How Can Your Child Benefit from an Early Childhood Tutor?

Brett Blair

Brett has been a New York City public school teacher for over 20 years. She has taught K – 3rd grade. She currently teaches first grade at a NYCDOE school in lower Manhattan. She attended Bank Street College of Education for  Graduate School and holds an MA in Reading. As a tutor, Brett strives to create a positive, fun, experience while working on reading, writing and math. Brett is trained in using an Orton Gillingham program, PAF, to help struggling readers. Brett enjoys riding bikes around Brooklyn with her husband and two kids.

Allie Saferstein

Allie is a Pre-K Special Education teacher at a public school in Manhattan with seven years of teaching experience. She has previously taught 1st and 2nd grade Special Education at a private special education school in Lower Manhattan, as well as Pre-K at another public school in Manhattan. She earned both her Bachelor’s degree in Education and her Master’s degree in Early Childhood and Special Education from Syracuse University. Allie has experience working with children ages 3–9 and supports a wide range of learning styles and needs. She is passionate about building strong relationships with her students and incorporating their interests and experiences into lessons to make learning engaging and meaningful. In her spare time, she enjoys cooking, traveling, and spending time with friends and family.

Cassie Regan

Cassie Regan is an experienced educator with over a decade of expertise in teaching and supporting young learners. She holds National Board Certification as an Exceptional Needs Specialist and is trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach, applying her knowledge of the science of reading to help students with reading and writing difficulties enhance their literacy skills. Cassie works with students of diverse abilities, providing tailored instruction to meet their unique learning needs. She has successfully helped students close academic gaps, prepared them for independent school entrance exams, and supported the development of executive functioning skills. Her passion for education and dedication to fostering student growth drives her work, and she takes great pride in seeing students build confidence and achieve success beyond their initial expectations.

Jenna Chondris

Jenna teaches Kindergarten at a public school in the Bronx. She previously taught first grade at an independent school in the Bronx, as well as Pre-K in Syracuse, and has been teaching for 3 years. Jenna earned her bachelor’s degree from Syracuse University, studying Child Development with a focus on Educational Studies. She earned her master’s degree from Syracuse University as well, studying Early Childhood Special Education. Jenna has been tutoring children of all ages since high school and has worked with a multitude of varying learners. She enjoys engaging students to enrich their learning experience and helping them to think outside the box. In her spare time, Jenna enjoys reading, traveling and spending time with family and friends.

Leah Hechtman

Hee-Yeong Song

Hee-Yeong has worked in education for nearly a decade and is currently in her fifth year teaching at the Speyer Legacy School, an independent school in New York City. Prior to joining the Speyer community, she began her teaching career in Chapel Hill, North Carolina, where she taught first grade in a public school for five years. She earned her B.A. in Elementary Education from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Hee-Yeong values hands-on learning experiences and the use of visuals to support student understanding. She is passionate about equipping students with the tools they need to work independently and approach challenges with confidence. Building meaningful relationships with students is central to her teaching practice, as she believes strong connections foster both academic growth and personal development. She is excited to support students as they grow into strong readers, writers, mathematicians, and critical thinkers. In her free time, Hee-Yeong enjoys spending time with her family, playing volleyball, and exploring new restaurants and cafés.

Maya Levy

Maya teaches Kindergarten at Grace Church School in downtown Manhattan. While at Grace, she assisted in the second grade for a year and has been head teaching kindergarten for the last 5 years. She has tutored students in math, phonics, reading, and writing. Maya has a B.A. in Psychology from Hunter College, and a Masters in Elementary Inclusive Education from Teachers College, Columbia University. She is trained in Orton Gillingham and is familiar with curricula including PAF, Bridges, and Amplify. Maya is one of six kids, which spurred her passion for working with young children. She understands the importance of presuming competence and building connections to help kids achieve academic goals. In her free time, Maya loves cooking and spending quality time with her family and two cats, Suzy and Mars.

Sharon Marcus

Caroline Schoen

Caroline grew up in New York and attended The Nightingale-Bamford school for thirteen years. After graduating with a degree in psychology and education from Wake Forest University, Caroline eagerly returned to New York to begin her teaching career. Caroline taught Kindergarten at Kings Elementary in Brooklyn for two years while earning her masters degree in teaching. Caroline now teaches Kindergarten at St. Bernards, where she has taught for the past three years. Caroline whole-heartedly believes in the power of individualized instruction to help her students reach their goals and build their confidence. While making lessons fun and engaging, Caroline uses a variety of techniques to teach early reading, writing, and math skills. Caroline enjoys reading, swimming, and walking her two golden retrievers in her free time.

Kristie Nusum

Kristie is a Special Education Itinerant Teacher (SEIT) and supports the unique learning needs of children in both public and private preschool programs in New York City. She graduated from Bank Street Graduate School of Education with a Dual MSEd in Early Childhood General & Special Education and holds a professional teacher license for both in New York State. Over the past decade, Kristie has taught a diverse range of learners from 4 months old to fifth grade as a lead classroom teacher as well as adolescent and adult learners in high school and higher education settings. Kristie believes in treating all learners with respect and patience while adhering to the guidelines of developmentally appropriate practice which emphasizes teaching for each specific learner. Currently, Kristie is finishing the EDM Program in Curriculum & Teaching at Teachers College, Columbia University and plans to continue supporting learners and teachers as a part of her professional goals.

Teri Lewis

Teri has been an early childhood educator for seventeen years, where she has taught in Montessori and Reggio-Emilia learning environments. She has a MS in General and Special Early Childhood Education and a BA in Speech Pathology and Audiology. She also received Montessori training from the Westside Montessori Teacher Education Program, which heavily influences her teaching practice. Teri strives to create safe learning environments that encourage inquiry and risk-taking both in and out of the classroom. Teri has worked as a tutor with students in kindergarten through fourth grade to support the internalization of targeted math, writing, and reading concepts.

Michele Seelinger

Sarah Thomas

Allyson Vena

Allyson has been a teacher for four years at a public school in the Bronx. She has taught one year of 2nd grade and 3 years of Kindergarten. Allyson earned her Bachelor’s degree in Elementary Education at Manhattan College. She also earned her Master’s Degree in Special Education at Manhattan College as well. Allyson started tutoring while at Manhattan College at their tutoring center: working as a tutor in Education, an office assistant, and also a graduate assistant. After classes, she tutored young children in the Bronx in various subject areas, with a range of various learning needs. In her spare time, Allyson loves to read, travel, and go to her beach house in New Jersey.

Grace Vero

Grace Vero is a passionate, dynamic educator with over 12 years of experience in New York City public schools, specializing in early childhood education and inclusive classrooms. As a Special Education teacher in Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) Kindergarten and First Grade settings, Grace has developed a deep expertise in differentiated instruction, collaboration, and individualized student support. In addition to her public school experience, Grace has also served as a substitute teacher at Riverdale Country Day School, working with students from Pre-K through 6th grade. This broad experience has deepened her understanding of developmental milestones and allowed her to tailor her instruction to meet a wide range of academic and social-emotional needs. Grace thrives in the area of literacy instruction, with a strong focus on both reading and writing development. She has a talent for helping young learners build foundational literacy skills through phonics, guided reading, writer’s workshop, and multisensory approaches. Whether supporting struggling readers or nurturing budding authors, she creates a nurturing, engaging environment where students feel confident and excited to learn. Her instruction is grounded in research-based practices and personalized to each child’s learning style.She holds dual New York State certifications in General and Special Education (Birth–6th Grade), a Master’s in Special Education from Manhattan College, and a Master’s in Instructional Technology from the New York Institute of Technology. She also holds an Advanced Certificate in STEAM education, which she integrates into her lessons to foster creativity, critical thinking, and hands-on learning.Grace’s teaching philosophy centers on the belief that every child learns in their own unique way. Her sessions incorporate visual, kinesthetic, and interactive modalities to ensure students stay engaged, have fun, and experience success. Currently based on the Upper East Side of Manhattan, Grace infuses her personal love of movement, play, and exploration into every aspect of her teaching.

Joanna Wesley

This fall, Joanna is starting her nineteenth year at Grace Church School in downtown Manhattan. Her roles have include Kindergarten Head Teacher, Co-Director of the After School Program and Admissions Associate and most recently the Auxiliary Program Coordinator. During the summers, Joanna is a classroom teacher and serves as the Curriculum Coordinator for the Summer Steps program at Brick Church School. She holds a B.A. from The College of the Holy Cross in Worcester, MA, and an M.S.Ed. from the Bank Street College of Education in NYC. Joanna has experience with several curricula, including PAF, Fundations, and Bridges, and is trained in the Orton-Gillingham approach. She believes in working closely with each student’s learning team to develop and implement an individualized child-centered plan. Joanna understands the importance of creating a fun and safe learning environment for every student. She strives to do this through engaging, meaningful lessons, recognizing that each child learns differently. In her free time, Joanna enjoys reading, going to the beach, and spending time with her nieces and nephews.