Marin Educational Therapy
multi-sensory, explicit, research-based instruction
Welcome
Miranda Calkins
Miranda has dedicated herself to a life of learning how children with diverse needs can be successful. After graduating with a BA in Comparative Sociology & Communications from the University of Puget Sound and teaching English Language in Japan, she returned to San Francisco State University to complete a MA in Urban Education & Grades K-8 Certification requirements. For ten years she taught in California public school classrooms and conducted a successful tutoring program while raising her two young sons.
In 2015 she refocused her skills on learning disabilities and the most difficult problems teachers face in helping students learn. She turned to the University of California Santa Cruz to complete a Certification as an Educational Therapist and San Francisco State University credential program in Special Educations, Mild to Moderate Disabilities. Currently she is engaged in the varied duties of Resource Specialist in the Marin Public Schools system, performing testing, IEP collaboration and delivery, individualized instruction and teacher in-services.
With a private practice specializing in elementary age students Miranda applies her vast experience to individual clients. She believes that a child’s learning style and strengths are more important than their weaknesses. If she understands these unique aspects with as much clarity as their academic needs, she can help a student attend to weaknesses more easily. She uses multi-sensory, explicit, research-based instruction. As a K-5 Resource Specialist, Miranda works daily with occupational & speech therapists, child psychologists & pediatricians, and she borrows freely the lessons learned from these professionals.
Qualifications
- BA in Sociology/Communications University of Puget Sound
- MA Education, Emphasis: Urban Education, Clinical Schools Program, San Francisco State University
- Educational Therapy Certification, University of California Santa Cruz
- Special Education Certification, San Francisco State University
- Fellow: National Writing Project, University of California, Davis
- Planned and implemented public school resource program, including testing, IEP collaboration and delivery, individualized instruction and teacher in-services
- Planned and implemented with team of special educators in clinical program for students with severe language processing problems, Corte Madera
- Skilled in using multi-sensory, explicit, research-based instruction
- Completed the training K-12 sequence introduction course for Making Math Real
Professional Experience
Miranda’s professional experience includes work for over twenty-four years, privately and in public schools, with students who face learning challenges. Beginning her tutoring business in 2010, she focused on primary grade learners struggling to acquire the crucial skills of reading writing and math concepts. Students, many older, came to her with an array of learning disabilities—ADHD, high functioning Down syndrome, autism, severe sensory and behavioral problems —-and Miranda realized she needed to undertake more specialized study. In 2016 she completed certification requirements and opened her Educational Therapy Practice while continuing further university preparation in Special Education for Mild to Moderate Disabilities.
Miranda has seven years of experience collaborating with specialists in early childhood development, speech and language, occupational and behavioral therapy throughout the North Bay. She integrates game-based learning, sensory tools and metacognitive techniques with her students. She was especially fortunate to work alongside the expert staff at Full Circle Learning, a private program in Corte Madera. Mentored by these talented specialists, Miranda taught students who struggled with language processing challenges. Today, her work as a Resource Specialist has given her further experience in planning and implementing a K-5 public school resource program, including testing, IEP collaboration and delivery, individualized instruction and teacher in- service.
List of Services
One-to-One
Provide one on one individualized instruction to K-5 students.
Intervention
Provide multi-sensory, explicit, research-based instruction to manage learning challenges.
Evaluation & Assessments
Provide information needed to develop & individualize intervention & remediation plans.
Advocacy
Provide social-emotional goals that help students become more independent self-advocates.
Miranda helped transform our son with ADHD from dreading to reading and from whining to writing. She has amassed a great collection of mind-body techniques and organizational tools for kids.
Miranda customized an incredible program for our son, keeping him engaged with learning while he took a break from traditional school. We feel so lucky to have found Miranda, and even luckier that our son got to work with her.
We can’t thank Miranda enough for helping our son. Miranda customized a learning program and worked with other specialists to ensure that our son continued to learn while taking a break from traditional school.