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Ph.D. Tutor: K-12 Reading, Writing, Test Prep, Special Needs, Gifted
Andrea R.

5.0 (490 ratings)

1,464 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
Hourly Rate: $135
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Response time: 11 hours

About Andrea

Bio

Having spent more than 30 years in various sectors of the Education Market, I am a passionate educator with the experience and skills that motivate students to improve their self-esteem and academic performance in all subjects, especially in Reading and Language Arts. Since I left public education and the corporate sector, I have focused my energy on tutoring children (K-12). Many of my students are Early or Struggling Readers, Special Needs, or Gifted Students.

Since no two students are...

Having spent more than 30 years in various sectors of the Education Market, I am a passionate educator with the experience and skills that motivate students to improve their self-esteem and academic performance in all subjects, especially in Reading and Language Arts. Since I left public education and the corporate sector, I have focused my energy on tutoring children (K-12). Many of my students are Early or Struggling Readers, Special Needs, or Gifted Students.

Since no two students are alike, I individualize my tutoring sessions to fit the needs of each one. In addition to helping them improve their academic skills, fill in gaps in their knowledge, pair-read books, and prepare for standardized tests, I help them build their self-confidence, learn study skills, and reduce test anxiety. I provide explicit instruction, immediate feedback, and give them the encouragement they need to succeed.

Throughout my tutoring sessions, I maintain regular communication with my students, their parents, and their teachers. Because of my patience, warmth, and knowledge of education and psychology, I provide a nurturing environment that allows me to build trusting relationships with my students and keep them engaged during our tutoring sessions. They enjoy the learning experience while they improve their self-concept and academic skills. I also establish a strong rapport and partnership with my parents who appreciate my expertise and the quality time I devote to their children, which is why many families stay with me for years.

With a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, an M.S. in Counseling, credentials and certification in School Psychology, Orton-Gillingham training in Reading, and years of working with thousands of students, parents, and educators throughout North America, I continue to love my work, meet the challenges each student presents, and treasure the meaningful engagement with both students and parents that these learning opportunities afford.

My resume is available upon request.

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Education

Daemen College of Amherst, New York
B.A.
University of Buffalo
Masters
University of California at Santa Barbara
PhD

Policies

  • Hourly Rate: $135
  • Rate details: Rates may be negotiated depending on location of tutoring (student's home or public library) and ability to pay.
  • Lesson cancellation: 12 hours notice required

  • Background check passed on 4/29/2016

  • Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

Schedule

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Approved Subjects

ADHD

ADHD

I have worked with special needs children, their families, teachers, IEP teams, and psychologists for many decades. Ever since I was both a master’s and doctoral student, I studied Early Childhood Development, Cognitive Learning, and Children with Learning Disabilities. As a school psychologist, children diagnosed with ADD/ADHD were in every classroom and every school in which I worked. These children typically exhibit the behavioral characteristics of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. When I worked in the corporate sector, I wrote and lectured about this disorder, as well as dyslexia, autism, and aspergers throughout North America. As a tutor, many of my students who have this diagnosis cannot sit still for an entire hour and concentrate on their work. Therefore, I allow them to stand to do some written work, walk around the room while answering questions, jump rope or cartwheel around the room while reciting their multiplication tables, or just take a break and do jumping jacks to release their energy! I also allow them to engage in conversation with me to build a trusting relationship in which they are willing to perform.
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

I have worked with special needs children, their families, teachers, IEP teams, and psychologists for many decades. Ever since I was both a master’s and a doctoral student, I studied early childhood development, cognitive learning, and children with learning disabilities and disorders. My first introduction to Autism was from a doctoral student I mentored. She had set up the first preschool for children who were diagnosed with Autism in the San Diego area. Through her and my continued studies on the topic over the decades, I increased my knowledge significantly. Typically, these children are diagnosed by the age of three. The hallmark symptoms of Autism include poor social interactions, weak communication skills, self-stimulating behaviors, and restricted interests. When I worked in the corporate sector, I wrote and lectured throughout North America about Autism, as well as Dyslexia, ADHD, and Asperger’s. As a tutor, I have worked with students who have been diagnosed with Autism, as well as with their families and schools. Frequently, these students have other disabilities and, when I work with them, I attempt to address all their issues.
Common Core

Common Core

I have prepared many students to take the PARCC Common Core exams in both Math and Language Arts. Practice prior to test taking helps students alleviate anxiety, improve confidence, and review subject matter. Students that I have helped prepare have been accepted at the private schools of their choice and have improved their test scores.
COOP/HSPT

COOP/HSPT

In the past, I have tutored students to take the the COOP and HSPT to be admitted to private schools. More recently in my private practice, I have tutored elementary students to take the NJASK and the Terra Nova. With each student, I evaluate their strengths and weaknesses, provide review of key concepts, practical strategies for test-taking, and administer practice tests. In addition to preparing students academically, I focus on reducing their test anxiety and building their self-confidence.
Dyslexia

Dyslexia

Please read my subject description for the subject Special Needs. This included information about my creating a pre-reading program for 4 to 6 yr. olds to teach them the skills they needed, such as phoenemic awareness and the alphabetic principle, before they can learn to read. Also, I have had training in the Orton-Gillingham approach to reading, which is frequently used with students who have dyslexia. I have written articles about dyslexia for Kumon Instructors who saw many reading students with this reading disability, and I have had much experience working with students who are struggling readers or who have been diagnosed with dyslexia in my tutoring practice.
Elementary (K-6th)

Elementary (K-6th)

After receiving my Ph.D. and three credentials from the state of California, I held various positions in both K-6 and K-8 school districts. I worked as an Educational Consultant, Educational Psychologist, School Psychologist, and Testing Specialist for students with Special Needs. In the schools, I worked closely with reading specialists and classroom teachers. I administered and evaluated a wide variety of tests to students, participated in their I.E.P.'s, and conferred with parents and school personnel on a regular basis. When I moved from the schools to the corporate sector, I continued to focus my attention on elementary students. I worked on the reading curriculum for an after school supplemental math and reading program, wrote and spoke about topics of concern to parents and instructors of elementary school students, especially in the area of Reading. For several years, I have been tutoring elementary school students on an individual basis. Although I focus on Reading, Writing, and Language Arts, I currently assist students with their homework and prepare them for classroom tests in all subjects. In addition, I mentor parents and prepare students for standardized tests such as the NJASK and Terra Nova. My expertise, sensitivity, and empathy allow me to establish trusting and meaningful relationships with my students and their families.
Elementary Math

Elementary Math

Recently, I have tutored elementary students in all subjects, including math. With my background in education and psychology, I understand math phobia and test-taking anxiety and have worked with many students who have these issues. By filling in gaps in their math knowledge, assisting with their math homework assignments, preparing for classroom and standardized math tests, practicing to the point of “over learning,” and doing some deep breathing and visualization exercises, I am usually able to help students remain calm during math test-taking experiences. In the recent past, I was asked to explain the difference between the linear math curriculum that most parents are familiar with, and the spiral math curriculum that is used in schools today. Spiral math textbooks include topics such as the following: numeration, number theory, mental math and estimation, computing with whole numbers and decimals, computing fractions, ratio and percent, basic ideas of pre-algebra, graphing, statistics and probability, measurement, basic ideas of geometry, and problem solving. In the spiral math curriculum, these topics are repeated each year throughout the elementary grade levels. I began my undergraduate education as a math major and returned to my love for math during my doctoral studies. In my Educational Psychology program, I specialized in statistics and psychometric testing. During those graduate years, I tutored students in statistics and tests and measurements. I also co-authored articles and monographs about math achievement. When I worked at Kumon North America, I co-created a program for 4 to 6 year olds that included Number Sense, and wrote articles about math entitled “Two Secrets Behind Math Word Problems” and “The Many Faces of the Language of Numbers.” I also collaborated with Michigan State University on a scientific research study of Kumon Math for elementary students.
Grammar

Grammar

I teach grammar through the writing process and by assisting private students with their daily homework in Language Arts. Nouns, verbs, pronouns, adjectives, adverbs, conjunctions, capitalization, punctuation, proper sentence construction, and subject-verb agreement are some of the grammar topics I emphasize with beginning or struggling writers. I encourage students to write stories after making a story map, to keep journals about the books they’ve read, to rewrite first drafts making all spelling and grammatical corrections, and I praise them as they improve their stories and compositions. With upper elementary and middle school students, we tackle topics such as clauses, sentence variety, and types of paragraphs. Once students master paragraph writing, I help them expand their ideas into an essay. Although many students write the way they talk, I introduce Standard Written English with proper grammar and spelling at all levels of writing. Good readers make good writers, and I encourage my students to read and write on a daily basis. My enthusiasm for reading and writing is contagious!
Phonics

Phonics

I was the co-creator of a pre-reading program for 4-6 year olds at Kumon North America, the goal of which was to teach young children the pre-literacy skills needed before they can learn to read. In addition, I have had Orton-Gillingham training, which is a multisensory, alphabetic-phonetic approach to teaching reading, writing, and spelling. Words are made up of sounds. I teach young students to recognize the sounds in words through exercises such as rhyming, syllable counting, whole word discrimination, syllable segmentation, blending letters to make a single speech sound, identifying sounds at the beginning, middle, and ending of words, identifying words by deleting beginning or ending sounds, and substituting sounds to make new words. Additionally, the onset and rime of words are taught, along with word-families. Emphasis is also placed on long and short vowels, silent consonants, compound words, prefixes and suffixes. Rules, such as “A word that ends with a /k/ sound is spelled with a ck after a short vowel (e.g. sock, brick, black) and “Silent e at the end of a word makes the vowel say its name (e.g. like, cane,) are also introduced. I use the Orton-Gillingham approach especially for pre-readers, early readers, and struggling readers.
Reading

Reading

With a Ph.D. in Educational Psychology, Orton-Gillingham training in reading, and extensive experience working with thousands of children in public and private schools, I have worked with a broad range of students including pre-readers, struggling readers, and those with Special Needs (from the Gifted to those on the Autism Spectrum.) I have written numerous articles for parents with titles that include, "Good Readers Make Good Writers," "Breaking the Reading Code," "Is Your Child at Risk of Becoming a Struggling Reader?" Additionally, I have delivered presentations across North America on topics entitled "Struggling Readers," "Understanding Reading Comprehension," and "Building the Foundation for Reading Success." My proficiency in the area of pre-literacy skills permits me to evaluate young children, and assist them in their acquisition of the necessary pre-reading skills required before they can become skilled readers. All children can learn to read, but unlike speech, which happens naturally, reading must be taught. To break the reading code, young children must be able to recognize that words are composed of sounds and be able to link those sounds with letters of the alphabet. While I was employed at a large educational corporation, I co-created a reading readiness program for 4 to 6 years olds. For students to comprehend what they read, they must read a great deal and develop fluency in reading. Whether I am working with pre-readers or struggling readers, I employ systematic and explicit instruction to help students improve their reading skills. Letter-sound recognition, oral reading, predicting outcomes, retelling and writing stories, and shared reading are all techniques that I use when interacting with my students. By providing and recommending books at their reading and interest level, I encourage students to read for pleasure while demonstrating the joy of reading.
Special Needs

Special Needs

Throughout my career, I have had extensive experience with a wide range of children with Special Needs. These include students in the gifted and talented programs, underachievers, struggling readers, and those with a variety of learning disabilities and disorders. Some students were diagnosed with ADD/ADHD, Aspergers Syndrome, Autism, Dyslexia, and Auditory Processing Disability. A diagnosis of a disability or disorder may make learning difficult, but it is not a life sentence. With patience, understanding, and a firm belief that all students can learn, I am able to provide services to a diverse group of individuals. During my many years in California, I worked with students, parents, and school personnel in the Beverly Hills, Goleta, Santa Barbara, and Santa Maria School Districts. I administered and evaluated ability, achievement, and psychological tests to thousands of students, and participated in some of their I.E.P. team meetings. When I worked for the corporate sector, I delivered presentations across North America on topics such as Special Needs Students, Learning Disabilities, and Struggling Readers. Additionally, as the Educational Specialist and Academic Spokesperson for Kumon North America, I wrote numerous articles for their parents, staff, and Instructors, and was frequently interviewed by the media. Special Needs Students, Struggling Readers, and Learning Disabilities were often the topics of discussion.
Spelling

Spelling

My goal is to help students improve their spelling. I use the multisensory Orton-Gillingham approach with my students who have dyslexia or are struggling readers. Although I introduce some of the most common spelling rules (Silent-e, Doubling, and Y rule,) I keep the rules to a minimum and believe that mastering a few principles is more important than half-learning several. My students keep a record of their commonly misspelled words in a notebook or on index cards, and review them regularly. Understanding the meanings of prefixes and suffixes also helps students sharpen their spelling skills. I use proofreading and some use of the dictionary to help students find and correct their own spelling errors.
Study Skills

Study Skills

Successful students possess good study skills. These include organizational, time management, and motivational skills. Although some students appear to acquire them naturally, others need help developing and practicing such skills. Students need clear expectations, structure and routine. In past presentations to parents and educators, I have discussed the importance of organizing information, reading directions, recording assignments, setting up a study area at home where all supplies are kept in one place, and using a weekly planner. The homework area needs to be comfortable, equipped with necessary supplies, free from distractions, and well lit. Students who lack study skills frequently do their assignments in several different areas and constantly get up to sharpen pencils or get supplies. This interrupts their concentration. Regaining it takes time, which often turns short assignments into needlessly long ones. I have encouraged parents to set up study areas in their homes to provide routine and consistency for students. Because my sessions with students are tailored to meet their individual needs and learning styles, I use visual aids with some students, mnemonic devices with others, and I help break down large assignments into smaller manageable pieces. As a homework and study facilitator, I do not do the work for students. Instead, I use praise, encouragement, and incentives to boost their motivation and help them learn how to study and successfully complete assignments in a timely manner.
Vocabulary

Vocabulary

Vocabulary is the cornerstone of good reading. The more students read, the more their vocabularies improve. Extensive and specialized vocabulary is an essential tool for students in school and throughout their lives. To build one’s vocabulary, the study of word meanings is fundamental. I encourage the use of a dictionary and thesaurus, which are indispensable resources for vocabulary expansion. With pre-readers, I practice rhyming and clapping syllables of long words. We discuss word meanings and I encourage them to use their new words in story telling. When I read to them, I choose books with rich vocabulary. With early readers, I continue to use these practices, and I concentrate on high frequency words, compound words, sentence writing, and paired-reading. Additionally, I read books to them that are above their grade level as a means of introducing new vocabulary. Throughout elementary school, students need to grow their sight word vocabulary because it is critical to a successful reading experience. When students accomplish this, they are able to concentrate on the meaning of the text and not break their attentiveness by having to decode unfamiliar words. Vocabulary instruction is part of Language Arts. Some of its components include synonyms, antonyms, homophones, roots, prefixes, suffixes, and words with multiple meanings. By assisting students with their Language Arts assignments, listening to them read, reading to them, discussing what we read, and encouraging them to use newly acquired vocabulary words in their writing assignments, I reinforce their vocabulary development. Some students also benefit from keeping vocabulary index cards or a vocabulary notebook.
Writing

Writing

I help my students with all their English and History essays and edit all work before it is handed in.
English
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Response time: 11 hours

Ratings and Reviews

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5.0 (490 ratings)
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Reviews

A wonderful 4 year experience!

It is with great sadness that we prepare to say goodbye to Dr. Andrea! Both my boys have met with Dr. Andrea weekly for almost four years, sometimes twice a week and sometimes even in the summertime. Due to a job relocation we are preparing to move and we are more than a little heartbroken to leave Dr. Andrea behind! She is much more than an amazing, compassionate, knowledgeable and supportive tutor, she has become an integral part of our family and the upcoming separation is going to be very difficult for us. We began our long-standing relationship when my oldest child, then a kindergartner, couldn't decode reading and decided he would never succeed! After months of us parents struggling with this, Dr. Andrea promptly stepped in and solved the issue in a heartbeat... now a third grader, my son is not only a confident and accomplished reader, but most importantly LOVES to read. Reading is fun! Once the initial challenge was overcome, Dr. Andrea proved invaluable with so many other challenging aspects of school learning: math, geometry, grammar, spelling and so so much more. My son now loves school, does his homework on the double with never any argument and is currently a talented student in one of NJ's top achieving schools. Dr Andrea also helped with our second child's challenges, mostly behavioral and associated with poor concentration. If we could pack Dr. Andrea and take her away with us, we would! Excellent tutor (Review submitted 11/30/2012) I highly recommend Dr Andrea R: not only is she exceedingly qualified as a reading specialist, but she also has great personal skills when dealing with young students, such as abundant patience and listening abilities. Above all, she is an exceptional self-confidence builder.

Lucas, 158 lessons with Andrea

AMAZING Tutor and Educational Coach

In a word Dr. Reader is simply AMAZING ! I generally tend to be a frugal person but think Dr. Reader’s services are well priced. She worked with a 9 year old boy and was extraordinarily impactful. She is organized and effectively encourages him to do is best work. He has made amazing progress with Dr. Reader and is a serious contender for the gifted and talented program as a result. Dr. Reader comes to every lesson well prepared and creates customized lessons for her students based on their areas of development and strengths. She is thoughtful, patient and kind. My son had come a long way working with her and I have recommended her to friends who have also had positive things to say about her but I think I am her biggest fan as a parent.

Deb, 234 lessons with Andrea

Exceptional Reading Tutor

Dr. R. is one of the best! My second grader has been working with Dr. R. on a weekly basis for almost a year and we have seen incredible improvement in her reading, writing and spelling. Dr. R. has an in-depth knowledge of a variety of methods and strategies that are helpful for early-readers. Our daughter struggled to keep up in first grade and Dr. R. has given her the confidence and tools to excel. My daughter no longer gets frustrated while reading and now loves to read and takes a book with her wherever she goes! Dr. R. is warm and kind and our daughter truly enjoys spending time with her. She is also a wonderful resource for parents and takes the time to give thoughtful feedback and updates on a regular basis. Dr. R. is a great asset to our family and we look forward to working with her for many years!

Katie, 285 lessons with Andrea

Seasoned educator. 100% recommend Andrea!

Excellent tutor for reading and writing skills. An immediate fit for my 14 year old. Compassionate and patient Andrea is a great teacher and made learning easier for my son.

Robert, 67 lessons with Andrea

Knowledgeable and enthusiastic

She assessed and recognized the specific needs and gaps that need to be worked on.. planned future lessons accordingly , she had a variety of materials to choose from and used them as and when needed

Geeta, 6 lessons with Andrea

Excellent tutor

Dr. R was an excellent tutor for my daughter, who was preparing for the COOP exam earlier this month. She is extremely patient and teaches in a way that is easy for children to understand. I would recommend her to anyone.

Robert, 8 lessons with Andrea

Best tutor we ever worked with.

She is the most accomplished educator and tutor we have ever encountered. Our family feels blessed, having the opportunity to have her work with our child. Her knowledge and caring demeanor of the subject matter, has helped alleviate our child's anxiety concerning test preparation. Her resume speaks for itself. Her kind and encouraging efforts have motivated our child to work diligently and enthusiastically to accomplish the goals he has set for himself. My husband and I believe Dr. Andrea R. was "heaven sent" and we are truly blessed to have the opportunity to avail her services.

Nancy, 12 lessons with Andrea

We will recommend Dr. Andrea to other parents!

Dr. Andrea demonstrated to be a specialist in the area of phonetics. She made or daughter feel safe and welcomed in the session by using tools of patience and connecting with her at her level. We will recommend Dr. Andrea to other parents!

Sheila, 7 lessons with Andrea

Math/Reading Comprehension

My son just had his first tutoring session with Dr. Andrea R. this morning, and we are very happy. Dr. Andrea R. was great! We look forward to working with her in the future!!

Karen, 2 lessons with Andrea

Top notch reading tutor!

Dr. Andrea has been working with our 7 year old son for over 6 months. With Dr. Andrea's support and incredible patience, Jack has been able to focus on reading fundamentals (he has inattentive ADHD and dyslexia). She has been following the Orton Gillingham lessons which seem to resonate with our son. He is learning to read and is much more confident reader thanks to Dr. Andrea. And she quickly figure out Jack and how to motivate him to work on diction and reading more difficult lessons. Dr. Andrea sends very detailed summaries from tutoring sessions so you know what they worked on, what went well/did not go well and how to support these sessions at home. As a working parent who does not attend the tutoring sessions, these are great to receive each week. Finally, Dr. Andrea is warm, very thoughtful and maternal which seems to work well with my son. I strong recommend Dr. Andrea to anyone looking for tutor for their child!

Laura, 121 lessons with Andrea
Hourly Rate: $135
Response time: 11 hours
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