Parent & school testimonials
"I reached out to Sydney at the recommendation of a neuropsychologist who worked with my daughter. At the time, negative experiences in school and with teachers who did not understand her struggles with ADD and executive functioning had caused my amazing, bright, full-of-life daughter to withdraw from reading and writing-- which had been her passions. My hope was to find someone to help my daughter reengage, rebuild her confidence, and reignite the joy that she had felt with language. We found that help, and more, in Sydney.
As my daughter says, Sydney is very special. She is gifted in truly seeing and knowing my daughter, connecting deeply with her and being attuned to her needs, both academically and emotionally. I have seen my daughter's confidence in and enthusiasm for reading and writing soar and along with that confidence, her desire to work hard and grow. Sydney's methods are fun and tailored to meet my daughter's needs as a learner and whole person.
My daughter calls her sessions with Sydney the highlight of her entire week. Through her work with Sydney, my daughter shared that she has learned a lot about herself and feels better able to express herself.
Sydney has been a fierce champion for my daughter, seeing her strengths and unique talents. I am grateful and count my lucky stars that Sydney is a part of my daughter's life."
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-Nancy (NYC)
"Sydney has been incredible with our kids. She started with our then 10-year-old son in-person and we added our 7-year-old son to the mix during the pandemic. Week after week, she is able to meet them where they are at emotionally and coax creativity out of them regardless of their moods. Their writing has flourished as they have come to understand that writing is more than the mechanical version they've been taught in school. Each week, I'm amazed by what Sydney is able to accomplish with both kids."
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-Esther (SF)
"I was continuously impressed by Sydney’s warmth, work-ethic, and the organic connectedness that she had with the children and the Waldorf pedagogy. During her time in my classroom she was able to build loving, trusting relationships with each child in a short amount of time, taking time to truly see each child for who they were."
- Juli
Head Kindergarten Teacher at Waldorf of Pittsburgh
I consider Sydney’s lessons as an essential part of my daughter’s academic curriculum. I wish I had a teacher like her when I was growing up!
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Sydney is a talented writer, who knows how to convey her vast knowledge of writing through various fun teaching techniques: at times she uses the works of renowned poets such as Emily Dickinson, Anne Sexton, Sabrina Orah Mark or Pablo Neruda, to demonstrate the subtle imagery portrayed through words, or explain the importance of tempo, rhythm and rhyme in creative writing; or she provokes her students’ creativity by giving them prompts such “pick a house in your neighborhood and describe to me in detail its personality!” Her aim is to awaken the imagination, and teach her students the art of writing creatively.
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-Edith (SF)