Hi, I’m Ren, the tutor behind Open Book Literacy at Mirror Mental Health. I’m a former elementary school teacher who now works one-on-one with children who need extra support in reading and writing.

My interest in literacy is both personal and professional. As a child, I struggled with reading comprehension, so I know how frustrating it can feel when reading doesn’t come easily. Over time, I found strategies that helped me succeed.

Later, while teaching 3rd grade, I saw many bright and capable students begin to lose confidence when reading was difficult. Seeing that happen made me want to better understand how we learn to read and how to support students who are struggling. I am currently training in the Orton-Gillingham Approach, a structured method for teaching students with dyslexia and other learning challenges, including ADHD.

I’ve seen the impact of this approach firsthand. A family member with dyslexia learned to read through the Orton-Gillingham Approach in elementary school, which changed the course of his education and inspired a love of reading!

Reading is foundational to nearly every subject in school, and when children begin to feel confident in their reading skills, it opens the door for them to explore their interests and abilities more fully. Helping students build that confidence and discover a love of reading is why I care so deeply about this work.