Misunderstood

Misunderstood by parents, teachers, and even themselves, some children do not know why school is so difficult. Their parents tell them they are bright, but they know they are different from their peers. Faulted for not listening, following through, or finishing work, they may be the quiet kid sitting in the back of the room or the noisy one by the teacher's desk. Complaining of stomach pain or headaches, they can become withdrawn, anxious, or even... depressed. After consulting with teachers and a health care provider, an evaluation and intervention may be necessary. Early intervention is key to overcoming academic challenges.

Attention Deficits

There are different reasons why kids get distracted, fail to follow directions, or have a disconnect altogether. Mistakenly attributed to “laziness” or “not caring,” it is more often because something else is going on. Could it be sleep deprivation, or are stress and anxiety a factor? Is it ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder), which goes beyond trouble paying attention? Look for patterns, know what is typical at different ages, share your insights ...with teachers, and talk to your child’s health care provider. Evaluation and intervention may be necessary and can help.

Writing Challenges

Staring at a blank 8" x 11 ½" piece of paper can be intimidating. Students who are "writing challenged" often have trouble knowing how to begin, and once started, how to proceed. Handwriting and spelling, and written expression of ideas, are a few of the areas where kids struggle.  Writing skills develop at different rates, and some kids need more support than others. A child may have Dysgraphia, a learning disorder characterized ... by illegible handwriting, inaccurate spelling, and impairment in written expression. Difficulty with word retrieval, verbal fluency, and language processing issues also contribute to problems writing.  If you suspect that a student struggles with Dysgraphia, refer him or her for an evaluation by a licensed psychologist or a certified school psychologist.  There are classroom accommodations and assistive technology apps that allow struggling writers to produce work more consistent with their intellectual ability. A learning specialist can help determine the right learning strategies and accommodations for students with writing challenges.

Reading Difficulties

Reading difficulties occur when students have trouble reading words or comprehending what they read. Research has shown that students as early as kindergarten can be accurately identified as at risk for having future reading problems which can be reduced or even eliminated with early intervention. Dyslexia, the most common reading disorder, is characterized by challenges with accurate and automatic word recognition and poor spelling. ... It affects one out of five children in the classroom, yet most go undiagnosed. Current research and fMRI scans reveal that children with dyslexia process reading differently in their brains than typically developing children. After intensive, scientific-based instruction, however, brain differences can disappear. Research indicates the benefits of intensive, early intervention for all children with reading difficulties. Children with dyslexia often manifest other learning problems such as difficulty concentrating, poor receptive and expressive language, and weak organization and time management skills, to name a few. A comprehensive evaluation will reveal strengths and weaknesses to enhance intervention. People with dyslexia are unique; seldom are two alike. They often excel in visual problem-solving, abstract thinking, and the arts. Despite the symptoms of dyslexia, with hard work and perseverance, the future is bright.

About Nicki Baker

Nicki Baker is an educational therapist specializing in language-based learning disabilities and processing disorders. She is experienced and knowledgeable and provides remediation to children with learning differences, including dyslexia, dysgraphia, dyscalculia, attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, and auditory processing disorder. Ms. Baker is a Level II Certified Wilson® Dyslexia Therapist, an Orton-Gillingham-based reading, writing, and spelling program. Nicki implements scientifically proven programs and procedures and is proficient in The Hochman Method, an explicit set of evidence-based writing strategies, Anita Archer’s Rewards Programs, research-validated reading and writing intervention for middle school students, and SRSD (Self-Regulated Strategy Development), a self-regulated approach to written expression.

Ms. Baker implements programs and strategies based on decades of gold-standard research and instructional practice. Lessons are delivered in a multisensory, structured, sequential, and explicit manner, giving each child a dose of success while encouraging the development of perseverance and grit to manage life’s challenges.

Ms. Baker is driven by all factors affecting the whole child, not just by what is collected on city and state achievement tests. It is her mission to ensure children learn in a safe environment, maintain a healthy attitude, are inspired with confidence, engage in learning, and are supported, and challenged with opportunities for achievement and success.

Tutoring and Educational Consulting Services

Orton-Gillingham

Reading and Spelling

Written Expression

Mathematics

Penmanship

Assistive Technology

Why NICKI BAKER

A child wonders, “What is wrong with me?” “Why can’t I read the same level books my friends are reading?” Why is my handwriting so messy?” “Why are math word problems so hard?” Parents caution, “try harder.” Teachers repeat “pay attention.” Instead of flourishing in school, the child struggles and self-esteem plummets. Do not ignore your child’s concerns. Early intervention is the key to success.





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    WHAT PARENTS SAY

    Mina NewmanMother of Valentina

    When my daughter Valentina and I first met with Ms. Baker we knew she would be the person to help us learn with our learning differences. She has not only impacted my daughter Valentina but our entire family. Not only has Valentina learned to write better but she is blossoming into an ELA loving girl. Nicki works not only with the students but guides the family as well. Valentina is blessed to have found not only a passionate learning specialist but one that is also compassionate about children with learning disabilities. Her professionalism speaks volumes about her experience. I look forward to Valentina's future with clarity because of Ms. Bakers' help. Thank you!

    Chris MilesFather of Ben

    Dear Nicki, When our family moved to New York City, we hired Nicki, a highly recommended learning specialist, to work with our special-needs son, Ben, who was entering the third grade. Nicki proved to be an outstanding tutor and worked relentlessly implementing a research and Orton Gillingham-based program that taught Ben to read and write while building his self-esteem. Most importantly, Nicki advocated for transferring Ben to a more appropriate school, and today I am proud to say he is very successful at one of the best private schools in Manhattan. Nicki also helped our family to understand why Ben’s educational progress was different from our other children. And she assured us that with hard work and the right instruction, he would achieve and succeed, one step at a time. She was right.

    Teresa Bennett Mother of Reena

    Dear Nicki, I just wanted to express my sincere appreciation for the support you gave Reena during her formative years. You’ll be happy to know that she’s an A student in English. I also want to say thank you for always keeping in touch and reaching out to us, years after you completed your support program with Reena. You had a way with Reena which made her feel comfortable and eager to engage with you. Thank you again from the bottom of my heart.

    Eleonore ParisParent of Finn

    Dear Ms. Baker, Thank you for your continued dedication and support with the sharing of information to help us be better parents and to understand our child’s needs and growing capacity. You have been a lifesaver and your belief in our child has strengthened our belief and commitment.

    Anonymous Parent of seventh-grade student

    Nicki Baker is a talented and caring teacher. She puts her heart and soul into improving writing skills. Her professionalism is impeccable, and her knowledge is vast. Not only has Nicki helped my son become more than ready for each grade, but she has also helped him develop as an individual. Educators like Nicki are few and far between and I highly recommend her.

    FTParent of fifth-grade student

    Dear Nicki, Thank you very much for your sweet email. You are such a fundamental part of the success of our boy. You are doing an amazing work. I wish you a fantastic rest of the summer. We spoke with him about his commitment to your class and he wants to keep working with you. We are looking forward for another great year. With love and gratitude,

    Tanja Andrejasic WechslerMother of Daniel

    Dear Nicki, Thank you for your kind and encouraging words! You really helped a lot with you work with our son. You taught him how to read and write when he could hardly sit still for 2 minutes. You engaged him and went the extra mile by collaborating with his other teachers and tutors to help him reach his potential.

    Susanne K. KnerrParent of Nini

    Dear Nicki, Thanks for your email. I didn't realize that you wouldn't be at the school come September. I meant to email you all summer regarding your various, detailed emails of feedback on Nini. I really appreciate your input and effort and all the good work and words. Nini has learned a lot from working with you and grown immensely last year and this summer. Thank you for being patient with her and for steering her toward so many great projects, including writing poetry! I will keep in mind that you run your own private service as well. I hope you had a great and relaxing summer and that you found time to recharge the battery. We certainly did and it is a little sad to see it come to an end.

    Robin, Paul & Jason Hochroth

    Hi Nicki, NOOOOOOOO!!!! I will miss you so much!! Thank you for everything you did for Jason this past year. I was looking forward to seeing you for his last CPSE meeting. I hope the new Administrator will be just as patient, helpful and a great advocate as you have been for Jason. Good luck in your new position. If you know who I could call with any situations I may find myself in the next few months, please send me their name and number-- I'd greatly appreciate that. Mary may need to get in touch with someone also regarding the FM system. Wishing you all the best-- HAPPY HOLIDAYS!!

    Tanja Andrejasic WechslerParent of Daniel

    Thank you, Nicki, for your words! You really helped a lot with you work with Daniel, your care for him and for going the extra mile for working with Brittany, his other tutor. Have a good holiday!

    WHAT COLLEAGUES SAY

    Dr. Esther FriedmanExecutive Director, Literacy and Academic Intervention Services New York City Department of Education

    I have known Nicki for many years and respect her collegial manner, her wide knowledge base, and her commitment to providing high quality work in whatever pursuit she follows. Among her many assets, she brings a wealth of experience at the administrative level from her work with the New York City Department of Education. I also know and respect her direct interactions with struggling students of all ages as both a teacher and a mentor. Nicki has always worked on developing and refining her own skills and she is more than generous in sharing what she knows with others. Her warm, encouraging manner combined with her deep understanding of how children learn will enrich your program.

    Virginia Pepe, Ed.D.Principal, PS03163

    Dear Nicki, Thank you for your very hard effort in resolving problems at the school level. I know that the students will benefit from your careful thought and from the time that has gone into preparation and design. Your efforts are noticed and appreciated. Sincerely,

    Carol Stock Principal PS 03M199

    Dear Nicki, I've just read through your report. You are amazing! The depth and breadth of your knowledge is not only un-matchable by us, we can barely put into use a fraction. I am so grateful for your help. Thanks again,

    Eileen Marzola, ED.D.Educational Therapist and Consultant

    To Whom It May Concern: It gives me great pleasure to recommend Nicki Baker for prospective employment. I have known Nicki for many years and respect her collegial manner, her wide knowledge base, and her commitment to providing high quality work in whatever pursuit she follows. Among her many assets, she brings a wealth of experience at the instructional and administrative level from her professional work with private school children and her public work with the New York City Department of Education. I also know and respect her direct interactions with struggling students of all ages as a teacher, coach and a mentor. Nicki has always worked on developing and refining her own skills and she is more than generous in sharing what she knows with others. Her warm, encouraging manner combined with her deep understanding of how children learn will enrich your program. I know you will enjoy welcoming Nicki Baker into your program. I have absolutely no doubt that she will be a tremendous asset to you.

    WHAT TEACHERS SAY

    Gataena WeinerGramercy Arts High School 16 Irving Place New York, New York 10003

    As a teaching fellow at Hunter College, I was fortunate enough to have Nicki Baker assigned to me as my mentor, coach and field supervisor for two semesters. During this time Nicki gave more than 100% of her time and effort in helping me to become a more confident and effective educator. Nicki is a professional who is passionate about ensuring effective teaching and learning practices are implemented in the classroom and to that end she works relentlessly to make it happen. My job was challenging, and Nicki helped me by providing hours of professional development in best practices, teacher modeling and observation with meaningful feedback that improved my practice and my students’ performance. Nicki was always growing, herself and kept up with current research on special education and technology to support and enhance student learning. She encouraged me to begin small group differentiated instruction, tiered lesson plans and authentic and summative assessments aligned to standards. Although empathetic and compassionate, Nicki was enthusiastic, and excited about her work and believed in my students and my ability to succeed. Nicki continues to offer her aid well past our allotted time together. She is truly a dedicated professional committed to the development and improvement of teachers and student welfare. Anyone who has the opportunity to work with Nicki Baker is truly a fortunate person.

    Ira Stillwell Re-Start Academy @ Adolescent Skills Center 975 Kelly Street Bronx, NY 10459

    Nicki, you are still to this day the only person who I have had observe me who I truly felt supported by and who believed in me and was able to give feedback that was helpful and tangible for my context. Thank you so much. You gave me hope when I was feeling overwhelmed and hopeless.

    Inan BarrattHarlem Prep Charter School 240 East 123 Street, Manhattan, NY 10035

    Nicki is absolutely amazing and gave me great suggestions. We talked a lot about how becoming a great teacher does not happen overnight. It takes time and lots of practice. She informed me that I should focus on one thing and really try to master it. Some things I can focus on are: active engagement, more tactile learning, and more open ended and discussion questions.

    Jaslene Baez

    Hi Nicki! It was my sincere pleasure having you in the classroom today! 🙂 I meant to email you first, but you beat me to it. I feel extremely appreciative and lucky about all the passion you brought and GREAT recommendations you offered! Thank you so much for the time you set aside to thoroughly debrief with me. I look forward to next time! Have a great evening,

    Yuna ParkTeach for America , NYC

    Dear Nicki, Thank you for coming by yesterday, and for your detailed observation notes. I appreciate all of your feedback and really feel it will contribute to my practice. Thanks again! Best,

    Matthew Viera, B.A., M.S. Ed. High School of Arts & Technology 122 Amsterdam Avenue New York, NY 10023

    To Whom It May Concern: I am writing this letter to express my recommendation of Nicki Baker, as a supervisor, mentor and/or teacher trainer. I had the privilege of working with Ms. Baker for the academic year 2012 – 2013, as a 2nd year teacher at the New York City High School of Arts & Technology in Manhattan. I became a teacher through the New York City Teaching Fellows program in 2011, which assigned me to Hunter College to earn a Masters Degree in Special Education. It is through this graduate program, that I met Nicki Baker. Ms. Baker was assigned as my Hunter field supervisor, to mentor, coach and supervise me through my second academic year (2012 – 2013) where I served as a high school Collaborative Team Teacher. In this capacity, I teamed with a certified HS Earth Science teacher, to plan and implement an Earth Science for credit course that would meet the needs for all learners. Upon meeting Ms. Baker, I was struck by her professionalism, attention to detail, and knowledge of the teaching profession that was vital to my professional growth. Ms. Baker always took the time to explain to me what my strengths were and the areas/s in which I needed to improve my practice –in a manner, which expressed genuine care and encouragement. Furthermore, I always felt comfortable asking Ms. Baker for guidance and/or advice either during business hours or after, for which she was always available to provide clear and thorough explanations. It has been a genuine pleasure working with Ms. Baker as my field supervisor. I believe my practice of pedagogy, especially in the field of meeting the needs of struggling students in a high school general education classroom, has improved exponentially because of Ms. Baker’s supervision and I can not recommend Ms. Baker more highly.

    WHAT STUDENTS SAY

    Former middle school student, CyberTech

    Dear Ms. Baker. I will always remember my favorite school, CyberTech. I thank you for the amazing job you did as school director. I remember we had state of the art computers and video cameras. You worked so hard to bring us only the best. The program you designed at The Children’s Museum of Manhattan where we acted out our Social Studies curriculum by writing, taping and editing TV segments from the time period we were studying, was my favorite class. And I will never forget the large costume closest you maintained so we could dress up as the characters we portrayed. Our science program was really special. We spent a lot of time at St. Luke’s Hospital and were allowed to visit parts of the hospital we never would have been able to see, like the blood bank and the rehab floor, the birthing room and my favorite, the morgue. These experiences were incredible, and I cherish the memories. Thank you again for building such an amazing school. I feel privileged to have graduated from CyberTech.