My Story
My maiden name is Bloom, and I fondly remember my father reading to me throughout my childhood. Reading allowed my mind to bloom by experiencing novel worlds, gaining empathy for characters whose lives were different than mine, and cultivating curiosity. Blooming Brains Coaching: a nod to my childhood love of language, acknowledging strategies and coaching so that the student learner becomes a curious, critical thinker. Reading and life taught me that my joyful experience of words was not universal, as my younger brother and two of my sons have dyslexia.
​
​
My education was fortunate. Learning was accessible to me, perhaps with the exception of geometry, and I embraced the predictable nature of school, working, and achieving. College opened my world to many ideas and gave me an opportunity to grow and imagine. After a stint as a paralegal in D.C., the voice in my head and heart called me back into the classroom. I began loving the students that many avoid -- middle schoolers. Their balance of childhood and teenage life matched my energy.
​
My thesis in graduate school was "How to Teach Non-Readers to Read". While I practiced those ideas in the classroom, it came home when my son was diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD. You sow what you know. And learning to help him fostered a second wave of learning about teaching reading and writing. My time working in a High School for dyslexic students provided another chance to further support language skills and study strategies.
​
Parenting four sons added dimension to my abilities. Having been both a classroom teacher and a tutor, I relish challenging and supporting students as they uncover and discover their intelligence and fortitude.