Shannon Converse, Ed. M.
Director and Co-Founder of My Tutor and Me, LLC

Shannon and her husband, Fred, founded My Tutor and Me in August 2002 in response to a demand for highly qualified tutors to address students' unique academic needs and learning styles. They feel strongly that providing this learning experience in a controlled, consistent environment within the student's home yields the most positive results.

Shannon brings with her an impressive background in the education field. A specialist in the education of students with multiple and severe disabilities, Shannon currently teaches for the Darien Public Schools in the Therapeutic Learning Center (TLC) at Ox Ridge Elementary. She also taught for several years at the Westchester School for Special Children in New York. Shannon has worked with children who have a wide variety of disabling conditions including Cerebral Palsy, Down Syndrome, Autism Spectrum Disorders, and general developmental delays. She has created original and innovative curricula for these students, and is adept at the design and implementation of behavioral intervention plans, in addition to other performance-based assessments. Shannon especially enjoys the teaching of reading and writing, and has designed a multi-sensory reading program for students who are non-verbal.

Prior to teaching in Darien, Shannon taught in the Ridgefield (Connecticut) Public Schools where she headed her school's Learning Center. There, she implemented a modified reading and writing curriculum to students who have language-based learning disabilities, performed educational evaluations, and assisted teachers with the inclusion of special needs students into the mainstream classroom.

Although she continues to treasure the experience of working directly with her students, it is important for Shannon to provide guidance and leadership to parents and others in her field. To that end, she has been speaker at various workshops and seminars including the Connecticut Association for Adults and Children with Learning Disabilities (CACLD), Bank Street College of Education, staff development sessions in Ridgefield and Westchester, among others. She has also provided special consultation and advocacy services (as time permits) to clients of My Tutor and Me.

Augmenting her education contributions, Shannon is also a yoga instructor certified to teach children with special needs. She offers private instruction for infants and children of all abilities. Please visit the Yoga for the Special Child™ website for more information about the program.

Shannon holds a Masters and post-Masters degrees in Special Education from Bank Street College of Education in New York City plus a B.S. in Elementary Education from the State University of New York at Oswego. She is state certified in both New York and Connecticut in Elementary and Special Education. Shannon is a member of the Council for Exceptional Children and, through My Tutor and Me, the Connecticut Association for Adults and Children with Learning Disabilities, the Education Industry Association and the Better Business Bureau of Connecticut.