Tracy Y.

About Tracy

There is nothing more inspiring than witnessing that "aha" moment when a child finally breaks through the barrier to understanding a new or difficult concept. I think that is what made me decide to become a teacher. After working as a special education paraprofessional in a first grade classroom almost eight years ago, I decided to pursue my teaching certification. I loved being part of a team whose goals included creating and developing critical thinkers and it was my desire to be on the front lines in the educational process. Encouraging students to ask questions and then providing them with the tools necessary to find answers to those questions are two ways I motivate students to become lifelong learners. In addition, I enjoy helping students make connections between what they are learning in the classroom and their own lives, so that lessons become truly meaningful to them.

My classroom experience includes one year teaching fourth grade, two years teaching in both fifth and sixth grade and one year as an intervention tutor for regular and special education students. I have also taught Connecticut Mastery Test preparation classes for reading, writing and math for the last three years. In these classes, I have been able to reinforce what has been taught in the classroom and to provide helpful strategies for successfully taking this incredibly important, yet stress inducing test.

Additionally, I have been trained in the Reader’s Workshop model at Teachers College, Columbia University. For students who struggle with fluency and reading comprehension, the Reading Workshop model is extremely helpful and can be easily applied in a one on one tutoring setting. Reader’s Workshop model allows me to focus on the weaknesses and strengths of the individual reader and personally craft lessons to address weaknesses. Ongoing assessments, such as running records, help me track student progress. The best part of the model is that it really turns even the most reluctant students into readers. I also teach reading strategies that allow students to successfully navigate difficult text across the content areas, including science and social studies.

If writing is your child's area of weakness, I can teach how to organize ideas into thoughtful pieces, how and where to elaborate, revision strategies, and how to successfully edit the writing piece. I can also help your child if he or she has difficulty with grammar.

While my teaching strengths lie in reading and writing, I have experience teaching math up through grade seven. If your child's weakness is math, I can teach number sense, algorithms, fractions, decimals and percents and basic pre-algebra concepts. I find that many mathematical concepts can be learned easier when taught using manipulatives and real-life applications.

Another qualification that I have is my experience teaching in a fifth grade inclusion class for two consecutive years where I co-taught language arts with a special education teacher. While this allowed me to work with a much diversified group of learners, it also required me to differentiate instruction and teach to a multitude of learning styles to ensure that I met the needs of all of my students. I had a few students whose modifications included typing work on the computer, near point copies of all notes and work, graphic organizers, and targeted small group instruction. In addition, several of my general education students happened to be an English Language Learners. Many ELL students enter school feeling apprehensive and unsure. However, by initiating a gentle, yet total immersion into the American culture and language, their adaptation and assimilation into my classroom happens quickly.

Please let me help your child achieve success in school! There is nothing more inspiring than witnessing that "aha" moment when a child finally breaks through the barrier to understanding a new or difficult concept. I think that is what made me decide to become a teacher. After working as a special education paraprofessional in a first grade classroom almost eight years ago, I decided to pursue my… Read more

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