Hi, I am Carolyn Reid, the founder of the Art of Learning Coach. For nearly two decades, I have worked in public and private schools as an educator, specialist, and instructional leader for students with language-based learning differences, Dyslexia, ADHD, Giftedness, and English as a second language. Throughout my work, I have been blessed to work alongside students with complicated learning profiles who struggled to learn in school. Rooted in the belief that all individuals can learn if taught "how" to learn, I expanded my teaching toolkit, earning certifications in Orton Gillingham, Project Read, SIOP, as well as an M.Ed in Reading, Special Education, and ESOL. Early on, I began tutoring students on the side and advocating for their accommodations in the classroom. I loved the freedom to responsively teach! Many of these students were twice exceptional requiring both learning interventions and advanced content. Getting the appropriate school placement required a great deal of convincing and often more training for their educators.  

 

Soon, I was also training teachers and prospective teachers in explicit, rigorous, systematic, differentiated, and multisensory instruction and curriculum design. Eventually, when I began working with gifted English Language Learners (Multilinguals), I was tasked with addressing the systemic barriers that impeded their access to elite programming. Through collaboration, staff education, adjustments in policy and assessments, and improved multilingual communications, we were able to increase the entrance and attrition rates of ELs and MLs into advanced programming. For this work, I was recognized as an Outstanding Teacher Leader in Advanced Academics for EGATE in 2021. 

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When the pandemic hit, like many, I decided to homeschool two of my four children. One was starting kindergarten and the other, a third grader, was struggling to focus online with her ADHD. I discovered my third grader had enormous literacy and math gaps. She was reading and writing at a kindergarten level and missing foundational math skills. Her reading disparities were heightened by poor fluency and comprehension impacted by her inattention. I developed a rigorous, but fun and child-led homeschool program for her, and within one year, she had jumped 2.5 years in her math level and was meeting grade level expectations in her reading comprehension, fluency, and writing. After the year, both children returned to public school, only to have my son beg to return to homeschool. Many days, he'd end up in the nurse's office, calling home. "I am so bored, mom!" he'd say. Identified as gifted, there wasn't a great option for supporting his learning needs, so we decided to homeschool. To make it work, I left the formal education setting and decided it was time to dive full-time into my side tutoring business. It was a difficult choice, but one that enabled me to prioritize the needs of my family while continuing to help students thrive. 

 

Education is a journey and there's not a one sized fits all model. Whether you attend public or private school, homeschool, pursue college or technical school, or are a parent or professional in need of support in mastering skills for a productive work life, I can help! Teaching and learning bring me so much joy, and I would love to share that with you.

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