El Cer"read"o Tutoring

Frequently Asked Questions / FAQ

How much does each session cost?

The cost for each 35-minute session is on a sliding scale from $50–$60 (cash only please) per session. Please let me know what payment within that range you can afford and please bring payment at the beginning of each session when you drop off your child. This sliding scale allows me to meet more families' needs, but does affect my livelihood so if you are able to afford the higher range of payment I thank you in advance for supporting me and my mission to help as many children as possible.

Are there any no-show or cancellation fees?

There is a $30 fee for no-shows or cancellations less than 48 hours in advance, to respect my time and availability, as well as my livelihood. Thank you for understanding.

Where are you located?

I am tutoring out of a residence located in the hills of El Cerrito, near Mira Vista Elementary School. I will contact you to provide the exact address when your child's first tutoring session has been scheduled.

Do I need to send my child with any materials?

No, I have all the materials needed for the tutoring sessions. You only need to drop off your child at their session time (the exact address will be provided after their first tutoring session is scheduled).

How many times per week should my child attend?

This depends on your child's needs, but to ensure that they benefit, I would recommend for every student to attend at least 2-3 times per week (more if needed). I can determine the frequency that your child may need through assessments that I can do with them during the first few sessions.

What programs are you trained in?

I have a masters degree (and cleared teaching credential) in Special Education for students with mild to moderate disabilities (including dyslexia, ADHD, and mild autism). I have also worked for Lindamood-Bell and have administered their Seeing Stars, Visualizing and Verbalizing, and On Cloud Nine programs. I incorporate many Lindamood-Bell techniques throughout my teaching, as I have found them to be incredibly helpful for all of my students, but especially those with dyslexia. I have also been trained in IMSE's Orton-Gillingham methods and I incorporate those into my teaching as well.

What ages/grades are you accepting for tutoring?

I am currently accepting students grades K–12 for tutoring! I would like to help as many children as possible learn how to read.

Are you able to tutor children who are ESL (English as a Second Language) learners?

Yes, I have many years of experience helping ESL students learn how to read, since a majority of my students were ESL learners while I was working in the WCCUSD schools. I can understand Spanish and Japanese both at an intermediate level, and can speak enough of both languages to interact with and teach children who only speak those languages. I can also communicate with parents/guardians who only speak Spanish or Japanese (using text messaging or email) if needed.

Do you accept children who already have IEPs?

Yes! I am able to read and understand IEPs thoroughly since I was a special education teacher for 4 years. If you email me a copy of your child's IEP before their first tutoring session (or attach a copy of their IEP when you are filling out the Interest Form), it will give me a lot of helpful information that I can use to better help your child. Thank you in advance!

If I have two or more children who need tutoring in reading, can they attend your sessions together?

They must attend separate sessions. From my many years of experience in teaching children how to read, I have found that in order for each child to gain the maximum benefit from each session, the tutoring must be exclusively 1-on-1. This ensures that each child receives 100% of my focus during their session and enables me to teach them the specific skills that they need (not the skills that someone else needs). Therefore, if you have more than one child who needs tutoring in reading, please schedule separate sessions for each child (and please submit separate interest forms for each child as well). Thank you in advance and please contact me if you need any assistance with this.

Do you offer tutoring in math as well?

I am currently focusing only on teaching reading as that is my passion and the way I feel I can truly help the most children. However, if you feel that your child is really in need of learning very basic math skills, please consider the following:

1. I can only teach one subject per session so as to ensure that your child truly benefits from the lesson. So if we find that your child needs tutoring in both reading and basic math skills, they would need at least 2 sessions per subject (2 sessions for reading and 2 sessions for math), so at least 4 sessions per week.

2. Devoting sessions to math would also mean your child would likely make slower progress in reading, since half of the tutoring I would be doing with your child would be spent on math instead of reading.

If this is still something you feel is needed for your child, please reach out to me and we can see what we can do.

How do you motivate children to learn?

I use the combination of two approaches:

1. First, I teach them specific skills they need at their level so that reading isn't frustrating for them. This approach in itself prevents most negative feelings or behaviors children might have towards learning how to read.

2. Second, I provide rewards (e.g., stickers after every session if they try their best, small prizes after 10 stickers are collected, short breaks with fidget toys if needed, etc.) to help motivate them along the way to keep going and to try their best every session.

Over the years I have had very few behavioral issues because of these two approaches combined. Moreover, the children that learn from me are happy to continue learning with me because they can access what they are learning, and they get positively rewarded for it.

A Note on Behavioral Issues: If there are any behavioral issues with your child during tutoring, I will definitely communicate those with you and we will work together to implement a solution. However, please keep in mind that I unfortunately will need to discontinue tutoring with your child if behaviors do not improve or if behavioral issues are extreme (e.g., property damage, threats, violence, etc.). Thank you for understanding.

Do you still teach in a school in the WCCUSD?

Unfortunately, the stress and workload of being a full-time special education teacher was taking a toll on my health (both physically and mentally), so I decided to leave the teaching profession to instead focus on private tutoring and reduce the stress I was putting my body through.