Patricia S.

For over three decades, Patricia A. Sullivan has dedicated her professional life to advancing literacy and supporting diverse learners in both public school and university settings. Her career reflects a deep commitment to student success, teacher development, and inclusive education.

Patricia began her journey in education in 1990 as a Teacher of the Handicapped in the Passaic Public School system. Over the next 14 years, she worked closely with students with a wide range of learning needs, developing individualized instructional materials, conducting ongoing assessments, and reinforcing critical learning goals. Her compassionate, student-centered approach helped ensure that all learners received the attention and support needed to thrive academically and socially.

Recognizing her leadership potential, the Passaic school district appointed Patricia as a Literacy Coach in 2011. In this supervisory position, she played a key role in implementing New Jersey’s Reading First initiatives under the federal No Child Left Behind Act. Patricia led professional development sessions, coached educators on research-based instructional strategies, and worked to elevate reading instruction across multiple grade levels.

Since 2012, Patricia has served as a Reading Tutor at William Paterson University, where she applies Orton-Gillingham techniques to build phonemic awareness and blending skills among struggling readers. She conducts detailed assessments, designs customized interventions, and communicates regularly with parents to share student progress. Her university role showcases her enduring passion for literacy and her talent for working with learners at all levels.

Patricia’s educational background includes a Master of Education in Special Education and a Reading Specialist Certification from William Paterson University, as well as a Bachelor of Arts in Elementary Education and Special Education from Seton Hall University. These credentials reflect a lifelong dedication to learning and a firm foundation in both the theory and practice of education.

Throughout her career, Patricia Sullivan has exemplified professionalism, compassion, and excellence. Her extensive experience, combined with her specialized training in literacy and special education, make her a valuable asset to any educational team.

WESLEY L.

Wesley L. is an Ontario Certified Teacher (#733954). He grew up in the suburbs of Aurora, Ontario where he then lived most of his young adult life and educational life in Toronto, Ontario. In the city, he completed his bachelors of Kinesiology at University of Toronto and then went on to complete his bachelor of education at Tyndale University in Toronto. Moving on from education, Wesley believes in the growth of all students and is driven to help them reach their goals and development potential (which is never done!). Not only does Wesley believe in educational/intellectual growth, but also he believes strongly in mental health and physical health development. Wesley is an advocate for healthy movement, a healthy mind, and great well-being. Therefore, Wesley partakes in basketball, gym, and other activities that promote well-being. Going back to his professional experiences, he has taught three different classes within Toronto at the Grade 1, 2 and 5/6 level. His expertise is within the subjects of math, science, health, and language. Furthermore, his interpersonal skills are strong and so relationship building amongst students is no problem at all. Wesley strives to be an amazing tutor that provides an effective and fun session with the various learners that he connects with!

Maggie O.

Maggie is an Ontario Certified teacher. Her family emigrated from Ireland to Canada when she was nine years old. Now Maggie lives in Toronto with her eleven year old daughter Aisling and Sammy, their Nova Scotia Duck Toller puppy. Maggie is known for her kind and patient humour and her compelling confidence in children. With strengths across the curriculum, she describes her teaching practice as evidence-based, guided-inquiry as influenced by her lived experiences as a student, parent and academic. For example, her primary school language learning in Irish Gaelic and high school exchange in France, where she completed the Baccalauréat de langue et litterature francaises, planted seeds for her later interest in ethnomathematics and culturally responsive teaching. In 2003 Maggie graduated with a BA in Fine Art History from the University of Toronto, and went on to teach yoga and mindfulness in newcomer, youth and justice-adjacent facilities. Twenty years later she completed an Honours BA in Political Science and Indigenous Studies also at U of T, where she became a learner of a local Ojibwe language (Anishinaabemowin). This June 2025, she will receive an MA in Child Study and Education from the Department of Applied Psychology and Human Development, OISE, U of T. During this degree, Maggie’s studies focused on themes of student equity, motivation and peer-based learning and she further developed her knowledge of play and arts integration. Additional defining characteristics include her unreasonable enthusiasm for diving into icy cold water, and her favourite sock colour being tie-dye-rainbow. This summer, Maggie and Aisling are competing in their first triathlon events.

EMMA N.

Emma graduated from the University of Windsor with a Bachelor of Science in Biomedical Sciences. She is moving to Toronto this summer to start her Master’s in Translational Health Sciences at the University of Toronto. Emma started tutoring in 2020 as a summer school tutor for the Windsor-Essex Catholic District School Board under the Focus On Youth Program. While with the WECDSB, she tutored students in grades 11 and 12 in math, Civics/careers, and an ESL (English as a second language) student in grade 11 English. She also gained ample experience tutoring students with learning disabilities, such as processing delays, and tutoring AP and IB courses. Emma enjoyed tutoring so much with WECDSB that she became a private tutor. Since then, she has specialized in tutoring high school and post-secondary students in math, chemistry, and biology. She tailors her lessons individually to each of her students and uses practical, real-life examples to explain concepts. Emma strives to instill the skills and confidence her students need to succeed, not just in the classroom but also in life. Emma enjoys watching anime, reading, playing video games, and spending time with friends and family in her spare time.

CASEY H.

Casey completed her Master of Arts in Child Study & Education at the Ontario Institute for Studies in Education (OISE) and holds an Honours Bachelor of Arts (with High Distinction) in English and Drama from the University of Toronto. She is an Ontario Certified Teacher, qualified to teach in the Primary and Junior divisions. Casey has extensive experience working with children from diverse backgrounds, including English Language Learners (ELL) and newcomers, through various roles as a tutor, mentor, and camp counsellor. She also completed practicum placements across Primary and Junior grades within the Toronto District School Board (TDSB), where she taught literacy using UFLI resources, as well as math, health, and social studies. Casey is dedicated to creating inclusive, engaging, and student-centred learning environments by building strong relationships with students and using differentiated instruction to celebrate their strengths and meet their unique needs. She strives to connect learning to students’ interests and lived experiences, making it relevant, meaningful, and enjoyable to help every student succeed and develop a love for learning. In her spare time, Casey enjoys making music, playing video games, learning new languages, and exploring the city with friends and family.

Mira T.

Mira is a certified teacher with seven years of classroom experience in Philadelphia elementary schools. She graduated summa cum laude from the University of Pennsylvania and holds a Master’s in Teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education. Mira currently serves as a literacy coach, training and supporting new teachers in effective reading instruction and classroom strategies. Mira believes that literacy is a fundamental right, and specializes in literacy intervention to help every student become a successful and confident reader. When she’s not teaching, Mira loves to go camping and hang out with her pup at the dog park.

Carly K.

Carly Kiess is a K–8 literacy specialist with over ten years of experience helping students become confident, capable readers and writers. She has worked as a teacher, principal, and instructional coach, and now partners with schools to improve reading instruction across classrooms. Carly has coached dozens of teachers and school leaders to strengthen their literacy practices—and in every role, she’s helped students make real academic gains, including significant jumps in reading proficiency. She holds a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction and is trained in programs like CKLA, UFLI, Fundations, and Heggerty. Carly is known for building strong relationships with students and families, and for designing lessons that make reading click. Parents appreciate her calm, clear approach and her ability to meet kids right where they are—while helping them reach the next level. While she’s not working, Carly enjoys spending time with her children, running, and sampling the best pastries in Philadelphia.

ANDREA R.

Andrea R. was born and raised in San Diego, CA but has happily been on the east coast for over 15 years. After graduating with honors from Wesleyan University, she moved to NYC to get a Masters of Science in Early Childhood and Special Education and begin her career as an educator. For over 12 years she worked as a classroom teacher, special education specialist, and interventionist at an elementary school in NYC. She has been expertly trained in many hands-on math and reading intervention programs that she has used to help her students excel. Kids love her good humor and energy, and she makes learning engaging and fun. Under her tutelage, her students find joy and confidence in and out of the classroom!

Stacey C.

With a robust foundation in early childhood and special education, along with her credentials as a licensed learning consultant specializing in neurodiversity, Stacey brings expertise and passion to her work with students.

As a Neurodivergent Specialist, Stacey’s approach, grounded in the constructivist theory, prioritizes experiential learning through dynamic, hands-on activities, social and emotional engagement, and meaningful project-based outcomes.

Justin B.

Justin is a certified teacher originally from Halifax, Nova Scotia, who relocated to British Columbia to pursue his teaching career. Before heading West, he earned a Bachelor of Science (Honours in Biology Research) and a Master of Science (Research-Based Thesis in Pathology) at Dalhousie University.

As a lifelong athlete, Justin grew up playing competitive hockey. Through years of coaching, he discovered his passion for teaching young people, which ultimately led him to a career in education. He went on to complete his Bachelor of Education at Acadia University in Nova Scotia’s Annapolis Valley.

During his academic career, Justin was awarded over $100,000 in research and academic scholarships and contributed to eight research publications, including three as a first author.

In his spare time, he enjoys snowboarding, playing hockey, golf, and volleyball, and road-tripping across the country with his family. As an intermediate French immersion teacher, Justin is passionate about building strong relationships and creating a supportive learning environment where all students can thrive.