Casey: Essex County tutor

Certified Tutor

I am a honors graduate of The University of Texas at San Antonio. I received my Bacholer of Arts degree in Sociology. I did my internship at San Antonio Independant Living Center. Skills that I learned and/or sharpened during my internship were disability advocacy, resource finding, and helping a person reach their own personal goals.
Since graduation, I have focused my attention on training service dogs, disability advocacy, and raising my 2 mentally disabled children; one of which has 13-14 mental disabilities including Autism, Anxiety, ADHD, Sensory Processing Disorder, specific learning disabilities in Math and ELAR (English Language and Reading), Dysgraphia, and Apahsia (just to name a few). When this child was younger he also had speech and language delays. I have fought extensively to get both of my sons accomidated and appropriately placed in school. My experience with my own disabilities as well as my experience with my 2 sons, has given me extensive experience in dealing with special education/ special needs children.
In addition to my work with my own children, I have volunteered at my local theraputic horseback riding program for disabled individuals since 2014. I worked mostly with children at this program. I was responsible for grooming and tacking the horses as well as leading the horses and being a side walker for children who could not stay in the saddle on their own. Part of the job of the side walker and/or leader is to keep the student focused on the lesson and to get them to voluntarily comply with the instructor's directions/instructions.
I have a passion for children. Each and every child is special in their own way. Each child is capable of reaching their full potential. Not every child can accomplish their goals or learn something the same way that other children can. I always tell my own children that, "We may not be able to do things the same way as others, but that doesn't mean that we can't do those things. It just means that we have to change how we go about trying to get to the same goal." I always tell children that it doesn't matter if it takes you 1 try or 100 triies, so long as we eventually get to our goals, that is all that matters. I want children to know that they can do it: I want those same children to have a, "yes I can attitude." I empower children through getting them to believe in themselves and to never give up. If a child can learn those qualities, then the child can accomplish anything through perseverance, sheer will, and determination.
So why do I want to help kids learn? The simple answer is, I was one of those kids that had to work extra hard to understand and make the grade growing up. I've been there. I know how it feels to struggle. I want kids to know that even if it's not easy now, it can get easier with hard work and practice. I never gave up. They need to not give up either.
Math, English, and Reading were once very hard for me. Algebra was the bain of my existnace in school. Now none of those subjects are hard. Algebra is one of my favorite subjects. I enjoy writing personal essays and fiction in ways that I never could have imagined before. My writing skillls have lent themselves to writing countless research and creative writing papers that never score lower than a 95%.
I have a life long passion for history in every shape and form. American history and the wars of the past 2 centuries, are of particular interest to me. I was two courses shy of a history minor in college.
Outside of academics, I watch a lot of eduacational TV documentaries with a special interest in law enforcement, history, and nature. When I'm not watching TV, I'm usually found camping, hiking, swimming, river tubing, kayaking, fishing, weight lifting, painting, drawing, or working with polymer clay. My personal philosophy in life is to live life to the fullest; with no fear and no regrets.