Michelle Bolanos is a passionate and enthusiastic teacher and private tutor in the fields of general and special education. She has extensive experience teaching students from diverse backgrounds, as well as varying age levels and abilities. In addition to academic coaching and executive function coaching, Michelle helps students to prepare for standardized tests, including the ISEE, ACT, and SAT.
Michelle is currently a learning specialist and 9th grade reading teacher at York Preparatory School on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. As a learning specialist, Michelle works closely with and monitors the progress of nine students in grades 6-12 who have difficulty achieving their full potential in school solely because of challenges in one or more of these academic areas: language processing, reading, writing, math, time management skills, and organizational skills. She also designs and implements the reading and writing curriculum for 9th grade students with language based learning disabilities, as well as English Language Learners.
From 2013-2015 Michelle was the lead Special Education teacher at Uncommon Schools in Bedford Stuyvesant, Brooklyn. She provided highly engaging, rigorous, and exciting pull out and push in services for students with SETSS (Special Education Teacher Support Services) hours based on their IEP (Individualized Education Program) as well as students classified as “at-risk” based on their data. In addition, she taught low level readers decoding, fluency, and comprehension skills through the use of REWARDS literacy intervention program as well as Phonics Boost and Blitz. Michelle launched and implemented a “Lunch and Learn” program that met four days a week to help academically challenged 5th graders learn basic math and ELA skills through Tier III intervention. Prior to that, Michelle student taught at The Child School on Roosevelt Island from 2012-2013. At The Child School, she taught a class of second grade students with Autism, Asperger’s, Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, ADHD, dyslexia, and EBD. In addition, Michelle taught a class of talented and gifted second grade students in Laurel, Maryland.
Michelle received her B.S. at the University of Maryland in 2012 in Elementary Education, and her M.S. in Childhood Special Education at Fordham University in 2013. She then earned a dual Master’s degree in teaching literacy to students in both Birth-Grade 6 and Grades 5-12 at Touro College.
Michelle has experience teaching children’s yoga through Lil Yogi’s NYC. She held a leadership role as the community service coordinator in 2015 while teaching at Uncommon Schools. The goal of the community service initiative was to encourage students, families, and faculty to help their community through a plethora of volunteer opportunities across New York City, as well as sending cards overseas to soldiers in Afghanistan. Michelle has experience tutoring students ages 4-15 in beginning reading, academic reading, writing, math, homework support, and study skills, including executive function coaching.
In her free time, Michelle enjoys practicing yoga, visiting her family in Costa Rica, traveling to new and exciting places, visiting art museums, reading, skiing, hiking, and spending time with family and friends.
