Meet Leticia Amaya

We’re excited to introduce you to the always interesting and insightful Leticia Amaya. We hope you’ll enjoy our conversation with Leticia below.

Leticia , so good to have you with us today. We’ve always been impressed with folks who have a very clear sense of purpose and so maybe we can jump right in and talk about how you found your purpose?
It kind of fell into my lap. I thought about going to law school, but I didn’t know why I wanted to do that. I started working at elementary schools while in college as a mentor and tutor. There began my love for education. I started to think about how can I turn this into a career. So, I started asking more questions about it and learning about the classes I had to take. Although I started teaching for a few years, I knew I wanted to do more. I began to perfect my craft as an educator, develop curriculum for the dual immersion program at my school, and take classes. I think taking classes really opened my eyes. I started to focus on special education, speech pathology, reading disabilities, and children on the autism spectrum. I wanted to broaden my experience and really learn about children’s different abilities. The classes helped shape not only my craft as an educator, but also helped me have a deeper understanding of children’s learning abilities. I focused on reading and helping kids access reading through a multi sensory approach and here grew my love for what I do now!

Great, so let’s take a few minutes and cover your story. What should folks know about you and what you do?
I am a literacy tutor and education consultant. I tutor children ages 4-12. I am formally trained in the Orton-Gillingham Method and work with children that have various reading disabilities and/or difficulties. My educational background in speech pathology also helps me provide the necessary support while tutoring students. I provide children with the foundational skills they need to be successful readers and writers. I also provide parents with the tools to support their children at home. I help parents navigate the world of education by teaching them about their child’s educational rights.

Looking back, what do you think were the three qualities, skills, or areas of knowledge that were most impactful in your journey? What advice do you have for folks who are early in their journey in terms of how they can best develop or improve on these?
Being a strong teacher takes time and experience. I had strong and dedicated mentors helping me throughout my career. As an educator, I never stop taking classes. Education research is moving rapidly, it’s important to educate ourselves as we progress in our teaching career. Teaching isn’t perfect, sometimes it’s about trial and error and learning from our mistakes. What makes an amazing teacher? Someone that connects with children and understands that the classroom is for the children not for the adult in the room. An amazing teacher is someone who thinks about how to adapt the curriculum to the students’ needs.

Any advice for folks feeling overwhelmed?
When I feel overwhelmed I try to connect with people, do something fun, work out, cook, listen to music and dance.

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