Common Core and Elementary Math tutor

About Sydney

I am an elementary and early childhood educator with a sincere and enthusiastic passion for creating an inclusive and collaborative learning environment for all of my students. My work with young learners has spanned the course of 18 years in a variety of different capacities: dance instructor; nanny; private tutor; ESL/EFL teacher; and elementary and early childhood educator.

My approach during any lesson is strongly influenced by my background in dance, theater, music, and English Language Development, and addresses the needs of the whole child: social-emotional; intellectual; and physiological. Daily activities might include developmentally appropriate tasks to promote 21st century speaking and listening skills, interactive math activities to strengthen numeracy awareness and fact fluency, and plenty of brain brakes to keep the pace lively and engaging.

Self-reflection, accountability and inquiry are the building blocks of a cohesive learning environment where high academic and behavioral expectations are the norm. I enthusiastically acknowledge and respect that children learn in different ways and through different means: auditory; visual; kinesthetic; and others. In my classroom, we celebrate differences through the exploration of literature and informational text which reflects the diversity of the world we live in. Collaborative conversations using Level 2 and 3 Depth of Knowledge questions are used as a springboard to respectfully discuss topics with real world application. With my help, students set short and long term goals. Together, we track the students’ progress and celebrate small and large victories.

In closing, I am passionate and dedicated about the work I do with children. There is no greater joy than leading a child or a group of children to that “a-ha” moment, whether it be through observing, discussing, and participating in a shared writing activity about the behavior and habitat of a Cross Orbweaver spider in the garden or leading my students through a guided yoga session during P.E. I would be thrilled to speak on the phone or meet in person to discuss my skills and qualifications further and hope to hear from you soon.