining a holistic approach centered on student strengths, Jacob is also results-oriented and ultimately focused on student success at their school.

For the 2020-21 school year, Jacob is drawing on his many years of helping families and students get organized to deal with the inevitable disruptions caused by remote learning and reduced in-person teaching. In addition to assisting families with this shift, Jacob is expanding his practice to add daytime teaching hours for homeschooling, learning pods, and other modified pedagogical arrangements, drawing on his experience in the classroom and leading small group learning. While this school year will be different, Jacob’s combination of a holistic strength-based approach with a rigorous focus on organization and follow-through will provide the necessary support needed for students and their families.

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LEARNING SPECIALIST

Brittany is a New York State licensed special education teacher for grades 7-12. For the past six years, she has worked in a Brooklyn public high school, primarily teaching in Chemistry and Physics ICT (Integrated Co-Teaching) classrooms for 9-12 graders and a self-designed Architectural Drafting elective course. She also has experience teaching English Language Arts, Living Environment, Algebra 1, Geometry, and Trigonometry, as well as tutoring ages 11-18 in various subjects and skills, including organization, executive functioning skills, and mindfulness.

Brittany earned a Bachelor of Science in Interior Design from High Point University. She completed coursework toward her Master of Architecture degree at the University of Colorado-Denver before changing careers to education. She participated in the Teaching Fellows program and received her Master of Science in Special Education for Urban Adolescents. Brittany has experience teaching students with varied learning and emotional needs, including ADHD, executive function disorder, limited English proficiency, speech-language disorders, dyslexia, oppositional defiance disorder, dysgraphia, autism, and varied psychological disorders.

She was the Science Department chair for the past three years and led a daily advisory group with academic and post-secondary planning. Outside of the classroom, Brittany has participated in several week-long camping trips with ninth graders in upstate New York and has led multiple service-learning trips for high schoolers to the Caribbean and South America. Brittany strongly believes in the power of experiential learning to build students’ confidence that can then be transferred to the classroom.

Sofia is a school psychologist who received her bachelor s degree from Binghamton University and her master s in School Psychology from St. John s University. She has experience working with children and adults diagnosed with Autism Spectrum Disorder, learning differences, dyslexia, speech and language delays, ADHD, and executive functioning disorders. She has tutored students in reading, writing, and math as well as for standardized tests. Currently, Sofia conducts psychological and adaptive evaluations as the psychologist and behavior specialist at a private clinic. Previously, she worked in both public and private schools developing individualized education programs for elementary, middle, and high school students. She is passionate about the field of school psychology and learning. She believes that everyone has the ability to learn and be successful if they are taught in a way that is appropriate to their specific needs. In addition, Sofia advocates a whole-team approach and values input from other professionals as well as parents to create programs that are optimal for students.

Victoria is a New York City public school teacher with ten years of classroom experience teaching middle and high school English Language Arts (ELA). She received her BFA in Film, Television, and Radio Production from New York Institute of Technology, and her Master’s degree in Adolescent Education in English Language Arts from St. John’s University. Victoria is a Peer Collaborative Teacher leader, and the head of the eighth grade ELA department at her school. She has experience working with special education students in an inclusion setting, as well as general education and advanced placement students. She has both classroom and tutoring experience with students with autism, ADHD, dyslexia, emotional disturbance, and speech disorders. She has experience teaching reading from K-8, and uses the FUNdations program to develop phonics and sight words in early readers. She also coaches high school and college reading and writing skills, such as figurative language analysis, grammar, persuasive argument skills, narrative writing, research skills, and much more.  Victoria is an expert in New York State Common Core learning standards and is experienced in teaching reading comprehension, writing skills, and test-taking strategies. She also teaches study skills and can provide homework help in English Language Arts, social studies, science, and elementary math. She has provided very successful test prep for the NYS English Language Arts test (all grades), the English Regents, AP English exams, social studies, and science Regents, the Specialized High School Test (SHSAT), the ACT, and the SAT. Victoria’s college counseling and college essay coaching currently has a 100% acceptance rate!  Victoria has a creative background that allows her to bring a unique eye to all academic endeavors and struggles her students may face.

Giulia received her Ph.D. in Clinical Psychology (Health Emphasis) with a focus on Neuropsychology at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology Yeshiva University in 2022. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree, with double majors in Psychology and Spanish, from Wake Forest University. Giulia is tri-lingual as she is a native Italian speaker and has advanced professional proficiency in Spanish.

Giulia is currently completing her postdoctoral fellowship at Columbia University Medical Center. She previously trained at Montefiore Medical Center as a Leadership Education in Neurodevelopmental Disabilities fellow, conducting individual therapy sessions and psychoeducational assessments with individuals suffering from various neurodevelopmental disorders and learning disabilities. While at Wake Forest, she became a certified College Reading & Learning Association tutor, tutoring students individually in psychology and foreign language courses as well as overall study skills.

In addition to working with individuals with learning disabilities and ADHD, Giulia has experience working with individuals with anxiety and mood disorders as well as other executive functioning difficulties. She has extensive experience with executive functioning, coaching clients of all ages, helping address concerns with organizational skills, planning, multitasking, keeping track of deadlines, and time management. Giulia is passionate about understanding each client’s specific needs and customizing an empirically-based program utilizing the client’s strengths to achieve his/her goals successfully.

Maria, M.S. Ed., Ed. M. is currently a Learning Specialist at a New York City independent school. She received her B.A. in Sociology from Mount Holyoke College. After college, she received a New York City Teaching Fellowship, which allowed her to become a certified teacher while simultaneously earning her Master’s degree in Bilingual, Childhood, and Special Education. Maria earned a Master’s degree in Language and Literacy from Harvard, after realizing she needed the skills to give her students the gift of literacy. She has been working in the field of education in the past decade – as a researcher, learning specialist, private tutor, and educational consultant. In her career, Maria has been involved in a variety of research projects and presented at conferences on topics having to do with trauma-informed teaching, bilingualism, and dyslexia. Maria is a practitioner of structured literacy who provides multisensory tutoring across different subject areas. She tutors academic subjects to middle and high school students including ELA (3-Adult); Science (3-12); Math (3-9); History (3-Adult); Spanish (K-Adult); and French (K-12) She also has vast experience and a track record of success in preparing students for the 3rd to 8th grade state tests and ISEE, SSAT, and SHSAT exams. As a learning specialist, Maria s primary goal is always to find out what students strengths and weaknesses are, in order to develop a plan that makes the most sense for each individual student. Maria enjoys working with students of all ages and specializes in test preparation for all students, with a keen focus on test preparation skills for diverse learners.

After receiving her MBA in Human Resources, Carly knew she had to follow her passion for teaching students. She completed her Masters Degree at New York University in Childhood Education and has since taught at PS9 on The Upper West Side. She has had the privilege of working in general education, integrated co-teaching (ICT), and gifted and talented classrooms, collaborating with co-teachers, special education teachers, parents, the assessment team, and paraprofessionals to provide a diverse group of students with access to and success with the curriculum. She teaches English Language Learners and students with a variety of needs including: Speech and Language Impairments, Dyslexia, Learning Disabilities, ADHD, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. While at PS 9, she has also become certified in the Orton Gillingham Multisensory Approach of reading and writing instruction.

Carly provides tutoring and support for students in grades k to 8 in reading, writing, English Language Arts, and Math. She specializes in literacy support for struggling readers. She uses multiple systems including Orton Gillingham, Fountas and Pinnell, Words their Way, and a Teacher s College approach to learning. After strengthening a child s ability to decode words, she focuses on deeper comprehension of texts. She teaches both reading and writing skills through a combination of multi-sensory games, repetition, and sequential learning.

Carly takes a hands-on approach to teaching math, making sure the student remains engaged while learning the foundations. She incorporates EngageNY, Everyday Mathematics, TERC Investigations, number talks, and cognitively guided instruction (CGI) to develop an enriched math curriculum that provides entry points and extensions to all students. Along with test-prep strategies, she also serves as an intervention specialist, breaking down difficult concepts to make them easier for students to grasp. Carly tutors both pre-Algebra and Algebra.

Carly provides students K to 8 with strategies and skills for studying, test taking, active listening, note-taking, and memorization. She coaches students who need help with executive functioning skills including planning, organizing, time management across academics. Carly is also experienced in preparing students for the NYS ELA and math exams.

For all her students, Carly does an initial assessment and then develops a comprehensive, personalized and effective plan.

Stephen H. holds a Postgraduate Diploma in Learning Support, Special Educational Needs, and a Postgraduate Diploma in Education from Trinity College, Dublin, Ireland. With over eight years of experience as a special educator in Dublin, Stephen has honed his skills in catering to the needs of students aged twelve to eighteen years. In addition to his expertise, Stephen specializes in executive function coaching, a role he has successfully fulfilled for years. He adeptly assists students with difficulties in working memory and processing speed while providing guidance in teaching reading comprehension strategies and implementing executive functioning strategies for academic and organizational success.

Upon relocating to New York City, Stephen seamlessly transitioned into providing comprehensive instruction across various subjects, including ELA, math (including Pre-Algebra and Algebra 1), writing, reading comprehension, and executive functioning skills. He excels at delivering ADHD coaching, empowering learners of all ages to develop essential skills for academic and personal success.

Stephen’s commitment to education extends beyond the classroom as he conducts home tutoring sessions for students facing various challenges, ensuring educational access and support. He collaborates closely with clinicians and psychologists to enhance students’ social-emotional development and well-being. His instructional approach is tailored to address a spectrum of learning differences, including reading disorders, autism spectrum disorder, language processing disorder, auditory processing disorder, dyslexia, writing disorders, and dysgraphia. Stephen leverages multi-sensory literacy programs such as Orton Gillingham, Wilson/Fundations, and other methodologies to effectively support students’ literacy growth.

Throughout his career, Stephen’s passion for music has enriched the learning experience for his students, catalyzing creativity and inspiration. He strives to create nurturing, strength-based learning environments that foster student independence and confidence, laying the groundwork for lifelong success across academic, social-emotional, and personal domains.

Dr. Tamara is a veteran early childhood educator with over 25 years of experience in the field. She holds an MST and MsEd from Fordham University, an MBA, and an Ed.D. from Johns Hopkins University, where she researched the impact adults have on children’s social and emotional development.

For over 10 years, Dr. Tamara has worked one-on-one with students and adults from 2 years of age through adulthood in all areas of literacy acquisition, including phonics, phonemic awareness, writing, fluency, and comprehension. She has been trained in Wilson, Fundations, Fountas, and Pinnell, the Teacher’s College Reading and Writing Project, Reading Rescue, and Reading Recovery, and is currently the Associate Director of Professional Learning for Reading Rescue. Dr. Tamara’s methods of instruction focus on reading science through a multisensory approach to instruction, as well as on having fun. She prides herself on students LOVING her sessions.

She works with students on not only their literacy skills but also focuses on their self-esteem and comfort level so they are prepared to take their learning back to their classrooms. She has experience working with students with various needs, including ADHD, autism, anxiety, behavior disorders, and dyslexia. Dr. Tamara has experience working with pre-K through fifth-grade math curricula. She supports students in developing all aspects of mathematics using a multisensory approach. Students use real-world situations and manipulatives to learn not only the HOW of math concepts but also the WHY. Dr. Tamara has experience working with Everyday Math, Go Math, and Singapore Math. In addition to literacy support, Dr. Tamara provides test preparation, executive functioning skills coaching, as well as study skills. Dr. Tamara specializes in executive functioning coaching for children, teens, and adults. Utilizing an individualized approach with each client, she focuses on organization, prioritizing tasks, maintaining focus, studying skills, motivation, and emotional regulation. She assesses clients to see their unique needs, provides direct instruction on these skills, and develops the tools necessary to improve them. While providing check-ins throughout the week, as needed, to check on progress or bumps in the road. She also focuses on environmental improvements, such as removing distractions from a study space or reorganizing the individual’s space when needed.

Peter is a on intimate terms with the English language. He is a special educator, literacy specialist, writing coach, and published author. He holds permanent New York State certification in special education, a BA in dramatic literature (NYU), an MS in special education (Hunter College, CUNY), and a Ph.D. in urban education (Graduate Center, CUNY). He has over fifteen years of teaching experience in elementary and middle schools, both public and private. He’s also taught at the undergraduate and graduate levels, including courses in educational history/philosophy, literacy assessment/instruction, and arts in the curriculum. 

Peter is a childhood literacy tutor for elementary grade students, and a writing coach for all students, elementary to adult. As a writing coach, Peter helps his students acquire the necessary skills and stamina for academic writing, as well as the confidence and openness to play that creative writing requires. 

Modeling, outlines, templates, and shared story and playwriting are used to help students find their unique academic and creative writers’ voices. 

Instruction includes all facets of writing: organization (executive functioning), grammar, and vocabulary.  Peter’s support includes direct and (virtual) hands-on help with college application essays, personal essays, expository essays, research papers in the humanities/social sciences, fictional narratives (stories), playwriting, and poetry. He’s also available for SAT/GRE verbal test prep. 

Peter has over a decade of experience with students in the elementary grades, remediating for dyslexia, dysgraphia, ADHD, and other learning and behavioral differences. 

Heather completed her M.A. and Ph.D. in Italian Literature at UCLA. She also holds a B.A. in German Literature from the University of Notre Dame and a second B.A. in French and American Literature from the Università degli Studi di Firenze in Florence, Italy. Last year she was Visiting Assistant Professor of Italian and Comparative Literature at UC Riverside and Principal Editor for the UCLA Center for Medieval and Renaissance Studies where she managed the journals Viator and Comitatus and the book series Cursor Mundi. She is currently teaching remotely for UCLA. Heather understands what professors and colleges are looking for when it comes to academic writing, and she specializes in helping students with their research papers, personal statements, and resumes. Having scored a perfect 800 on the math section of her SAT, she also enjoys helping students maximize their standardized test results.

Heather has 15 years of experience tutoring Geometry, Algebra, Literature, Academic Writing, Public Speaking and Debate, Spanish, French, Italian, and German. She is fluent in all of the aforementioned languages and has taught Italian 1-3, Intensive Italian, and German 1 at UCLA. Because Heather has a substantial amount of experience teaching remotely, she is very familiar with online teaching platforms such as Zoom, Moodle, iLearn, and Blackboard. She received her pedagogical training under the direction of Elissa Tognozzi (author of the Italian language textbook Piazza), who has ensured that all UCLA instructors are up to date with the latest methodologies and technology.

Heather has worked with students with ADHD, anxiety, depression, autism, Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, and PANDAS. She has a gentle and encouraging online presence, and it is her foremost goal to make students feel comfortable and confident in order to set them up for long-term success in their academic careers.

David worked for four years as an elementary school special education teacher in California. In New York, David focused on supporting individual students to succeed in school. He worked with all ages of students from elementary to teenager. Notably, David helps both school-age and college students with their executive function (EF) skills, including those with special needs like Dyslexia, ADHD, Autism, and other learning disabilities. Success comes because David tailors his instruction to meet individual students’ needs. While he has experience teaching in full general education classrooms, his preferred approach is instructing small groups of special needs students and individuals one-to-one. David believes that building strong relationships based on mutual trust is essential for effective teaching.

David earned his bachelor’s degree in International Relations at the University of California, Davis. He obtained his general education teaching credential from Mills College in Oakland and furthered his education by earning a Master’s degree in Special Education from California State University, East Bay. He is proficient in various instructional methodologies, including the Orton-Gillingham approach to literacy, guided reading, Fountas and Pinnell, Barton and Sonday systems, Do the Math, reading comprehension, Assistive Technology, Executive Function, and study skills. Additionally, he employs functional behavioral assessments and a range of other practices for teaching English language arts, math, and behavior.

In his approach to students with reading disabilities, David prioritizes establishing a strong phonics foundation through a multi-sensory approach. He then assists students in expanding their comprehension skills through reading, questioning, and dialogue, recognizing that each student’s needs are unique. To address these needs, he conducts informal assessments to pinpoint areas of focus. Moreover, David supports students in refining their writing abilities by emphasizing skills such as handwriting, spelling, sentence structure, editing, pre-writing planning, paragraph organization, story structure, essay formulation, grammar, and the development of complex ideas.

Dusty is a teacher and artist with a Master’s Degree in Special Education in the Urban Setting from Long Island University (7–12). He has been teaching in NYC public schools at the high school level for nearly a decade. As an undergrad, he studied fashion, graphic design, photography, and fine art. He spent eight years in the fashion industry before transitioning into the field of education.

Dusty’s educational specialties lie in the areas of executive functioning skill development and improvement in written and verbal expression. He has taught 9th–12th graders of various skill levels both in the classroom and in a one-on-one setting. Dusty specializes in helping students with ADHD and executive functioning challenges, working with them to devise a custom organization system for their schoolwork (including digital files) and fine-tune their daily schedule to ensure a healthy school/life balance. He finds that once these things are taken care of, students are truly ready for deeper learning. Dusty’s goal is for his students to succeed in school while learning real-world skills that are applicable to any path they choose after graduation. With major work around goal setting and time management, all students can exceed their (and their parents) wildest expectations. Alongside goal-setting, Dusty has helped guide many high school students on the journey of selecting the right career and college path for them, with a focus on long-term happiness and self-sufficiency. This is a multi-step process of brainstorming career options, making lists of potential institutions to apply to, crafting impactful entrance essays and personal statements, and then going step-by-step through the often tedious process of application submission and follow-up.

In addition to helping high school students on their journey into college life, Dusty also works to support adults with learning differences and those on the spectrum in their quest for fulfilling job placement and sustained employment post-high school or college. This looks different for each client but can involve processing dreams, hopes, and aspirations via vision boards or vocational assessments to help hone in on the client’s areas of strength. Dusty provides support around the application/interview process, best practices in the workplace once the job is secured, and continued support for navigating life as a gainfully employed person.

As for written and verbal expression, Dusty utilizes the art of interviewing and personal inventory-taking to aid in the writing process. By helping students speak more eloquently about themselves, they are able to enter any room and feel confident about holding their own in conversations and job interviews. This process of inventory-taking teaches students to craft deeper and more meaningful personal narratives, which in turn prepares them for the hurdle of writing their college entrance essays. Dusty also helps fill in the gaps that often exist in traditional writing instruction taught in schools today. Students begin to feel much more competent in their writing with one-on-one brainstorming, outline formulation, and step-by-step writing support.

Dusty is also a history buff who has taught all levels of Social Studies, including Global and U.S. History and Government/Economics. In his classrooms, he focuses on Project Based Learning and has helped students complete fantastic projects and presentations. He has also extensively tutored students for Regents exams in both Global and U.S. History.

In addition to teaching and tutoring, Dusty is very involved with the arts community in NYC. He has written, directed, dramaturge, costumed, designed, starred in, and produced many theatrical and cinematic works. He has worked in conjunction with The Guggenheim, St. Ann’s Warehouse, Joe’s Pub, Abrons Art Center, Judson Memorial Church, the International Center of Photography, Parsons, Pratt Institute, Institute of Contemporary Art, La MaMa Theater, Signature Theatre, NY Live Arts, Irving Plaza, The Whitney, BAM, Town Hall, the Sundance Film Festival, the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, Soho Playhouse, and Sony Music Hall. He has worked with the likes of Taylor Mac, Justin Vivian Bond, Karen Finley, Nayland Blake, Miguel Gutierrez, and Machine Dazzle (among others).

Rebecca holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English Writing from the University of Pittsburgh and a Master’s Degree in Social Work from Columbia University. She currently works as a Licensed Master Social Worker at a private transitional special education school in Manhattan, where she specializes in one-on-one academic and social-emotional learning.

Rebecca’s work centers around helping students develop writing and reading skills, build executive function skills, improve overall management and organization, and navigate the college process (including with the assistance of college application completion and college essay writing). Each student’s needs will be different, and Rebecca believes in the importance of an individualized, flexible approach. Regular check-ins to assess goals and develop appropriate learning plans are key to student success.

Rebecca has worked with a wide range of ages, specifically middle school, high school, transitional (pre-college and workforce), and college. Rebecca also has experience working with students who have a wide variety of specific needs, including but not limited to ADHD, ASD, Dyslexia and other reading disorders, Oppositional Defiant Disorder, and Twice Exceptional.

In her free time, Rebecca enjoys a wide variety of hobbies, including reading, journaling, watching movies, knitting, and plant and animal care.