Hannah F.

Growing up in Ontario, Hannah earned her Bachelor’s degree in Fine Arts and Consumer Behaviour from the University of Western Ontario, where she honed her skills in understanding people and their passions.

After university, Hannah brought her creative genius to a museum in Muskoka, planning events for local school groups and young community members. Since then, Hannah has worked in numerous educational settings, with students ranging from kindergarten to high school. She is certified in teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) and has taught social skills to students with all-abilities.

Hannah’s love for travel brought her all over Europe, South America, and Oceania, where she completed her teacher education in the heart of New Zealand and spent her free time exploring the islands in her camper van. Now, she’s living her best life in Whistler, embracing the great outdoors by skiing in the winters and hiking or climbing in the summers.

 

Nicole D.

Nicole graduated from New Mexico Highlands University with two Bachelor’s degrees, one in History and one in Elementary Education, with a minor in Bilingual Education. Nicole taught for eleven years, over the course of which she excelled at math and reading instruction. In addition to math and reading intervention, Nicole was a bilingual educator (Spanish) and a dyslexia interventionist. However, her real passion lies in Robotics and Computer Science.

Nicole has written Robotics/Computer Science curriculum for two districts. She has also taken several teams to competition with VEX and FIRST(tm) who have successfully won awards over the years.

In her spare time, Nicole enjoys visiting her daughter, who attends LSU, and spending time with her two dogs.

Courtney P.

I hold a Bachelor’s degree in Nutritional Science from the University of Texas at Austin. Currently, I am pursuing a Doctorate of Pharmacy at the same institution, having successfully completed three out of four years of the program. Last year, I took a break from my studies to teach mathematics and science to 4th and 5th graders at Prairie Lea ISD. In addition to my teaching role, I provided after-school tutoring for students ranging from Kindergarten to 12th grade in subjects tested by the STAAR exam.

I possess considerable experience in delivering small-group and individualized interventions for students in need of remedial support, as well as those who are bilingual emergent or have special educational needs. While my formal educational experience is less extensive, I have a rich and varied background in tutoring that dates back to my freshman year in high school. Over the years, I have assisted students in navigating challenging Advanced Placement courses, including Calculus, Biology, Chemistry, Statistics, U.S. History, and World History.

In my leisure time, I enjoy managing the 35-acre farm where I reside, engaging in kickboxing, playing with my two dogs, and sketching. I consider myself a skilled cook and a passionate baker. Additionally, I have developed a strong knowledge base in war and military collectibles, antique firearms, sports card trading, and coin collecting, largely influenced by my fiancée’s business in these areas.

 

Heather M.

Heather loves meeting students where they are. She approaches teaching by first asking what is it the student understands and where are the gaps in knowledge that block success. Then, with sensitivity to how the student learns best, she works with the young person to fill in those gaps. She enjoys learning along with the student if it is new subject matter or if there is a new way of learning the subject matter. When she was in the classroom, in three years, Heather taught three different Geometry curriculums as directed by the Math Chair because of her ability to implement new ideas quickly. Heather is an educator, a writer, an encourager, and one who makes learning fun. Heather asked a student “Isn’t it fun to learn about these things?” And the student looked at her and said, “It is fun with you.”
Heather looks forward to making learning fun again for your child.

 

 

 

Caroline F.

Caroline, an educator with a degree from Brigham Young University, brings a unique blend of enthusiasm and expertise to her tutoring sessions. To Caroline, learning is an exciting challenge, and she strives to cultivate that attitude in her students by making each session engaging and enjoyable for her students. She believes that her students have just as much to teach her as she does to teach them, fostering an environment of mutual respect and curiosity. She is deeply committed to helping children not only excel academically but also develop essential life skills that will serve them far beyond the classroom. Caroline’s goal is to inspire her students to see learning as an adventure, empowering them to approach each new challenge with confidence and a sense of fun. In her spare time, Caroline enjoys channeling her inner grandma by completing puzzles and reading dusty history books.

 

 

Ann S.

Ann Stec grew up teaching.  As the oldest of four children, and the only girl, she would often create a “classroom” for her younger brother, taking them through practice with letters and numbers.  Her mom would buy used workbooks at thrift stores for her to use with her “pupils” each week. Ann loved it–her brothers were decidedly on the fence! 

When it was time to officially choose a career, Ann went to Illinois State and graduated with a B.S. in Education with concentrations in Language Arts and Reading.  Her plan was to teach junior high school students to love reading and learning.  But a few years into teaching, Ann was recruited to teach teachers at the elementary level how to teach reading in their classrooms.  It was a leap–big kids to little–but it turned out to be a game changer!

While working at the elementary level, Ann found that some students continued to struggle to acquire literacy skills, despite receiving intervention.  She realized she needed to learn more about how to help these students and decided to pursue her Wilson Level 1 certification.  She credits that decision as the single best decision of her professional career and she has spent the last nineteen years of her career helping kids who learn differently master how to read.

Ann believes that the best instruction–at any level–empowers students to be reflective learners and goal setters.  She believes that teacher, parent and student comprise the learning team and is an advocate of working with parents and students together in order to help all kids reach their academic potential.

Ann is in her 29th year of teaching and  currently works as a Reading Specialist/Literacy Coach in Naperville 203.  She holds a Master of Arts in Teaching, is ELL certified and is a certified Wilson Level 1 Instructor. In her free time, she volunteers with animal welfare agencies (she has nine pets!), READS, thrifts, travels, and hangs out with her favorite people as much as possible.

 

 

Lauren D.

Lauren D. is a certified elementary educator with a passion for teaching and helping students thrive! Lauren earned her Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and Psychology from North Central College in 2020, with minors in Leadership and Conflict Resolution. After beginning her teaching career at Lincoln Elementary in Wheaton, IL as a 1st-grade teacher, Lauren discovered a deep interest in math instruction and curriculum development.In 2024, she furthered her expertise by earning a Master’s Degree in Curriculum & Instruction from Aurora University, with endorsements in English as a Second Language (ELL) and Learning Behavior Specialist (LBS1).

Now in her fifth year at Lincoln Elementary, Lauren continues to teach 1st grade, where she finds great fulfillment in fostering growth and confidence in her students! Lauren’s experience extends beyond the classroom. Lauren has extensive expertise in teaching religious education for grades 4-6, serving as a before-school counselor with the YMCA, and working as a daycare teacher at Lighthouse Academy. Lauren has also tutored students in both reading and math. Outside of work, Lauren enjoys tennis, traveling with friends, and spending summer days at Wrigley Field cheering for the Chicago Cubs!

Colleen S.

Colleen Simmons realized as a child she wanted to become a teacher. She loved learning how to read and do basic math from her mother, Donna, who she says was still her best teacher ever! Growing up in Illinois, she started helping her peers and younger children with reading and math homework when she was in 6th grade. Like the acting bug that some folks get, teaching became her passion. Graduating in 1981 from Millikin University with a B.S. in Biology, she pursued further training and completed a teacher certification program at the U of I Springfield soon after. She began teaching and continued to add certifications and degrees to her resume. She obtained a middle school concept endorsement on her standard certificate, a second B.S. in Special Education from EIU, and two M.S. degrees in Educational Administration from EIU and Teacher Leadership from U of I Springfield, respectively. Throughout her career, she has not only worked in the classroom, but she also has privately tutored students after school. Her reputation as a caring and supportive teacher is something she cherishes. In 2019, Colleen and her husband retired to Texas. Retirement didn’t last long, since she found herself missing the enjoyment she got from working with students. In 2021, she began working once again as support staff, tutor, and ultimately, teacher in a science classroom. This year, she is working on a new challenge. She, along with a couple of friends, began developing a home-school pod service to help families who want another option for educating their children. Along with tutoring, Colleen enjoys traveling, meeting new people, and learning something new, like painting a watercolor, playing a new strategy game, or reading a mystery novel.

Ian G.

After receiving Bachelor’s degrees in History and French in his home state of Arkansas, Ian moved to the Northeast to begin his professional career as an educator. While serving as a literacy coach in a public school in Washington, DC, Ian helped to integrate new strategies and hybridized learning amid the COVID lockdown. In the fall of 2021 Ian led a class of 5th graders in their transition back to in-person instruction after the shutdown. He served as a lead history and humanities teacher for two years before segueing into out-of-school time education. Ian helped to implement an afterschool program for students in Harlem, developing curriculum, and leading homework help and enrichment activities for participants. In total, Ian has over a decade of tutoring and education experience. Ian loves to inspire wonder in all of his students, and prioritizes an individualized approach to ensure all students get the education they deserve.

 

 

Michael N.

Michael is a patient and knowledgeable teacher, tutor for English, History, reading, writing, and test prep classes, with experience working with students of all levels of aptitude and academic interest. Born and raised in New York City, Michael is a product of its public schools system, and the later recipient of two Ivy League degrees, one from Cornell and the other from Columbia University. He’s worked for many years in both public and charter schools, teaching a diverse group of young learners, helping them to become stronger readers, writers, and critical thinkers. As a tutor, Michael has over ten years of experience working one-on-one with a vast array of clients, with ages ranging from pre-K to graduate school students and adult professionals. Michael likes to say that he works with “big kids, little kids and medium sized kids” and this has been the case throughout his extensive career.