Kari: Miami Gardens tutor

Certified Tutor

I have been working in the Field of Education for 22 years. I received my bachelor's degree in Elementary Education and Early Childhood from the University of South Dakota in May 2001. My first 6 years of education were spent as a teacher in a first-grade classroom. While I thoroughly enjoyed teaching this age and teaching all subjects, I was especially intrigued by the reading development in my students.

After giving birth to my second child, I decided to work part-time at a tutoring facility and substitute teacher occasionally in the classroom. While working at the tutoring facility, I gained invaluable knowledge and expertise working with students who were challenged by the reading process. Many of the students I worked with were diagnosed with dyslexia and/or visual issues impacting their reading growth. Worked as a tutor in elementary reading, math and writing and ended my career there assisting the Education Director with lesson plans, assessing students, meeting with parents and designing programs to best meet the academic needs of our students.

In 2016, I accepted a part-time teaching position with the local school district as a Reading Specialist. At this time, I also began pursuing my Master's in Reading from the University of Sioux Falls and graduated in May 2019. During most of this time, I worked with students grades K-3 in a small group setting.

For the past 5 years, I have worked as a full-time Reading Specialist. I mainly work with first grade students who come from non-English speaking households and have been identified as need additional reading support.

My passion is working with children, first and foremost. I believe I have been blessed with the skill of connecting with children and their families. My students know that while I have high expectations, I believe in their ability to be successful learners. I feel strongly about the importance of an education, and I will do anything to support them through process. I do not feel that education is a one size fits all approach. All students learn differently, and it is my job to do everything I can to get to know my students, their interests, challenges, strengths and passions so that I can best support them in their journey.
While I believe that getting to know a child's best way of learning is crucial, I also believe that research-based strategies should be used to guide and support each student in finding his/her academic success! Nothing brings me more joy than to see a child overcome a challenge and feel success.

When I'm not teaching, you will find me spending time with my family. I have 3 boys who are very involved in sports and extracurricular activities. As a family, we enjoy traveling and experiencing new cultures and landscapes. I also enjoy gardening, spending time with my pets, and reading just about anything!