KATIE BERTELL, M.Ed
Educational Development and Consulting
Foundational Learning Supports for Students and their Families
- READING phonics, fluency & spelling
- Sensory Integration, Vision & fine motor support
- Family Consultation & Curriculum development
Educational Development and Consulting Services
Specialized Instruction
& Tutoring
In-person and virtual support for students in foundational reading and writing development using a multi-sensory, developmental approach.
Foundational reading, fluency, spelling, handwriting and fine motor development.
Sensory Integration Support
Our sensory system provides the foundation for all learning. Students experiencing learning difficulties often demonstrate additional weaknesses in their foundational systems. They benefit from work to strengthen and integrate lagging skills in the vestibular system, vision, motor planning and reflexes.
Family Consultation
Consultation and planning support for families looking to build a rigorous reading or writing program at home to target their child’s needs.
Advocacy & support for identifying students’ learning profiles and integrating learning into daily life.
My Approach
Teaching Approach
I love reading and I have known a lot of kids that do not. It’s hard, exhausting, confusing and feels unattainable.
My passion is working with these kids, by building a sincere connection and approaching learning with ease and encouragement. I help them to unlock the code of reading and writing in a way that provides them with systematic stepping stones to becoming fluent readers, while also addressing foundational weaknesses in the sensory system.
With roots in Waldorf education and a background in special education, I offer a unique, developmental approach to teaching reading and writing. My work is grounded in methods designed for students with dyslexia, incorporating multi-sensory strategies to engage diverse learners and fostering the confidence to do hard things.
Each lesson is specifically designed for your child, using activities to draw on their strengths and address their weaknesses, supporting them in building a strong foundation of learning.
Sessions with me include:
-Diagnostic assessments to evaluate student performance and identify learning goals
-Regular updates for families including a written report to summarize learning progress
-Home activities and enrichment recommendations between sessions
-Exercises to improve sensory integration and focus
About Me
I am a certified Reading Specialist and Special Educator with over 12 years of experience teaching students to be successful readers. I have training in methods for students with dyslexia and other reading challenges including Orton Gillingham and Lindamood Bell, as well as strategies for sensory integration.
The majority of my teaching career has been in the Baltimore City Public Schools in Baltimore, Maryland. I also worked as a Title 1 Specialist & Intervention Coordinator in the Medford School District. I am an alum of the Waldorf School of the Rogue Valley. I love helping students grow their skills as readers and find new confidence in their abilities.
When not teaching, I enjoy spending time with my family- my husband and almost 2 year old son- exploring the great outdoors, hiking, swimming and camping. I love to garden, knit and sew.
Fun fact: I also used to own and operate a commercial bakery!
I still love to bake and cook…but on a much smaller scale.
“Katie has been an amazing resource for the students at our school. She is kind, knowledgeable, a great communicator and a gifted tutor! She meets students where they are and helps them achieve their potential. I cannot recommend her enough- so grateful for all the work she has done.
Time with Katie an investment that will pay off tenfold!”
-Alison Hutchins
literacy Support Teacher
the Siskiyou School
Testimonials
“We are so impressed with the results that Katie is able to achieve within such a short period of time. Katie is a highly trained and gifted tutor, who is able to create wonderful rapport with children while providing them with brick by brick instruction to increase their confidence and skills in reading.”
-Nina Gallwey
Educational Support specialist and Parenting coach
Ohana Family Resources
“Katie provided my child with such excellent support to help him get up to speed with his reading. He made great progress under her tutelage and really enjoyed learning with Katie. She has offered him a safe, fun, and very well-resourced experience and I highly recommend her services.”
-C.Scott
Parent, 3rd grade Student
Please reach out!
I would love to speak with you about your child’s needs and determine if we’re a good fit.
katie.bertell@gmail.com
I am currently offering in-person sessions
in the Rogue Valley, Oregon
Virtual sessions available worldwide