Reading Tutoring: Teaching Kids to Love Reading📚

Reading can open the entire world for a child.

Teaching children to read has always been one of my favorite parts of being an educator. There is something incredibly special about watching reading begin to click and seeing a child's confidence grow as they realize, “I can do this!”

Before becoming a private tutor, I spent eight years teaching in public schools, including teaching kindergarten and first grade. During those early elementary years, one of my favorite parts of teaching was helping children develop the foundational skills they needed to become readers.

Through guided reading groups, individualized instruction, targeted classroom activities, and collaboration with families, I had the privilege of watching so many children take off in their reading.

Now, as a private tutor, I get to continue doing what I love through individualized, one-on-one reading support.

Reading Tutoring That Meets Your Child Where They Are

Every child develops as a reader differently.

Some children need support with phonemic awareness, letter sounds, phonics, blending, decoding, high-frequency words, fluency, or comprehension. Others may be several years into elementary school but still struggling with foundational reading skills that haven't yet become automatic.

One of the things I love most about one-on-one tutoring is that I can meet a child at their current instructional level rather than simply teaching material based on the grade printed at the top of their worksheet.

I can assess where a student is currently reading, identify areas where additional support may be helpful, choose appropriately challenging materials, teach targeted reading strategies, and continually adjust my instruction as the child grows.

And sometimes that individualized support can lead to really exciting progress!

Support for Beginning Readers 🌱

Some of my favorite years as a classroom teacher were spent teaching preschool, TK, kindergarten and first grade, when children are often making that incredible transition from learning letters and sounds to actually reading books.

I loved working with children individually and in small guided reading groups as they developed phonemic awareness, phonics, decoding, high-frequency word recognition, fluency, comprehension, and confidence.

Today, I bring that classroom experience into my private tutoring sessions with younger students.

Whether a child is beginning to discover how letters and sounds work together, learning to decode their first words, or already reading books and ready for the next challenge, I love helping build the foundation for a lifetime love of reading.

Real Student Success: Level E → Level I in 2 Months 📈

One of my students began working with me shortly before turning 11 and before entering sixth grade. When we started, he was reading at an instructional Level E, which is where most students are expected to be by the end of Kindergarten or beginning of first grade.

Over approximately two months and about 10 tutoring sessions during the summer, his instructional reading level increased from Level E to Level I.

Because he was entering sixth grade while still working to strengthen foundational reading skills, our one-on-one sessions allowed me to meet him at his current instructional level and focus specifically on the skills and strategies he needed.

Our work together also extended beyond our tutoring sessions. After assessing his reading level, I shared that information with his mom and showed her how to find appropriately leveled books at the library so he could practice between sessions.

His family followed through at home, reinforcing the skills we were working on together.

His progress is a wonderful example of what can happen when individualized instruction, appropriately leveled reading material, consistent practice, and family involvement all work together.

Real Student Success: Level G → Level M in 2.5 Months 📈

Another student came to me in fourth grade reading at approximately Level G, around a mid-first-grade instructional reading level.

Because she was an older elementary student who was still working to strengthen foundational reading skills, I tailored our sessions to meet her at her current instructional level rather than simply expecting her to work through fourth-grade material that could leave her feeling frustrated or overwhelmed.

I assessed her reading level, helped identify books that provided an appropriate level of challenge, and explicitly taught her reading strategies that she could begin internalizing and using more independently.

Over approximately 2.5 months of working together, her instructional reading level progressed from Level G to Level M, approximately an end-of-second-grade level.

Seeing that much measurable growth in such a short period was incredibly exciting. Even more rewarding was watching her become more successful and confident as a reader.

Parents Are Part of the Team ❤️

I believe collaboration with families can make a tremendous difference.

Parents don't need to become their child's reading teacher. Sometimes relatively small changes, such as knowing which books provide an appropriate level of challenge, understanding what skills we're currently working on, or spending some time reading together between sessions, can help reinforce what a child is learning during tutoring.

When appropriate, I share ideas and resources with families so we can work together to support their child's progress.

The progress of my sixth-grade student is a wonderful example of this. His mom took the information and resources I provided and carried them into their home practice. That continuity between tutoring and home gave him additional opportunities to practice and apply what he was learning.