From Struggling Reader to Reading Specialist: My Journey

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TL;DR

I once believed I wasn’t smart because I couldn’t read like other kids. Today, I’m a certified reading specialist with a master’s degree who helps children make dramatic gains—often closing the reading gap in just 12 hours. I’ve lived the struggle, mastered the science, and now I train tutors and teachers across the world.

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I Loved School—but Felt Like the Dumb Kid

When I was five, I desperately wanted to read.

 

I asked everyone I knew to teach me, but they all said, “You’ll learn in school.”

In school, I was placed in the lowest reading group—and trust me, every kid knows when they’re in the lowest group.

 

While other students read chapter books, I was still stuck on The Little Engine That Could.

 

I felt slow.

 

I felt left out.

 

And sometimes, I felt unwanted by other kids who didn’t want to play with “the slow kid.”

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But I still loved school. I wanted to be a teacher someday. I was the well-behaved, try-hard student who quietly carried a secret:
I could sound out words, but I didn’t understand anything I read.

 

A Test That Changed Everything

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In 6th grade, a state test exposed what I had been hiding for years. My reading scores were low—so low that my teacher had a private conference with my mom. It was the first time anyone really saw how much I was struggling.

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My mom, determined to help, picked up Anne of Green Gables. She invited me to read it with her—snuggled in bed, taking turns, no corrections, just connection. For the first time ever, I could visualize the story. I wasn’t just reading about Anne—I was Anne. I felt what she felt, saw what she saw.

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I was finally part of the world of reading.

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Tests, Trials, and Transformation

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The next year, I was denied the chance to take a foreign language because of my test scores. My self-esteem took another hit.
But something had shifted. I began picking up books on my own—even my mom’s old Reader’s Digest books, just to find out what stories were hiding inside.

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I was driven by a deep desire to be smart. I craved the A. I studied relentlessly. I even begged my parents to buy an infomercial program called Where There’s a Will, There’s an A. I had plenty of will—I just needed the roadmap.

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And slowly, I started to rise.

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In high school, I earned my way into advanced classes, including AP Chemistry. By graduation, I ranked 10th in my class. I was accepted into Marquette University and graduated summa cum laude. Later, I earned my Master’s in Reading with a perfect 4.0.

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Students Close the Gap—Fast

When I began teaching at the Milwaukee Academy of Science, I sat through a reading program training and thought:

If I could teach reading all day long, I’d be in heaven.

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Within two years, I wasn’t just teaching—I was training other teachers. Three years later, I was training the trainers.

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But I wanted more flexibility for my own kids, so I left the classroom and started tutoring online. It was instant alignment. I finally had the freedom to apply everything I’d learned—research, best practices, real-world experience—to meet each child where they were.

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I now run Bright Idea Reading Tutoring, where we consistently close reading gaps in just 12 hours. That’s unheard of in most reading programs.

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Why Parents Trust Me

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✅ Master’s Degree in Reading

✅ Certified Classroom Teacher Grades 1-6
✅ 15+ Years of One-on-One Online Tutoring
✅ Expert in Early Dyslexia Detection
✅ Trained Hundreds of Tutors Across the World
✅ Loved by Parents (and their kids)

✅ BBB Accredited

✅ IDA (International Dyslexia Association) member

✅ ILA (International Literacy Association) member

✅ Founder of the Insider Secrets Club 3.0 for Online Tutors

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Families often come back to me with younger siblings—because they’ve seen the results and know their children are in good hands.

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Ready for Your Child’s Reading Breakthrough?

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I personally conduct every assessment so I can understand your child’s needs from the start. If you’re ready to unlock your child’s reading potential, click here to schedule a free reading assessment.

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Let’s make reading joyful again.