"I am a retired Elementary School teacher who has taught for over 25 years. I taught first and second grades throughout most of that career, and was nominated for Walt Disney teacher of the year twice. I am a Highly Qualified Reading specialist, although my certificate is now expired. I enjoy working with foreign students just learning English and have creative approaches to teaching them the complexities of the English language. I ran my own after school tutoring service for children who were shy about reading in front of their peers, had speech problems, or had let their reading skills get so poor throughout the years that they saw no way to regain ground. These kids found that my laid back style of taking the pressure off of them and putting it on me, allowed them the freedom to relax and really listen to a good reader read. Their brains took in the information through their ears, and eyes, and with one or two readings and repeat readings of the text, they were able to see immediate success! I worked with the University of Alabama for three years teaching eighth graders to read. It was wonderful to be able to send these students back into the classroom with renewed interest and higher functioning skills to take on the pressures of reading in public and to be able to do it with greater ease and increased comprehension. I have published a book that is currently for sale. It is a collection of short stories and poems about God. It is geared more toward young adult readers and has more of a spiritual tone but none-the-less has been a personal accomplishment! I am nearly finished with my Master's of Science degree in Psychology and will be interning in the fall. Then I plan on working as an LPC and going back to school for my first doctor's degree in Cognition and Instruction. Helping children achieve is my specialty and knowing that I have helped to bring pride back into their lives and happiness back to their hearts is my ultimate goal." less...