Testimonials

“We started working with Eleanor because our 8-year-old was struggling with writing. He had an endless number of ideas but had a hard time putting them down on paper and hated the editing process. The biggest gift that Eleanor has given him has been to get him excited to write. Where he once felt so uncomfortable when he sat down to do a writing assignment, he now truly enjoys working side-by-side with Eleanor. She allows him to engage in topics that are interesting and exciting to him, while at the same time teaching structure and techniques that will help him in school. We are very grateful for her help and instruction.”

— Hannah Siegfreid, P.S. 29 Parent

“As the old adage says, ‘it takes a village to raise a child,’ and my wife and I are thankful that Eleanor has been part of ours. Eleanor has been a terrific tutor with our son who is in 3rd grade. She takes a compassionate, collaborative, and creative approach that has helped him to become a more engaged reader. She has been a trusted partner in his reading journey, updating us on his progress, working with us to brainstorm approaches, and talking with his teachers to understand his in-school successes and challenges better. Eleanor has earned our son’s trust (no small feat), and he looks forward to their time together as space where he can be challenged and encouraged without feeling pressured or judged. I would highly recommend Eleanor to families looking for a passionate tutor who will take a youth-centered approach to teaching, while working with you as a partner to determine the best strategy for your child.”

— Bobby Jones, Brooklyn New School Parent

“I am a parent of a bright 3rd grade boy who struggles with writing. After our year and a half of remote learning, I felt like we really needed help. I was struggling to help my son sit down and complete his writing assignments, and desperate for him to find any joy in the writing process. I needed a fresh perspective. I heard about Eleanor from a friend and fellow 58 parent, and I am so glad I did! Eleanor is incredibly kind, caring and patient. She is interested in my child as an individual, and it shows in the activities she selects for him in sessions. She has taken the time to build trust with my son, making a real connection with him. My son does not have a typical learning style - the games and strategies that Eleanor uses have engaged him in a way that is beyond my expectations. By encouraging play and exploration, Eleanor has created the kind of environment that he looks forward to being in every week. I really never thought my son would enjoy going to a writing tutor, but after every session he says “It was so much fun!" During this transition back to in person learning, I have noticed a big increase in my son's confidence and independence when completing his homework. He seems so much happier and relaxed about schoolwork, something which had been a source of anxiety for him. This has been my goal during this difficult year, and an absolute joy for me to see! Eleanor’s support and guidance have made all the difference.”

— Lauren Warner, P.S. 58 Parent

“When we first approached Eleanor, our second grade son was not quite reading at grade level, and was not enthusiastic about reading. Eleanor took time to get to know to him and his interests to figure out what reading materials and activities would help him feel engaged. His reading skills improved rapidly, as did his enthusiasm for reading. It was never difficult to get our son to meet with Eleanor, even when the sessions went from in-person to Zoom.  We even added an extra weekly session to help him with his writing.  Eleanor came up with a number of tactics which helped him overcome the ‘blank page’ mental block around writing.  During the summer, Eleanor also worked with our older son, a rising fifth grader. She developed a creative writing workshop for him, which helped him move forward with a story he was working on. We highly recommend Eleanor, as she has effectively helped our children with reading and writing, while making both of those things fun and engaging.”

— L.W., Berkeley Carroll Parent 

“Before Eleanor began to work with her, my then 7-year-old daughter was so frustrated with the process of learning to read, that her interest in wanting to work on her reading was progressively declining. This frustration grew until she began to work with Eleanor, who, in a brief amount of time, brought joy into the process and made learning to read and write fun again.  Exhibiting a patience that was extraordinary, and nurturing my daughter’s innate love of storytelling, Eleanor forged her on a path towards being the reader that she is today, one whose delight in the written word is a huge part of her life.”

— Michael Shields,  P.S. 321 Parent

“Since she started working with Eleanor, my daughter has made great strides in reading and writing. Eleanor is kind, patient, and very easy to communicate with. She has kept me in the loop with her agenda for my daughter, while giving useful feedback about how I, as the parent, can help.  Eleanor has also reached out to my daughter’s teachers in order to gain a full picture of her as a learner. Most important, my daughter looks forward to working with Eleanor, who has made a real connection with her. I appreciate the fact that Eleanor has taken time to create sessions which build on my daughter’s strengths and which reflect her personal interests.”    

 — Marlo Lagrimas Splitt, P.S. 58 Parent

“Eleanor has been working with my daughter on her spelling and writing skills. Over the course of the past 4 months, not only have I noticed an improvement, but her teacher has also remarked on her improved skills. Eleanor has gone out of her way to meet with my daughter’s teacher to discuss how best to complement and add to what she learns in the class room.  She also keeps me updated on her progress and makes thoughtful suggestions on the path forward. I see that Eleanor has engaged my daughter by identifying the topics and learning formats that best suit her interests and style. My daughter happily attends her weekly sessions and enjoys the individual attention.  I highly recommend at Eleanor as a tutor. She is easy to communicate with, clearly connects and engages with children, and goes out of her way to personalize each learning plan!”

— Irene Sabados, P.S. 29 Parent

“Eleanor taught a week-long class, The Magic of Mini Books, which my son, Omri, participated in at The Smith Street Workshop in Carroll Gardens.  Omri worked hard on a comic-style book called Barry the Cop, and included both writing and illustration.  I found Eleanor to be patient, kind, loving, creative, and fun-spirited.  Omri really enjoyed the class and was very proud of his book at the end of the week.  I highly recommend Eleanor to any student who wants to improve his or her writing skills.”

— Sharon A., Brooklyn New School Parent

“Eleanor taught a week-long Mini-Books class that my fourth-grade daughter participated in at The Smith Street Workshop. My daughter wrote and illustrated a poetry book about feelings.  The children in the class were asked to read and support each other’s work, which created a positive and bonding energy in the classroom.  Eleanor’s calm manner and enthusiasm for children’s writing provided an enriching environment for various types of learners.”   

— Rosalyn  S., P.S. 32 Parent

“Our daughter recently turned 9 and completed the 3rd grade. Her literacy work in school became significantly more challenging this past year, and her teachers encouraged us to put her in a summer program to give her a boost for the 4th grade.  We found out about Eleanor’s literacy tutoring services through the NYC School Help newsletter.  I especially liked that she was a Bank Street alumna, and our initial impressions of Eleanor were very positive.  She took the time to speak to both me and my daughter’s learning specialist to gain a picture of my daughter’s strengths and and challenges, and to learn about what literacy work she was engaged in at school.  Eleanor also came to our home to meet my daughter in person. When our daughter started to see Eleanor in August, she easily fell into a comfortable cadence with her.  Eleanor had a warm and nurturing demeanor.  She was also attentive to cater the sessions to our daughter’s learning style, and kept their activities fun, creative, and interactive. At the end of her summer sessions, our daughter asked if she could continue to see Eleanor when school started.  We were sad when our summer sessions were over, and we’d highly recommend Eleanor!

— Ufasaha Yarish, Corlears School Parent

“Eleanor worked with our son over the course of two school years. Through discussions with my son, his teachers, and me, Eleanor discovered what motivates him as a learner and what kind of books he likes. She continues to adapt to his growth and needs, both long-term and session-to-session. Amid the perceived pressures of school, my son and I both respond well to her patient, calm demeanor and ability to create an atmosphere of acceptance and encouragement for student and parent alike. Best of all, he genuinely enjoys reading, writing, drawing, and making books with Eleanor.”      

— Jenny Fox, P.S. 261 Parent

“Since working with Eleanor around reading and writing, the difference in our son’s interest and ability is marked, and his time with Eleanor has helped him in other ways as well. She encourages him to explore and ask questions about books which both mirror and spark his curiosity about a wide variety of subjects. Eleanor has also taken the time to speak with our son’s teacher as well as to visit us in our home in order to get the fullest picture of our child. As a result, her sessions with him reflect her understanding of both his learning style and his interests.”

— John Thomas Longo, P.S. 58 Parent