“An understanding heart is everything in a teacher, and cannot be esteemed highly enough. One looks back with appreciation to the brilliant teachers, but with gratitude to those who touched our human feeling. The curriculum is so much necessary raw material, but warmth is the vital element for the growing plant and for the soul of the child.”
photo credit: Dan Perreaux
Winnipeg Private Tutor - Marni-Jo Townsley
After receiving my Bachelor of Education Degree (Honours) in Elementary and Special Education from the University of Alberta in 1993, I taught in elementary and special education classrooms just outside Edmonton. My experience adapting programs for students with varied academic, emotional and behavioral needs has provided me with the tools necessary to become a respected and effective private tutor. For over twenty five years I have assisted students in grades one through twelve in English Language Arts and Mathematics, as well as in Science (grade 9 and 10), study skills and anxiety management. My primary goal has always been to create a safe, encouraging learning environment where students, their families and teachers are treated with compassion and respect, and where students struggling with anxiety feel understood and supported.
Students are seen individually during weekly one hour classes via Zoom. I encourage families who are apprehensive about online classes to have their child come to one or two sessions. They are welcome to discontinue classes if the online medium doesn’t work for their son or daughter. I have yet to have a student leave after spending a few sessions online with me. And you’ll love the lack of commute in January during a blizzard. :)
Support is provided in the following areas:
ELA/English (all grades)
Mathematics (all grades)
- Grades 10-12 (Essential Math)
- Grade 10 (Applied/Pre-Calculus)
- Grade 11 (Essential Math, Applied Math, Pre-Calculus)
Science (grades 9 and 10)
Essay writing - first year university
Individualized instruction will be determined based on students' academic, emotional and behavioral needs. My goal is to create an environment where students feel safe enough and brave enough to take academic risks they may be reluctant to take in the classroom. Depending on the subject, concepts and strategies covered in the classroom will be reviewed and upcoming concepts/strategies will be pre-taught. The objective is to enable students to experience success one on one and, as a result, feel more confident when presented with the new material at school.
Assessment is informal (primarily based on observation and anecdotal records), although some diagnostic assessment is conducted when necessary.
I request that the families of elementary and junior high students provide their child's teacher with permission to communicate with me. This allows me to inquire about units being covered, and it lets me provide teachers with some of my observations or samples of the student's work, if I feel it would benefit the student.
In 1998, the students at Whitwell Middle School in Whitwell, Tennessee began to collect paper clips in order to help students conceptualize the six million Jewish lives lost in the Holocaust. They realized their goal and those paper clips are fittingly exhibited in a German rail car which is part of their Children's Holocaust Museum. The students who attend Whitwell Middle School pass through doors each day on which the following is written:
At this school we value our students,
their thoughts,
their feelings,
their troubles,
and their triumphs
We promise to do all we can to prepare them for their futures.
My "school" is a bright yellow office with a large south facing window. I value my students in the way Whitwell Middle School values theirs. Ultimately, in addition to meeting my students' academic needs, my goal is to help them recognize their own worth.
“Some twisted logic leads those in power and privilege to believe that if we muzzle those faced with the greatest challenges (or those who challenge us most) we can turn our backs on them. It is that systemic silencing that haunts me...and leads me to wonder how much we silence children in schools. A disquieting idea, because so much learning comes from conversation.”
“From the age of 4 years old our son struggled with language which in turn led to issues in Language Arts at school. By the time he entered Grade 2 it was apparent that our boy needed support that the school was not able to provide. We tried on our own, but tutoring your own child comes with its own issues. Our boy needed help from outside the home. Marni was the answer. Not only was she able to help our son get through his homework but she was able to bridge the communication gap between us as parents and the teachers. She was able to run her own assessments to assess his strengths and determine his weaknesses and cater his tutoring to his specific needs.
I know their experiences over the years changed quite dramatically from Grade 2 to high school, ie basics of reading and writing to organizing essays and reading complex material.
One very proud moment was in about Grade 6 when the kids started to write essays, a teacher commented how well organized Trevor’s essay was. She had noticed that the organization of his essay was superior to the other kids in his class. I believe her comment was that she could tell that he had some intervention in essay writing.
This kid who struggled and struggled through elementary and junior high, made the honour roll in his first 2 years of high school (and all going well will again in Grade 12). I don’t think this would have been possible without Marni.
The decision to get a tutor is not about being smart enough to tutor your child, it’s about being smart enough to know that the parent/child relationship has numerous other agenda items that can make the process that much more challenging and potentially futile. An outside tutor comes in as a neutral party and can more easily direct the focus to the specific task of educating your child.”
“It is very hard to summarize in a quick paragraph what Marni means to our family. In 2004 we were desperate for help for our daughter who was falling more and more behind her grade two class. None of her teachers or resource workers could explain what the problem was, they could only give us modified curriculum. We wanted for our daughter to experience success at school and knew we needed help. We were referred to Marni. For the first time we had someone who could reach our daughter and help her make measurable gains that were curriculum specific. At the same time she was teaching our daughter, Marni was also helping us understand our daughter’s learning style and needs. We dubbed Marni our “secret weapon” and our younger son decided he wanted in on the deal to help him at school. Seven years have passed and our children are both on the honour roll, but more than that, they are confident learners and happy to go to school. We have stayed with Marni because of the relationship of trust she established with our children... she is their friend and confidant and remains their “secret weapon” for success at school.
“Marni is a gifted teacher who utilizes her many skills to the benefit of her students. Our daughter began with Marni in elementary school when she was struggling with math. Together with Marni, our daughter has become a confident math student who now has a 80% average in Grade 8 math. The self confidence she has developed carries over into all of her activities. I have and will continue to recommend Marni to anyone whose child is struggling in school.”
"Marni tutored our daughter from Grade 3 right through to Grade 12, and it was the best thing that happened to her. It was absolutely amazing to watch our timid and quiet 8-year old struggling with math and language comprehension blossom into a confident young lady achieving academic excellence. Marni is a wonderful tutor and a mentor. We would recommend Marni without reservations, whether the goal is to help a child meet expectations or to offer enrichment to excel."
“Marni is a fabulous tutor. She figures out your child's learning style using a strength based approach and then gives them the tools, strategies and support to become a confident, successful student. A parent couldn't ask for more and we don't know what we would have done without her.”
“My son has been a student of Marni-Jo's for many years. In his words "she has an awesome personality and she knows her stuff." My son has struggles with everyday school challenges and Marni-Jo has been a valuable addition to our son's learning and improvement.”
“We first met Marni when my daughter Laura and her son Benjamin were in kindergarten together at Darwin school. When Laura began having difficulty with her school work the school recommended Marni as a tutor and their bond began eleven years ago. During this time Marni has been more than a tutor, she has been a friend and a second mother. Her home has always been open to Laura if she had to arrive early or stay late. Marni has always taken a personal interest in Laura and has always insisted she get all the help she needed at school. She helped Laura graduate from grade 9, and has helped her prepare to graduate from grade 12.
Marni ..... Kind, Caring and Committed.”
If your child is in need of academic support, or you simply have questions about the service I provide, I welcome all inquiries.
