About Me
I am a passionate educator of children, parents, and teachers spanning a career of over four decades. My academic credentials include a Master’s Degree in Special Education with a specialization in Learning Disabilities from Columbia University Teachers College in New York. I received a Bachelor’s Degree majoring in both Psychology and Economics from The University of Rochester. I maintain teaching licensures in New York, Maryland, and Ohio. I am a Fellow of the Orton-Gillingham Academy and a Wilson Language Therapist, as well as a retired Wilson Language Trainer. I also maintain Certification in Learning Without Tears, which specializes in the development of letter formation (manuscript and cursive handwriting), reading and math readiness, and keyboarding skills.
First as a classroom teacher, then as a tutor specializing working with students of all ages struggling to make sense of print. I have trained and mentored thousands of teachers through my work as an Orton-Gillingham Fellow and Wilson Language Trainer. I have deep knowledge of literacy development, particularly in the Science of Reading, Structured Literacy, and methods successfully used to work with those who have dyslexia. I have conducted well over 500 workshops over the past 25 plus years in public, private, and charter schools, as well as for literacy organizations. I have expertise in all areas of literacy development, inclusive of pre and early literacy for general education students and remedial efforts for more challenging to teach students in the areas noted by the National Reading Panel (2000): phonological awareness, decoding, fluency, vocabulary, comprehension, as well as spelling, handwriting, and written language composition skills.
One of the goals in writing Calling All Neurons! How Reading and Spelling Happen is to maximize each stakeholder’s role in improving the educational and emotional outcomes of each child. Calling All Neurons! demonstrates my ability to translate what appears to be complex and at times overwhelming into user-friendly and easily understood language. A second goal is to make my readers feel supported In a current world where things seem to be moving increasingly faster. I have the ability to present the information and offer solutions in a fun, slower paced, and less intimidating fashion. This provides clear perspective and comfort.
I am a member of several professional organizations including The International Dyslexia Association, The Orton Gillingham Academy, The Reading League, Author’s Guild, and the Society of Children’s Book Writers and Illustrators (SCBWI). I am a Past President of The Northern Ohio Branch of The International Dyslexia Association, and continue to serve on its Advisory Council. I have been an active volunteer throughout my career at the national level for The International Dyslexia Association. I am a Moderator of the large (237,000+ members) FaceBook Group, Science of Reading-What I Should Have Learned in College.
Currently, I have expanded my efforts to pursue education and public outreach concerning literacy for all. I hope to bring our community together for more conversation. When I am not in my office, you can find me reading to and playing with my grandchildren, traveling to places far and near, volunteering, cooking a gourmet meal, attending water, dance, and yoga classes, bicycling, hanging out with family and friends, and, of course, reading and discussing books.
I want to share this quote, which governs how I approach life:
“I slept and dreamt that life was joy. I awoke and saw that life was service. I acted and behold, service was joy.” ~Literature Laureate Rabindranath Tagore