Finding students who need help reading

Log in / Sign Up

List of Forums + New Post Recipe Box Usergroups Following My Posts Bookmarks

Private Messages Advanced Search Rules New User Guide FAQ Advertise Contact Us

Forum -> Working Women -> Teachers' Room

1 2 Next

View latest: 24h 48h 72h

mra01385

Thu, Jan 16 2020, 11:09 pm

I’m certified Wilson reading specialist looking for suggestions on how to find students. I’ve been looking for over a year already but have been unsuccessful. I advertised in two local school newsletters, including the school that I’ve been working in for a few years already. My principal knows that I’m certified reading specialist but she always tells me she has nothing available. Ive put up a flier in WhatsApp chats that I’m in. I’ve sent emails to local school principals. I’ve told my friends and neighbors. What else can I do?

amother

Yellow

Thu, Jan 16 2020, 11:26 pm

Did you get in touch with agencies?

mra01385

Thu, Jan 16 2020, 11:45 pm

No. Which agencies should I contact? I’m not p3 certified.

bobeli

Thu, Jan 16 2020, 11:52 pm

Get in touch with first grade teachers or kriah specialist, they see the students with difficulties

mra01385

Thu, Jan 16 2020, 11:55 pm

Bobeli I’ve told some first grade teachers that I know, but they haven’t recommended anyone to me yet.

mra01385

Thu, Jan 16 2020, 11:56 pm

I’m certified to help older students too who are still having difficulty with decoding and reading comprehension as well.

crbc

Fri, Jan 17 2020, 1:15 am

Advertise in local newspapers, shul listings, local FB groups to get your name out.

mra01385

Fri, Jan 17 2020, 8:11 am

Crbc advertising in local newspapers costs money. I already spent some money advertising. I prefer free advertising at this point.

wifeandmore

Fri, Jan 17 2020, 9:30 am

Are you on Facebook

amother

Tangerine

Fri, Jan 17 2020, 9:33 am

A few suggestions- reach out to a few principals not just one so they have your name on hand to recommend to parents
- remind all towards the end of the school year as I find that at times parents decide to try this over the summer in prep of the new year (then they may continue)

mra01385

Fri, Jan 17 2020, 9:36 am

Yes I’m on Facebook. Also, I did advertise right before the summer in my sons school newsletter. No one contacted me. Should I email or call principals or go down to the schools?

notshanarishona

Fri, Jan 17 2020, 9:36 am

In my experience, the best way to get well known is to work in a school for a couple years before trying to branch out privately. Most people aren't going to pay private tutoring rates from someone unknown.

mra01385

Fri, Jan 17 2020, 9:42 am

To notshanarishona, I currently work in the local girls school. I’ve been there for a few years already as a classroom assistant. Now I’m a library assistant. My principal knows I’m certified as a reading specialist, and so does the head of resource room. I even advertised in the school newsletter right after pta.

notshanarishona

Fri, Jan 17 2020, 9:45 am

Hatzlacha!! Are you working with an age group which is learning to read ?

amother

Black

Fri, Jan 17 2020, 9:51 am

Majority of the children with reading difficulties will be approved for P3.

My husband is a licensed setts / p3 provider. He's taken other courses to learn more methods. He also has a private practice for kids not approved for p3. Most of his cases are from p3.
It is hard getting started. It usually goes by word of mouth from parent to parent, though teachers also do recommend.

You need to speak to the teachers and principals. Explain briefly what you're doing and why this method should work (over others). Then ask if they can forward your number to parents of children not approved for p3.

mra01385

Fri, Jan 17 2020, 9:51 am

I help out in the library with whatever is needed. I work mostly with lower elementary grades 1-5.

mra01385

Fri, Jan 17 2020, 9:56 am

To black, thank you so much for the suggestions. My biggest Obstacle is that my nys teachers certifications expired because I did not meet the requirement to teach full time for 3 yrs. Therefore, I’m not qualified to teach p3. At this point, I don’t feel it worth it to take 75hrs of pd plus retake the certification tests which are much harder today and expensive as well.

seeker

Fri, Jan 17 2020, 12:48 pm

I may be wrong but it sounds like your efforts so far have been concentrated in your local frum community. Perhaps try branching out to other sectors.
For free advertising, see if you can get permission to hang flyers and put a stack of business cards in:
Pediatrician's offices
Therapy centers (lots of kids with learning challenges are also in OT gym etc)
After school or extracurricular centers (local karate/music/gym/swimming places)
Daycares (kids may have older siblings...)

Before you spread out to all these places have someone with a great eye make sure your flyers and business cards are compelling. Worth paying for this if you need to because otherwise that's a lot of wasted time and energy.

amother

Emerald

Sat, Jan 18 2020, 6:24 pm

You may want to take on 1-2 children probono and see if these parents will recommend to their friends
What are your rates like?

seeker

Sat, Jan 18 2020, 6:30 pm

You can also try writing informational pieces about reading difficulties and the Wilson method for publications that parents read, to give you name recognition. You can try pitching to real publications, but there are also some that are probably happy to take anything that's offered, like the ones that are distributed free.

Page 1 of 2

1 2 Next