Who We Are

Meet the Team

City Kid NY is an educational program for children created by a duo of experienced educators. Our philosophy is centered around the belief that in order to best support students, tutors must deeply understand the work our young learners do every day in the classroom. Therefore, we work exclusively with top teachers from public and private schools. We believe in the importance of differentiating curricula and scaffolding lessons to make learning accessible for all learners. Our team of tutors works strategically to help build the confidence of our City Kid students because we firmly believe that a strong belief in one’s ability to learn is at the heart of every child’s success.

Tutoring Support We Offer:

• Academic Tutoring: Early literacy skills | Reading | Writing | Math

• Phonics and spelling using a program that fits your child’s learning needs. Programs we use include Orton Gillingham, FUNdations, and Writing Without Tears.

• Test Prep (Gifted & Talented, NY State Exams, ISEE, OLSAT, NNAT, SSAT, and SSHAT)

• Executive functioning skills

HOW DOES CITY KID TUTORING/ ENRICHMENT SERVICES WORK?

City Kid NY is an in-home and virtual tutoring service for children ages 2 to grade 8. We offer private, 1:1 educational services on a range of subjects led by an elite group of teachers. Our tutors guide students through an individualized schedule of work to ensure growth towards their selected goals. We believe in making all of our lessons fun and engaging to ensure that our learners look forward to their sessions and have an overall positive outlook on learning.

Meet Our Team

The Experts

At City Kid, we work with incredible teachers from public and private schools who themselves have taught the curricula used in schools around the country. As a result, our tutors have the training, skills, and lived experience to differentiate their instruction to meet the individual needs of each child they tutor. Who better to work with your child than a teacher who is living and breathing this material everyday with their own students?!

With class sizes in classrooms being so large, our sessions provide an invaluable opportunity for students to get the targeted instruction that they need to make growth towards their individual goals in a supportive setting, where our teachers can give actionable feedback instantaneously. Our tutors are dedicated to enhancing students’ strengths, improving their areas of need, and building a child’s confidence and perseverance. We believe in creating a friendly, comfortable environment that fosters a love of learning within each child. 

Early Childhood Tutors

Melissa is a creative, loving, and dedicated educator with five years of teaching experience. She taught in the integrated co-teaching setting in New York City, where she worked with students with a wide range of needs and strengths. Currently, she tutors students throughout the early childhood and elementary grades and is in graduate school at Montclair State University, where she is working towards a Master’s degree in Speech-Language Pathology. Melissa received a Master of Arts in Elementary Inclusive Education from Teachers College Columbia University, and she received her Bachelor’s degree in Education and History from Bucknell University. She served as part of the team of NYC teachers that piloted the K-2 phonics curriculum with the Teachers College Reading and Writing Project. Her passion for engaging all students and helping them achieve their goals shines through in her creative methods of instruction. Melissa is formally trained in all Teachers College curricula and incorporates instruction from Fundations, Handwriting without Tears, and Words their Way to make literacy instruction as individualized to her students’ needs as possible. Aside from teaching and studying, Melissa loves spending time with her family and friends, caring for animals, going to the beach, and trying new restaurants in the city.

Emily is a compassionate early childhood educator from New York City. She obtained her Master's Degree in Early Childhood Education (Special and General Education) from Bank Street College of Education. Emily received her Bachelor's degree in International Relations with a minor in Child Development from Tufts University. She is a Prep for Prep alumna. Emily has experience with various school and education center types including private, public/charter, parochial, and community-based organizations. She has worked with children from preschool age to second grade. She also has a background in early childhood education research from working for three years at MDRC, a nonprofit, nonpartisan education and social policy research organization. In her free time, Emily enjoys spending time in nature, reading comics, and running. 

Shelly is an encouraging and passionate educator of early childhood language and cognition. She attended the University of Maryland where she graduated with a Bachelor’s degree in Hearing and Speech Sciences with concentrations in Leadership Studies and Disabilities Studies. She is currently pursuing her Master's in Communicative Sciences and Disorders at New York University in order to become an ASHA-certified Speech-Language Pathologist. Early in her career, she worked as a school enrichment counselor at an after-school program where learning was driven by experience and problem-solving exercises. Since then, she has worked as a research assistant at the University of Maryland’s Language Acquisition and Cognition Lab as well as the Brain Injury and Language Development Lab. At NYU, Shelly volunteers with Reading Partners, a national nonprofit that partners with NYC public schools to provide one-on-one literacy tutoring. Her clinical interests lay in neurogenic disorders in adults and children, language acquisition in children, and the effects of brain injury on communication. Aside from working and studying, Shelly spends her free time going for walks around Manhattan, finding new coffee spots, traveling, laughing with friends, and in the summer spending time on the beaches of New Jersey.

Samantha is a passionate and dedicated special education teacher with over five years of teaching experience. She graduated from Tulane University with a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and Psychology. Samantha pursued her Master of Science in Special and General Education at Bank Street College of Education. She has worked as a Kindergarten and first-grade teacher.  She is trained in the Orton Gillingham approach and therefore has a strong background in teaching reading to young children in a targeted and hands-on way.  Samantha teaches at a private school on the UWS for students with language-based learning disabilities, which has given her the tools to work with a range of learners and provide a multi-sensory approach to learning, as well as offer a variety of interventions to support her students. She enjoys getting to know each child individually and catering her teaching to their learning styles. Samantha uses her students' strengths to motivate them through challenges and obstacles. Additionally, she understands the social and emotional impact on learning and works with students to build their self-confidence.  Outside of the classroom, Samantha spends her time trying new restaurants, doing hot yoga, and traveling with friends and family.  

Claudia originally hails from the San Francisco Bay Area and earner a Bachelors in Journalism and Radio/TV/FilmBachelors in Journalism and Radio/TV/Film at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Shortly thereafter, she attended graduate school in California and obtained her Masters in Childhood Education. She is a licensed elementary teacher in both California and New York and has experience teaching and tutoring children across all elementary grades and academic subjects in California, New York City, and most recently, Ardsley. She has experience and/or training in a variety of curriculua and educational programs including the Science of Reading, Orton-Gillingham, and Wilson literacy, to name a few. Claudia approaches teaching with the perfect balance of warmth, rigor, and humor, which she believes propels her students to be confident, lifelong learners; effective communicators and critical thinkers; and positive and responsible contributors to the global community. In her spare time, you can find her quoting Kristin Wiig, singing Broadway show tunes, or correcting your grammar.

Emily is a passionate and creative early childhood teacher! She graduated from the University of South Carolina with a degree in Early Childhood Education and is currently furthering her education through the Masters of Education program at Hunter College. Emily is a first-grade teacher and has also worked with students in Kindergarten through third grade. She has worked as the head classroom teacher for more than four years. Building strong foundational reading and writing skills, as well as number sense, is at the heart of Emily's teaching as she believes this is key in setting her students up to become successful, lifelong learners. Emily is trained in guided reading, the Fountas and Pinnell reading program, and in teaching phonics through a multi-sensory approach. In addition to her time in the classroom, Emily has three years of experience working as a professional tutor and supporting children in one-on-one and small-group settings.

Maeve is a child development researcher with years of experience in the classroom. A former AmeriCorps member, preschool teacher, and assistant at UCLA’s Center for Scholars & Storytellers, Maeve has a long-standing academic interest in the developing brain and is committed to developing content and curriculum that supports positive youth development. She studied Child Development and Media Arts at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and is particularly interested in the intersection of these two fields. Maeve leads our Kid Explorers and Preschool Prep programs and is known for bringing a joyful enthusiasm to every class! She is skilled at connecting with every child on their level and understanding how to differentiate her instruction for the different learning styles of each unique child!

Elementary School Tutors

Brianne is a strong, empathic, and lively educator. She attended Geneseo for undergraduate school, where she studied Elementary Education, Special Education, and English Literature. Brianne then moved to New York City, where she attended Teachers College at Columbia University and studied Literacy. She has been teaching in New York City for ten years, as a special educator. In working with students over the years, Brianne has developed many skills, strategies, and tools so that all readiness levels can access content. Brianne firmly believes in building strong relationships with students, and finding organic connections to learning so that students are intrinsically invested in their education. A lifelong reader, she loves matching readers to their new favorite books, as well as convincing those readers that Math is just as important to Brianne as a teacher and she loves helping students create and solve real-life math problems that show students the fun in foundational math skills. When Brianne is not in school, she loves researching the best bookstores and pizza slices in the city.

Haley is a warm and compassionate educator with ten years of teaching experience in NYC. She graduated from Virginia Tech, where she studied English and Childhood Development. She received her Masters in Teaching from Relay Graduate School of Education here in New York City while serving as a 2013 corps member with Teach for America. She spent the next eight years teaching first grade, and the following two teaching fourth, providing a wide range of experience with children throughout the lower elementary years. She has extensive training and experience with Wilson Fundations phonics curriculum, Cognitively Guided Instruction, Illustrative Math, and Teachers College Reading and Writing. In addition to her teaching role, Haley has also worked as a Mentor Teacher, where she modeled instructional strategies and provided coaching and feedback to teachers with designing and implementing effective lessons. She values connecting with students personally and helping them feel empowered to realize their full potential as learners. Outside of the classroom, Haley can usually be found with a book in hand and enjoys discovering delicious bakeries and traveling to new cities.

Samantha is a passionate and dedicated special education teacher with over five years of teaching experience. She graduated from Tulane University with a Bachelor's degree in Early Childhood Education and Psychology. Samantha pursued her Master of Science in Special and General Education at Bank Street College of Education. In addition to teaching Kindergarten and first grade, Samantha is trained in teaching elementary students of all grades.  She is trained in the Orton Gillingham approach and therefore has a strong background in teaching reading to children in a targeted and hands-on way.  Samantha teaches at a private school on the UWS for students with language-based learning disabilities, which has given her the tools to work with a range of learners and provide a multi-sensory approach to learning, as well as offer a variety of interventions to support her students. She enjoys getting to know each child individually and catering her teaching to their learning styles. Samantha uses her students' strengths to motivate them through challenges and obstacles. Additionally, she understands the social and emotional impact on learning and works with students to build their self-confidence.  Outside of the classroom, Samantha spends her time trying new restaurants, doing hot yoga, and traveling with friends and family.  

Middle School Tutors

Mike is a middle school math teacher with ten years of experience teaching grades 6 through 9. After obtaining his Bachelor of Science at Fordham University, Mike earned his Masters in Teaching in Math (Grades 7-12) and Literacy (Grades 1-6).  He also recently earned his School Building Leadership (SBL) certificate through the Progressive Leadership Program at Bank Street Graduate School of Education.  In addition to teaching, Mike has served as his school's guidance counselor for eight years and has founded a summer prep program for high school entrance exams including the ISEE, SHSAT, TACHS, and SSAT.  Beyond high school exams, Mike has also instructed SAT Math and Verbal courses for students at the Sunnyside College Readiness Center for advanced students throughout Queens.  Outside of the classroom, Mike loves coaching basketball and soccer and co-founded the athletic program at his school.  He is also an advocate for equitable curriculum and grading practices and delivered a presentation on Proficiency-Based Learning to Arizona State University's National Education Conference in January 2021.

Shirley is a passionate and dedicated educator. She has over 6 years of experience teaching in an inclusive classroom and over 10 years of experience as a private tutor. She earned her Bachelor’s degree in Childhood Education with a focus on English Language Arts from CUNY Hunter College and her Master’s degree in Literacy Education from New York University, where she received the Excellence in Service for Literacy-Early Childhood & Childhood Education Award. As an inclusive educator for the NYC Department of Education at a Title 1 school, Shirley is skilled in adapting various curricula to support students in meeting their learning goals and has experience implementing diagnostic-intervention protocols to guide all children's progress toward ELA standards. As a private tutor, she has provided individualized support to students in grades K-12 in math, reading, and writing. She empowers students by curating academic strategies to improve student self-sufficiency. Additionally, as an ELA and Math teacher of the DREAM program, a Saturday and summer academic program that prepares students to take the Specialized High School Admission Test (SHSAT), she is well-versed in implementing test preparation curriculum that combines SHSAT-specific test-taking strategies with rigorous content.  Shirley is a committed lifelong learner. She upholds the belief that the complexity of teaching requires continued growth and development in order for educators to remain current and has taken many courses to improve her teaching practice. She is always looking for new ways to engage and inspire her students.

Brian is a kind and engaging educator who has been a math teacher for 13 years. He earned his Bachelors of Science in Mathematics Education from Florida State University, as well as his certification in teaching Mathematics for Grades 6-12. Additionally, Brian is currently working to become a Nationally Board Certified Teacher. Brian has spent his entire career as a math teacher for students at both the middle school and high school levels, with an emphasis on teaching geometry and Algebra. Throughout his career as a middle school math teacher, Brian has gained a strong background in preparing students for the New York 7th/8th Grade State Tests, the Specialized High School Admissions Test (SHSAT), and the Algebra 1 Regents Exam. Brian also has experience working as a private tutor and has supported students of all backgrounds throughout his teaching career. He greatly enjoys being able to connect with students one-on-one in order to meet their needs and push their mathematical thinking and problem solving to the next level!

Michelle is a dynamic, culturally responsive teacher leader with a strong enthusiasm for teaching and learning! She graduated from St. Francis College with a Bachelor's degree in Adolescent Education. Michelle’s deep love for writing and literature led her to Alfred University where she earned a Master of Science in Literacy Education and she is currently working on a second Master’s degree in Progressive Leadership at Bank Street College of Education. Michelle spent many years as an English Language Arts teacher at a middle school in the heart of Downtown Brooklyn. While there, her work focused on creating meaningful and engaging learning experiences and challenging her sixth and seventh graders. She has over seven years of middle and high school experience, which includes successfully preparing her students for the NYS State Exam and performance-based assessment tasks. Additionally, Michelle has over 10 years of tutoring experience working as a 1:1 and small group tutor. Michelle prides herself on her ability to know her students both personally and academically so as to meet them where they are and ultimately challenge them to grow their skills as readers, writers, and thinkers!

Early Childhood Program Instructors

Amanda is a children's theatre performer, puppeteer, and educator with many years of experience working with young kids professionally. She graduated from SUNY Fredonia with a bachelor's Degree in Theatre Arts. After years of performing in children's theatre in her hometown of Rochester, NY, Amanda performed and taught young performers in shows with Children's Stage Adventures. For 8 months, Amanda toured the Northeast teaching and performing musicals with young performers ranging from ages 5-14. After moving to NYC in 2015, Amanda started working with New York Kids Club and Preschool, performing at birthday parties and teaching enrichment classes ranging from gymnastics, dance, to STEAM, and more. She teaches music, language, and sensory classes to City Kid NY's early childhood students and is skilled at creating fun and stimulating connections to foundational academic concepts.

Carrie is a musical theater performer, artist, and childcare expert! After graduating from the University of the Arts with a BFA in Musical Theater, Carrie went on to perform professionally around the east coast and even performed in the national tour of Pete the Cat all around America! When not on stage, Carrie has spent her time sharing her love of the arts with children! She has been the nanny of many wonderful children over the last 8 years, mainly working with infants/toddlers. Her days as a nanny always include music, art, nature, and dance parties! Carrie has worked as a teaching artist for kids of all ages! She has taught a range of classes including, painting, slime making, arts and crafts, acting, music, movement, storytelling, improv, and more! Carrie believes that all children deserve a safe and creative environment to explore, learn, and develop a sense of self-confidence that they can carry with them into adulthood. She believes that storytelling and the arts are the best tools we have to create the most empathetic and beautiful future possible.

Marissa graduated from SUNY Geneseo with a degree in Musical Theater and a minor in Creative Writing. She has created several of her own award-winning cabaret shows which she has performed in NYC and around the country and her work has been reviewed in The New York Times and The Wall Street Journal. Marissa teaches master classes for elementary-aged children and teenagers, working with them on singing and storytelling, and helping them grow their own style and confidence as performers. Marissa has always loved children and has worked in a daycare where she loved engaging her students in music classes, games, arts and crafts, and storytime. She also provides voice lessons for children in her free time. Marissa is kind, warm, patient, and playful and loves sharing her love of music, theater, and storytelling with children! She believes every child is special and has unique gifts She loves to help foster little ones’ love of music, reading, and imaginary play.. 

Maeve is a child development researcher with years of experience in the classroom. A former AmeriCorps member, preschool teacher, and assistant at UCLA’s Center for Scholars & Storytellers, Maeve has a long-standing academic interest in the developing brain and is committed to developing content and curriculum that supports positive youth development. She studied Child Development and Media Arts at California Polytechnic State University, San Luis Obispo and is particularly interested in the intersection of these two fields. Maeve leads our Kid Explorers and Preschool Prep programs and is known for bringing a joyful enthusiasm to every class! She is skilled at connecting with every child on their level and understanding how to differentiate her instruction for the different learning styles of each unique child!

Mallory is an eager and supportive educator of early childhood language and cognition. She attended Florida State University where she graduated with honors and a Bachelor’s degree in Communication Science and Disorders, minor in Spanish, and a certificate in Interdepartmental Developmental Disabilities. She is currently attending New York University to earn her Master of Science in Communicative Sciences and Disorders with the hopes of becoming a bilingual ASHA-certified Speech-Language Pathologist. Mallory has worked at a sleepaway camp with campers between the ages of 6-8 years old, supported students with communication disorders at a day camp, and also worked in a preschool in order to earn her Interdepartmental Developmental Disabilities certificate. In these roles, Mallory learned how to problem-solve, plan lessons, and attend to children’s needs. At Florida State University, Mallory also worked as a research assistant with Dr. Molly Romano on researching how Covid-19 impacted speech therapy for clients and families. Her clinical interests are in language acquisition in children, motor speech disorders, alternative augmented communication devices, and dysphagia. When she is not working and studying, Mallory loves to explore New York City and all it has to offer, travel, try new restaurants, and spend time at the beaches on Long Island.

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