Hello! My name is Ms. Katherine, and I am a Lead K-8 Instructor at Tip-Top Brain. I was born and raised in Queens, NY, and from a young age, I knew I wanted to become a teacher to positively impact students’ education. I earned both my undergraduate and graduate degrees in Elementary and Special Education (Grades 1-6) from Queens College and have been teaching for over five years. Currently, I am a 4th-grade Literacy teacher, working with both general education and ICT (integrated co-teaching) classes.
Throughout my teaching career, I have been trained in various reading and science programs, including Amplify, Heggerty, Fundations, HMH Into Reading, and Teachers College. My focus is on differentiating instruction to meet the diverse needs of my students, whether through scaffolding, small group instruction, or targeted literacy interventions. I also have experience working with English Language Learners, supporting their language development through phonics instruction and adapted learning materials.
One of my proudest accomplishments as an educator is seeing my students make significant growth in their MAP assessments, with many showing a 50-60% increase in achievement from the beginning to the end of the school year. I attribute this progress to my data-driven approach, engaging lessons, and commitment to creating a welcoming, affirming, and student-centered learning environment. I believe that learning should be fun, relevant, and meaningful, and I incorporate real-world connections to make literacy skills more engaging and applicable.
As an instructor at Tip-Top Brain, I am able to implement my knowledge and skills as an educator to create a positive rapport with the students and help them with their homework. My favorite part about working at Tip-Top Brain is seeing the students smile when they understand something that they didn’t before, they feel successful with the support we give them. We work as a team at Tip-Top Brain to ensure that the students’ needs are being met.
In my free time, I enjoy going to Broadway shows, traveling, watching movies, shopping, and trying new restaurants with friends and family. I also love spending time with my dog, Roxy.
