Kelly B-R.
I am a 26-year veteran K–12 Reading and Language Arts teacher with a Master’s Degree in Elementary Education and a specialization in Language and Literacy from the University of Miami.
Over the course of my career, I have worked as both a classroom teacher and a private reading coach, supporting neurotypical and neurodivergent learners who need targeted support to become confident, fluent readers and writers.
As an accomplished Youth Literacy & Learning Specialist, I provide one-on-one and small-group coaching to strengthen foundational reading skills—including phonemic and phonological awareness, decoding automaticity, vocabulary development, and text comprehension. My approach is structured, supportive, and rooted in evidence-based practices.
My goal extends beyond improving reading proficiency: I aim to help students enhance their executive functioning, organizational, and social-emotional learning (SEL) skills. These tools support focus, reduce anxiety, and build the academic confidence and competence students need to thrive.
Sara S.
Sara is an experienced educator with over 18 years of teaching expertise across diverse educational settings. She studied at both Rutgers University and Kean University, where she strengthened her foundation in child development and instructional practice. Sara has taught in the public school system for 13 years, spent two years in a Montessori environment, supported a family through a year of private homeschooling, and most recently founded and operated her own homeschool program for the past two years.
Sara specializes in supporting early learners from Kindergarten through Grade Five, with a particular passion for teaching children to read and developing strong foundational math skills. Her approach blends structure, patience, and warmth, allowing her to meet each child where they are and help them build confidence through personalized, engaging instruction.
Beyond her professional work, Sara is a devoted mother who loves spending time with her children, exploring nature, and caring for animals. Her long-term dream is to one day create an animal sanctuary—a reflection of her nurturing spirit both inside and outside the classroom.
Valery D.
Valery is a current student at the University of Miami, where she is pursuing degrees in Economics and Health Science. With four years of experience working in tutoring centers, Vale brings a strong background in supporting students across elementary and middle school subjects, along with high school English and Science. She has extensive experience working with children ages 8–12 and is CPR certified. Born and raised in Miami, Valery is known for making learning fun and engaging, helping students enjoy their work and build the confidence they need to excel. Outside of tutoring, she loves exploring new cafés around the city and going on runs.
Maria S.
Maria is an experienced educator who specializes in helping students build strong academic skills, confidence, and effective learning habits. She has taught across elementary and middle school and brings deep expertise in reading, writing, vocabulary development, and academic language growth.
Maria’s tutoring approach is centered on how students learn best. For example:
- Clear and achievable learning goals
- Explicit instruction with guided practice
- Reading comprehension strategies that make texts accessible
- Writing routines that strengthen structure, clarity, and organization
- Vocabulary practices that support deeper understanding
- Academic language supports such as sentence frames, thinking routines, and modeled responses
- Ongoing progress monitoring to celebrate growth and adjust instruction
Her students consistently make strong progress, and her classroom achieved the highest STAAR pass rate in her school (2023–2024). This success reflects her commitment to purposeful planning, high expectations, and meeting students exactly where they are.
Maria brings extensive experience in curriculum design to her tutoring, having created writing units, interdisciplinary lessons, and language-based supports that help students access challenging content. She uses this background to tailor every session to a child’s individual needs, strengths, and goals.
Although Maria is biliterate in English and Spanish, she uses this expertise only when helpful. Her understanding of how language functions in learning benefits all students—whether monolingual or multilingual—by strengthening their reading, writing, and communication skills.
Across all roles, Maria is recognized for her collaboration with families and communities, her strategic instructional planning, and her commitment to ensuring every student has the language, skills, and confidence to succeed.
Outside of teaching, Maria enjoys spending time with her family, relaxing with her dog, and staying active. She brings the same warmth, patience, and encouragement from her home life into every tutoring session.
Olivier B-L
ENG: Holding a PhD from Columbia University in addition to an MA and a BA from Université de Montréal, Olivier has spent the last 11 years studying the foundations of western civilization by specializing in Classics, the interdisciplinary study of Greek and Roman Antiquity.
Driven by a passion for teaching and explaining difficult concepts from a very young age, Olivier has been an instructor for 4 years at Columbia University and a private tutor for over 5 years. Olivier has instructed students from all ages and levels, ranging from elementary school to CEGEP and undergraduate students. Olivier feels especially at home teaching French and English, as well as philosophy, the humanities, history and literature. Olivier also has extensive experience writing essays and papers himself, and has experience mentoring students in developing the skills to become compelling and persuasive writers.
Throughout his academic years, Olivier has developed a studying ethic that has allowed him to develop the discipline and focus required to succeed in a PhD program at an Ivy League university. Olivier believes that the real key to academic success comes less from innate talent than from curating the proper mindset and developing the right studying habits. As such, Olivier believes that effective tutoring goes beyond the classroom and seeks to also coach and mentor the human being behind the student.
FR: Titulaire d’un doctorat de l’Université Columbia, ainsi que d’une maîtrise et d’un baccalauréat de l’Université de Montréal, Olivier a consacré les onze dernières années à l’étude des fondements de la civilisation occidentale en se spécialisant en études classiques, l’étude interdisciplinaire de l’Antiquité grecque et romaine.
Animé dès son plus jeune âge par une passion pour l’enseignement et la vulgarisation de concepts complexes, Olivier a été chargé de cours pendant quatre ans à l’Université Columbia et tuteur privé pendant plus de cinq ans. Il a enseigné à des élèves de tous âges et de tous niveaux, du primaire à l’université. Olivier se sent particulièrement à l’aise d’enseigner le français et l’anglais, ainsi que la philosophie, les humanités, l’histoire et la littérature. Il possède également une vaste expérience en rédaction d’essais et de travaux universitaires et a accompagné des étudiants dans le développement de leurs compétences rédactionnelles afin de les aider à devenir des auteurs convaincants et persuasifs.
Tout au long de son parcours universitaire, Olivier a développé une éthique d’étude qui lui a permis d’acquérir la discipline et la concentration nécessaires à la réussite d’un doctorat dans une université de l’Ivy League. Olivier est convaincu que la clé de la réussite scolaire réside moins dans le talent inné que dans le développement d’un état d’esprit adéquat et de bonnes habitudes d’étude. C’est pourquoi il estime qu’un tutorat efficace dépasse le cadre de la salle de classe et vise également à accompagner et à guider l’individu derrière l’élève.
Sally P.
Sally is a dedicated tutor and fourth-year University of Toronto student pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Psychology with minors in Computer Science and Mathematics.
She specializes in tutoring Math, Computer Science, Psychology, English, French (beginner–intermediate), and Spanish (all levels). With over five years of experience supporting children and teens in both tutoring and childcare settings, Sally has worked extensively with neurodivergent learners, including students with ASD, ADHD, and diverse learning needs.
Sally creates individualized learning plans tailored to each student’s strengths, interests, and goals, and she collaborates closely with families to monitor progress and adjust strategies as needed. Her teaching style is flexible and inclusive; she adapts lessons for visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners using clear routines, visual supports, meaningful practice, and positive encouragement. Above all, she strives to help students feel safe, understood, and confident.
Whether a student needs help catching up, staying motivated, or being challenged beyond the classroom, Sally focuses on building skills and self-belief, not just grades. Her goal is for every learner to leave each session thinking, “I can do this,” and to feel proud of their progress.
Sally is passionate about partnering with families to support each child’s academic growth, emotional well-being, and long-term love of learning through warm, structured, and personalized tutoring.
Micaela F.
Micaela is an enthusiastic and student-centered educator with several years of experience in education. She holds a Bachelor of Science in Elementary Education with a focus in English and has worked in a wide range of educational environments supporting learners of all ages.
In addition to Micaela’s five years of classroom experience teaching grades 1st through 4th, she has spent several years tutoring students from 1st grade through the college level. She has also been deeply involved in youth mentorship—volunteering with local elementary school programs, working as a camp counselor, and most recently serving as a STEM camp director. Her recent work as an Activities Coordinator at an international language school further allowed her to support students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds and strengthen her understanding of how to build inclusive learning communities.
Micaela’s teaching philosophy is rooted in the belief that students learn best when they feel seen, valued, and safe. She is committed to creating learning spaces that honor each student’s background and learning style, and she designs lessons that are engaging, collaborative, and curiosity-driven. She encourages students to take risks, ask questions, and actively shape their own learning. Her goal is always to empower students to grow with confidence and feel supported both academically and personally.
Outside of teaching, Micaela enjoys spending time outdoors, whether at the beach or in the mountains, trying new restaurants around the city or experimenting with recipes at home, and enjoying quality time with friends and family. She looks forward to the opportunity to work with you and your student!
Kathleen B.
Kathleen B. is an experienced instructional support tutor and executive functioning coach with more than 35 years of experience working with children in both school settings and private practice. Kathi has served as a teacher, school counselor and school psychologist in the Philadelphia School District. She holds a Ph.D in Psychoeducational Processes and a M.Ed. In Counseling Psychology from Temple University, as well as a B.S. in Elementary Education from Penn State University.
Her educational philosophy focuses on nurturing the whole child by integrating intellectual, emotional and social development. Kathi’s psychology background enables her to identify possible cognitive or social-emotional factors that may contribute to a student’s learning challenges and allows her to tailor instruction to each learner’s unique needs. Dr. Bucci is committed to motivating reluctant learners while maintaining high expectations and fostering confidence and growth.
Kathi offers homework support in reading and writing for elementary through high school students. As an executive functioning coach, Kathi helps students develop study skills, time management strategies, emotional regulation, and metacognitive awareness. Kathi also provides reading tutoring for ISEE and SSAT test prep, providing targeted instruction that strengthens core academic skills while fostering higher-order thinking and reasoning for optima learning outcomes. She has extensive experience supporting neurodivergent learners and is a proud mother of three successful neurodivergent adult children. Her personal journey advocating for her own children has profoundly deepened her understanding of adaptable teaching methods and her appreciation for diverse learning styles.
Samantha H.
Samantha is a graduate of Georgetown University where she received a Bachelor of Arts in English with a minor in Spanish. She is currently completing her Master of Science in Education Policy at the University of Pennsylvania. Before starting graduate school, Samantha was a third-grade teacher in Brooklyn, New York, where she primarily focused on phonics and small-group intervention.
Samantha is truly enjoying her time in Philadelphia (although she is still biased to her hometown, Chicago). She enjoys trying new restaurants and cafes, exploring all of Philly’s unique neighborhoods, and going on long runs along the Schuylkill.
Samantha is excited to continue her career in education as a tutor because she believes in the power of one-on-one instruction. By meeting a child’s unique and individual needs, she feels she will be able to make a lasting impact that will allow them to thrive in the classroom and beyond.
Martha T.
Meet Martha — a former teacher, mom of four, and proud grandma who’s survived enough homework assignments to earn an honorary Ph.D. in patience. She’s taught elementary school, religious education, and even homeschooled her daughter for most of a year — and yes, everyone still speaks to each other!
When she wasn’t teaching, she was coaching her daughter’s softball team and cheering from the sidelines. After raising her family and building a successful career in the corporate world, Martha is excited to return to her first love: helping children learn and grow. With her mix of experience, humor, and heart — plus a few fun travel stories from Europe and Mexico — she makes learning both effective and enjoyable.