In person, in Red Wing and River Falls. For kids who learn a little differently — and for parents who've been looking for someone who gets it.
Reading, writing, math, and the pieces that hold it all together.
The kids I work with come from all kinds of starting points. Some have a diagnosis — dyslexia, ADHD, autism, a 2e profile, a specific learning disability. Some don't. Some are in public school and need something school can't offer. Some are homeschooled, and their parent wants another set of hands.
What they have in common isn't a label. It's a grown-up who loves them paying close attention — and looking for someone who'll do the same.
If this sounds familiar, let's talk.
One-on-one, in-person tutoring. Sixty minutes a session. One kid, one teacher, one quiet space.
Not a group table at a learning center. Not drop-in homework help. Not an assembly line. Just Ms. Betsy — a twenty-six-year teacher, trained in special education, rooted in Montessori, and certified in Orton-Gillingham. Someone who has seen what most tutoring actually looks like, and decided to do it differently.
Reading. If your kid guesses at words, skips lines, reads the same sentence three times without catching it, or can't remember what they just read — this is where I start. I use the Orton-Gillingham approach, because it's the method that actually works for kids whose brains learn to read differently.
Writing and spelling. The kids who have a hard time with reading usually have a hard time getting words onto a page, too. We work on the building blocks — letter-sound patterns, spelling rules that actually make sense, sentences that turn into paragraphs.
Math. Sometimes it's a specific concept that didn't land. Sometimes it's math anxiety. Sometimes it's the working-memory piece — a kid who understands the math but can't hold the numbers in their head long enough to solve the problem. I've taught math to kids from age 2 through high school. We figure out which part is actually the problem.
The pieces that hold it all together. Executive function. Homework routines. Knowing where your binder is. Getting started on a thing when the brain is saying no. These aren't academic skills in the traditional sense, but without them, the academic skills don't land.
The hard days. Some kids come to me tired — tutoring at the end of a long day, on top of a long year, on top of a feeling that school is a place where they don't quite fit. I can't fix that from one hour a week. But I can make sure that in this hour, your kid has someone on their side, and that the work we do together feels like a win.
Every family starts with an intake session — me, you, and (if they're ready) your kiddo. We figure out what's going on, what's been tried, and what your kid actually needs. More on that below.
From there, sessions are one hour, in person, in Red Wing or River Falls. Some kids come twice a week. Some come once. Some need more at the start and less as they find their footing. Cadence is something we figure out together — not something I prescribe before I've met your kid.
You'll get a note from me after every session. Not a form. A note. I want you to know how your kiddo is doing.
Intake is the first thing every family does. It's ninety minutes, and it's a different thing from ongoing tutoring.
Here's what happens: I meet you and your kiddo. We talk about what school is like. We talk about what home is like. I watch your kid work — reading, writing, sometimes math — not to test them, but to see what I'm actually looking at. I ask questions that a report card doesn't ask. And I listen, because by the time a parent calls me, they usually know more than they think they do.
By the end, I'll tell you whether I'm the right person for your kid. If I am, I'll tell you what I'd want to work on first. If I'm not, I'll do my best to point you toward someone who is.
A typical session is sixty minutes. We usually start with something familiar — a quick review of where we left off, or a warm-up your kid likes. That's not filler; it's how kids with anxious brains drop their shoulders.
From there, we move into the new work. For reading kids, that's Orton-Gillingham — explicit, multisensory, one concept at a time. For writing and math, it's whatever meets your kid where they are. I don't believe in covering material a kid isn't ready for just because the scope and sequence says we should.
We end with something your kiddo can do. Always. I want your kid to leave the session having felt capable at least once. Sometimes that's a reading game. Sometimes it's a joke. Sometimes it's ten minutes of drawing while we talk about their week. The point is that the session ends on a win.
I trained in special education and spent two decades teaching in schools. I moved into Montessori, because Montessori takes seriously what most classrooms don't — that kids learn with their hands, their bodies, and their senses, not just their ears.
I'm now certified in Orton-Gillingham, which is the approach that works for kids whose brains learn to read differently. If you've heard of the Science of Reading or structured literacy, Orton-Gillingham is the original.
What I've pulled together over twenty-six years isn't one method. It's a way of working. Small, clear steps. Concrete materials where they help. A pace set by the kid in front of me, not by a curriculum. And a refusal to teach over a kid's head just to sound impressive.
I'm a Learning & Behavior Specialist — not a psychologist, not a therapist, not an occupational therapist. What I do is teach. I do it carefully, and I do it with the whole kid in mind.
Pricing is the same for every family. No packages, no minimum commitments, no discounts for paying upfront. If we need to pause, we pause. If it's not working, we say so and we stop.
How long before we see progress?
Most kids show real progress within 8–12 weeks of consistent sessions. Some faster, some slower — every kid is different. What I can promise is that you'll see change, and you'll hear from me every step of the way.
Does my kid need a diagnosis?
No. Many of the kids I work with have diagnoses — dyslexia, ADHD, autism, 2e profiles. Many don't. A diagnosis isn't a requirement. A parent who's paying close attention is enough to start.
Will you coordinate with my kid's school?
Yes, with your permission. I've sat on the other side of the IEP table for years, and I know how that team works. I'm happy to talk with classroom teachers, share what we're working on, and help you make sense of what school is telling you. I don't attend IEP meetings as a legal advocate — that's a different job — but I can help you prepare for one.
What ages do you work with?
I've taught kids from age 2 through high school. Most of my tutoring work is with kids ages 5 through 15. If your kiddo is outside that range, let's talk.
How many sessions per week does my kid need?
It depends. The research on reading specifically suggests that two sessions a week is usually the floor for real change, but I don't prescribe before I've met your kid. We figure it out at intake.
Can I sit in on sessions?
Sometimes yes, often no. Most kids do better when a parent isn't in the room — they try harder, take more risks, and ask more questions. I'll tell you after the first few sessions what's working for your specific kid.
The next step is a discovery call. Fifteen minutes, no charge, no pressure. You tell me about your kiddo, I tell you whether I'm the right person, and we go from there.