Learning Specialists Archives

Ida Munoz

October 29, 2024

Ida Munoz has been a NYC DOE public school teacher since 2005. Her career started at the PS 90 campus and she has happily remained on the same campus for the past 20 years. She has taught special class instruction, integrated co-teaching and special education teacher support services. She is currently the reading intervention teacher, special education coordinator and chairperson for the School Leadership Team at PS 443, The Family School, which is housed at the PS 90 campus in the Bronx. Aside from her direct work with special education students, she has also served in various capacities within the school building such as teaching mentor, teacher leader, testing coordinator, and building response team member. She received her B.A. at Hunter College with a major in writing. She continued her education at Pace University where she earned her Master’s degree in childhood special education along with her bilingual extension in Spanish.

Ida has taught and privately tutored a wide range of students from preschool through 8^th grade in both English and Spanish. She has a firm belief that all children can learn, they just have to be given the appropriate tools to showcase their learning. She uses a variety of methodologies to support her instruction to ensure that every child is able to showcase what they know.

Ida is currently on her school’s instructional leadership team and she is helping design and make changes to the writing curriculum at The Family School. Her work is data driven and she has an understanding on how to interpret that data and make changes to best meet the needs of all students. She also believes that her tutoring work needs to be based on data. She will access her student’s entry points, progress monitor throughout her tutoring session and make changes based on a student’s current need. Every student’s tutoring experience is unique and different and their tutoring program should reflect that.

Ida believes that students learn best when they feel they are in a secure environment. She always reminds her students that it is okay to make mistakes and that they are there to learn from those mistakes. She also believes that learning should be fun and enjoyable for every student. When a student enjoys what that are doing that is when true learning takes place. She will often find tools to help keep students motivated and engaged.

Aside from teaching, Ida enjoys traveling with her family. Her favorite place to vacation is the Dominican Republic. She is a proud mom of an autistic 3-year-old son. She spends a lot of her time advocating for all children on the spectrum. She also enjoys learning how to make new recipes and likes to spend a lot of time in the kitchen cooking for her family.

Emer Rattigan

September 30, 2024

Born and raised in Ireland, Emer’s passion for education, and especially language-based learning differences, stemmed from seeing her mother and two brothers suffer academically from undiagnosed dyslexia. This spurred her onto a pathway of education-based qualifications including a Bachelor’s Degree in Education, a Post Graduate Diploma in Psychology and Special Educational Needs, a Master’s Degree in Special educational Needs, an Associate Practitioner of the Orton-Gillingham Academy, and a certification in The Hochman Method® (The Windward School, NYC).

Today, Emer’s unique educator profile is steeped in 19+ years international experience dedicated to in-classroom education. Together with the life experience of living, teaching, and teacher training on three continents – Europe, Africa, North America – in public and private, urban and rural schools, right across the spectrum of socio-economic backgrounds, Emer offers unrivaled depth and holistic support to her student and parent clients.

In 2016, Emer was recruited in New York City by Stephen Gaynor School where she was a Head Teacher for 8+ years for students with ADHD, dyslexia, dyspraxia, and language based disorders. As a mother of two since 2023, she began privately tutoring students as a Reading, Writing and Auditory Specialist. After witnessing numerous instances of major disconnect between home tutors and schools, she now also provides education consultancy and liaison to support and mentor parents, engage in-school teachers to coordinate the child’s education framework, and ultimately unlock their maximum potential. Today, Emer works with clients in New York, Dublin, London, and Hong Kong.

Emer’s philosophy is focused on grounding education in real life, thought-provoking topics and utilising these subjects to develop her students’ vocabulary, research strategies, writing frameworks, and connect knowledge, delivering broad but integrated learning. Her most recent passion is exploring the linkages between food quality, diet and its overall impact on sleep, focus, learning, and development of neural pathways, essentially giving rise to many of the learning difficulties children face today.

In her spare time, Emer loves exploring new food recipes and healthy, alternative ingredients, as well as running, hiking, and going to the gym.

Nicole Ziccardi

September 29, 2024

Nicole Ziccardi, Ed.M. is a trusted partner in helping schools and families design and implement transformational instructional programs. With over 18 years of diverse experience in the education field, Nicole brings a deep commitment to building students’ confidence, independence, and a genuine love of learning.

After working as a classroom teacher in NYC public schools, Nicole went on to found a NYC public school as principal. She later served in key roles at prominent private schools, first as a Learning Specialist, and then as a Dean of Faculty and Director of Curriculum. This extensive background has given Nicole unparalleled insight into the complex work of supporting students in various educational settings.

As a certified literacy specialist and a graduate of Teachers College, Columbia University, Nicole draws on the latest research in child development, pedagogy, cognitive science, and educational technology to collaborate with schools and families. Together, they create and implement customized plans, instructional coaching, and curriculum resources that engage all learners, particularly students with neurodivergence, executive functioning challenges, and reading disorders.

Nicole’s work is rooted in a deep understanding that every child is unique, with their own strengths, interests, and learning needs. She partners with clients to design and implement strengths-based, skills-focused strategies that are not only standards-aligned, but also deeply engaging for diverse learners.

Nicole has a natural ability to understand and leverage the local school context, building trusting relationships and offering customized solutions to meet the unique needs of each child. Whether it’s reviewing neuropsychological reports, conducting diagnostic assessments, creating learning support plans, or providing direct school consultation, Nicole approaches each project with empathy, expertise, and a steadfast commitment to educational equity.

As a mother of two school-aged boys, Nicole also deeply empathizes with the challenges families face. She fosters strong parent-school partnerships, focused on integrating social-emotional supports and unlocking the learning resources students need to thrive. Nicole brings a common-sense, whole-hearted approach to decision-making, always keeping the best interests of children at the forefront.

Nicole is excited to join My Learning Springboard, where she can offer a wide range of services to pinpoint and respond to each family’s unique needs. Her specialties include:

Neuropsychological report review and interpretation
Diagnostic assessments and learning evaluations
Customized learning support plans
Direct school consultation and family advocacy
Personalized tutoring and family coaching

Through her work, Nicole empowers educators, students, and families to unlock the full potential of every learner. She is passionate about transforming teaching and learning, and she is dedicated to creating the engaging, equitable learning environments that all children deserve.

Jade Lambert

September 29, 2024

Jade Lambert is a devoted educator and private tutor who comes from a family of educators. She is currently teaching 4th Grade at P.S. 171 Patrick Henry Prep. Jade has a passion for teaching and a love for creating learning experiences for children both in and outside of the classroom. Jade believes that learning should be engaging, fun, and long lasting. She believes that planning fun activities and meaningful engagement creates pathways for long lasting learning.

Jade has always dreamed of becoming a teacher. She holds a Bachelor’s of Science in Marketing from Clemson University and a Master’s Degree in Special Education from Hunter College. She holds NY State Certifications in General Education and Special Education. She has been teaching in East Harlem for 3 years. In East Harlem Jade worked for 2 years in Integrated Co-Teaching (ICT) Classrooms. She created differentiated materials for supporting students in all content areas, wrote student IEPs, supported families with information about special education, provided services, and tracked progress on individual goals. Jade continues to do these things as a solo classroom teacher in a general education classroom, realizing that all students can use the support of a teacher who takes the time to figure out how they learn.

Before she began teaching, Jade worked as a Nanny and tutor, serving as a caregiver and tutor for families who were learning from home during the pandemic. She created and delivered reading and writing instruction, supported homework completion, and created lessons focused on social and emotional learning.

Jade has a passion for culturally relevant teaching and prides herself on bringing enriching elements of culture into her teaching. During her time in East Harlem, Jade provided tutoring intervention services for students. Jade was trained in Orton-Gillingham methodology as well as Strategic mathematics intervention for students with Disabilities.

Outside of teaching Jade enjoys cooking, spending time with family, and completing DIY projects.

Dara Herschenfeld

September 29, 2024

Dara Herschenfed is a seasoned educator with over 15 years of experience in the education field. She holds a Bachelor’s degree from Binghamton University (2007) and a Master’s degree in Education from Hunter College. Dara also holds a certification in Special Education, enabling her to work with students with learning disabilities. Throughout her career, she has gained extensive experience across diverse educational settings, including preschools, private and public elementary schools, international schools, and special education institutions.

In 2021, Dara pursued coursework towards a School Building Leadership certificate at St. John’s University, preparing her to transition into an administrative role. Currently, she serves as the Special Education Advocate at a bilingual French-American school, where she acts as the liaison between the school and the Department of Education. In this role, Dara ensures that students’ Individualized Education Service Plans (IESPs) are fully implemented and that their rights are upheld. She also manages the hiring and coordination of external service providers, including SETSS, Speech Therapy, and Occupational Therapy, while overseeing scheduling and resource allocation within the school.

In addition to her administrative duties, Dara provides direct support to students facing academic challenges. She offers both one-on-one and group interventions, tailoring her approach to each student’s specific needs through push-in and pull-out sessions. Dara is committed to meeting students where they are and fostering their academic growth through encouragement and structured support. This year, she introduced the SMARTS curriculum—an evidence-based executive functioning program designed to improve students’ organizational, time management, and executive functioning skills—into her sessions, yielding positive outcomes.

Beyond her advocacy and teaching roles, Dara has extensive experience as a tutor, working with students from Pre-K to 5th grade in reading, writing, math, and executive functioning skills. In her free time, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, playing pickleball, and attending Broadway performances.

Ida Munoz

Emer Rattigan

Nicole Ziccardi

Jade Lambert

Dara Herschenfeld

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