Hello!
My name is Kim Hammond. I am so happy that you have stopped by for a visit! I have been a classroom teacher for 16 years. I have taught a blended-needs Pre-Kindergarten program, Kindergarten and First Grade. I have also tutored children ranging in age from Kindergarten to Fifth Grade.
Literacy is my passion! Having the ability to read is not just a gift but it's a necessity for a successful future...whatever that looks like for each individual. I have seen the gap in ability versus reading achievement in my classroom for years. It is my mission to help close that gap with every student I possibly can so that they believe they are smart, capable, good readers who will succeed not just in school but throughout their entire lives.
My Story
I have always wanted to be a teacher. Once in the classroom, I began seeing reading deficits that just didn't make sense to me. While teaching a blended regular education/special education Pre-K 3 year-old class, one student in particular stood out. She was a "regular ed" student. She was bright, vivacious, creative, and downright spunky! On certain days, she would be able to identify the letters and sounds in her name. Then, the next day she would act like she had never seen those letters. She would giggle and go about her merry way. Well, I was determined to figure out why she could identify letters and sounds one day, then the very next day she didn't recognize them at all. I decided to give a developmental assessment to my students. At the end of this assessment there were categories of strengths, weaknesses, and potential "red flags" to watch for. One of the "red flags" said she had the potential to have dyslexia. I shared the results with her parents and her mom, also an educator, was prepared to have her assessed at the beginning of Kindergarten, as to not lose any crucial intervention time. Sure enough, she was diagnosed with dyslexia. She began explicit, systematic dyslexia intervention. That precious little girl thrived through school and is now working on getting her Master's Degree! I have been an advocate for early identification AND early intervention ever since being blessed to have that sweet girl in my class. To this day, our families are still very close and they are grateful that their daughter was identified early so they did not miss those incredibly important years for early intervention. Early identification and early intervention truly matter!
Contact
I would love the opportunity to visit with you about helping your child flourish in reading, spelling, and writing!
Let's connect.