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.

Dilene W-N.

Dilene has a love of Art and Art History, which led her to obtain an Associate of Arts in Studio Art. She has experience as a military wife and mom, as well as experience working with military families. While her husband was still on active duty, Dilene completed her Bachelor of Science in Interdisciplinary Studies with a concentration in Special Education at Texas A&M University in Corpus Christi. She has worked with students at all levels and abilities during her 15 years in education. Dilene completed her Master of Education in Educational Technology Leadership through Lamar University, Beaumont. She completed the Texas Reading Academy and Reading by Design, the state of Texas designed Dyslexia program, in 2022. Dilene taught students in grades K-7 in Dyslexia support services and Reading Intervention while teaching at Great Hearts Live Oak. Her most recent position was teaching 3rd, 4th and 5th grade students in Reading Resource and 4th grade Math Resource. She has a passion for helping her students meet their personal learning goals. Dilene has also coached students in executive functioning skills such as organization and planning to help them learn to meet project deadlines. When not supporting her students, she enjoys a bit of anime, creating things by hand, and volunteering with the National Archives.
Available for in-person or online tutoring

Micaela M.

Micaela is an experienced educator specializing in reading, math, and ESL. She earned her Master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and her Bachelor’s in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Micaela is passionate about teaching and has dedicated her career to helping students excel in English language learning, literacy, and math.

She has worked with students across various grade levels (EC-6), creating engaging and inclusive environments where they can thrive. Micaela develops customized lesson plans that support diverse learners using differentiated instruction and scaffolding. She is also trained in Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) methods, which she integrates into her teaching to foster supportive relationships with her students. Additionally, Micaela has received her Texas Teachers License in EC-6, with an additional certification in ESL. She has 4 years of experience as an educator in both traditional classroom settings and non-traditional exploratory and project-based learning programs.

Outside of teaching, Micaela enjoys camping, hiking, drawing, and spending time with her cats, Beaux and Pasha, and her dog, Apple.

Mia G.

Hello, my name is Mia G. and I have been tutoring since 2021. I graduated from St. Mary’s University in December 2023 with a bachelor’s degree in biology and a minor in psychology. I have experience tutoring all grades from preschool to seniors in college. I specialize in tutoring biology, psychology and English, but I have tutored all subjects. I can also tutor people who are interested in cooking and baking, dance, and college admissions. I have experience working with students who have anxiety, ADHD, Autism and Down Syndrome. I will be starting my master’s degree in personalized molecular medicine in August 2025 from UT Health San Antonio. After that my goal is to go to medical school to become a neonatal geneticist.