Sparking a Love for Reading (MD, ECE)

Zuri S.

I hold a Master’s degree dually focused in Early Childhood Education (ECE) and Special Education (SPED), alongside formal educator certification in Early Childhood Education. My academic foundation is paired with specialized clinical training through the DC Reading Clinic, which helps me to deliver advanced, research-backed reading and literacy interventions to early learners.

Throughout my career as an educator in Washington, DC, I have gained extensive experience in both lead classroom teaching roles and intensive, one-on-one private intervention settings. I am currently teaching first grade and bring over eight years of experience specializing in this pivotal academic year, alongside a diverse instructional background teaching Pre-K, Kindergarten, and third grade. My work primarily focuses on early learners from Pre-K through the early elementary grades (ages 3 to 9), with a strong emphasis on supporting neurodiverse profiles—including students with ADHD, autism, developmental delays, and executive functioning challenges.

My pedagogical approach combines structured literacy principles, such as explicit, multisensory phonics and decoding techniques learned through the DC Reading Clinic; with specialized special education frameworks that accommodate individual processing styles and build emotional stamina. By blending data-driven intervention with developmental routines, I help young children close foundational learning gaps, develop early mathematical reasoning, and master the social-emotional skills necessary for long-term school readiness.