< Back Lara Luft Profa Lara Luft Profa Lara Luft offers specialized 1:1 online classes for Brazilian Portuguese and ESOL. Our Mission: To provide effective, supportive learning while embracing diverse cultures. I am flexible to meet your unique needs, ensuring you feel safe and comfortable to ask questions and make progress. My passion is learning, and I love incorporating diverse perspectives into every class. As a native Brazilian with over 10 years of experience, I specialize in teaching literate students (teenagers and adults). Services: Immersion and communication-focused classes designed to help you achieve fluency in Portuguese or English as a second language. Contact Profa Lara Luft via Instagram

< Back Making the Decision to Leave the Classroom Reading time 5 minutes Published March 1, 2024 Category: Leaving the classroom In the years leading up to my resignation from my beloved teaching position, I found myself making monthly and finally weekly pros and cons lists. Leaving the classroom was a decision fraught with inner turmoil, a dilemma I grappled with long before the pandemic's onset. Teaching had always been my calling; I reveled in the connections with students, the camaraderie among colleagues, and the joy of growing and learning together. Yet, beneath the surface, the dysfunction of the school system, culture, and environment grew. The mantra, "Shut the door and do what's best for your students," had long sustained me through many bureaucratic frustrations. But eventually, the dysfunction and toxicity penetrated my classroom walls and became impossible to ignore. Micromanagement, pedagogically unsound initiatives, and impotent responses to bullying eroded morale and disregarded the students' true needs. Despite my attempts at diplomacy, voicing these concerns rendered me an outcast. The hostility from administration during the Spring of 2020 was palpable and ultimately marked my breaking point. "They really don't care about us," echoed relentlessly in my mind during that grueling summer break. Dread, anger, sadness, and resentment consumed me. For the first time in nearly a decade, I couldn't summon excitement for the new school year. Tears and outrage replaced my usual optimism and silliness. The person I once knew, the one who savored impromptu dance parties and embraced life's adventures, I couldn't find her anymore. With a heavy heart, I finally tendered my resignation that July. Despite pouring my heart into my work, my employer's indifference stung. "We'll miss you, but I'm sure we'll find a replacement," they remarked casually. It was a confirmation of my fears: my efforts had been in vain. At that moment, I had clarity – I had made the right choice. Though heartbreaking, leaving the classroom was the best decision for my family and me. Two weeks later, my husband's embrace and our collective sigh again affirmed my decision to leave. It took nearly two years to heal all of the emotional turmoil I'd been through. Ultimately I emerged as a version of myself my children describe as annoyingly happy, confident, and proud of my accomplishments. And while there are still times that I miss having a classroom full of students, I truly love what I do now and the person it is allowing me to become. Best wishes always, Rachel Previous Next

< Back What Does It Mean for a School to Fail? Reading time 3 minutes Published September 16, 2025 Category: Education Reform, Teacher Satisfaction, Teacher Burnout Every fall, I notice the same pattern: teachers start strong, riding on back-to-school energy, excited to try all the ideas they saved on Pinterest over the summer, but by October, the burnout begins to creep in. This year, though? It’s already showing up, and it’s only mid-September. The teachers I talk with are reporting exhaustion faster than ever, and that should make us all pause. So it begs the question: What does it actually mean for a school to fail? How We Usually Define “School Failure” When we hear the phrase “failing school,” most people think of: Low standardized test scores Poor state report cards High dropout rates Accreditation warnings Those are the metrics policymakers love to point to. But ask any teacher, and you’ll get a very different picture. How Teachers Experience “School Failure” Failure isn’t just numbers on a page—it’s the lived reality inside classrooms. It looks like: Teachers are so burnt out that they’re leaving mid-year Students’ basic needs (safety, mental health, belonging) are going unmet Administrators are pushing compliance over creativity (and connection) Mandates that strip away joy and professional autonomy The truth is, schools often start to “fail” teachers long before test scores ever dip. And when teachers don’t feel supported or valued, it directly impacts students, families, and communities. New Definition of “School Failure” Now, when I think of schools failing, I think of schools no longer able to keep enough adults on staff to keep their doors open. It makes me sad to consider it, but I've already seen it happen because of shortages of substitute/supply teachers. I've heard stories of one elementary school teacher "covering" two classes in the gym because only 2 of 4 third-grade teachers were able to come to work that day.Local and state governments put together committees to address "The Teacher Shortage" or "The Teacher Crisis" years ago. How many of us can say we've seen any improvement? 🙋🏻♀️ (If you have, please email me and share your story. I would really love to share what your school/district is doing in the hopes it inspires others.)My fear is that until schools start to really experience my new definition of failure, they'll continue to exhaust and exploit teachers. Then, when they've finally driven out too many teachers to keep their doors open, they'll finally listen to teachers and/or look to schools that appear to be thriving and learn from their examples. What If We Flipped the Script? If my new definition of failure is when schools can no longer staff enough adults to keep classrooms running, then maybe the opposite is also true: a thriving school is one where teachers want to stay, grow, and do their best work. Instead of defining failure only by numbers, what if we defined success by the people at the heart of it? Think about the way magazines run their “Best Places to Work” lists. Why couldn’t we have a “Great Place to Teach” designation ? Imagine if schools were recognized not just for test scores and data points, but for things like: Teacher job satisfaction Professional autonomy Administrative support Respectful work culture Opportunities for growth Balance between work and life Wouldn’t that shift the conversation—and the incentives? Your Turn I’d love to hear from you: What criteria would you include in a “Great Place to Teach” designation? Drop your ideas in the comments or share this blog with a fellow teacher who has thoughts. The more voices we add to this conversation, the harder it is to ignore. Because at the end of the day, schools don’t fail because of bad teaching; schools fail when they stop listening to teachers. Previous Next

< Back More Teachers Can't find what you need? Already tried the Search Bar and still can't find a teacher for yourself or your student? → Click HERE. I'll check my networks to see if I can find someone for you.

< Back Teaching, Like Medicine, Is a Science-Informed Art Reading time 5 minutes Published May 22, 2025 Category: Education Reform Last week, in my doctor’s office—after discussing the next phase of my care plan for some ongoing health issues—I joked, “I feel like a science experiment.” She smiled and said something that stopped me in my tracks: “Well, you kind of are. Medicine is as much science as it is art. No matter how much research and testing we do, every human body is complex and different. We never really know how a medication or treatment will affect someone until we try it. But, like art, we get better with practice. It’s a science-informed art.” “So is teaching,” I replied.“I guess it would be,” she said. “Every student is different.” Every student is different. Each one who walks into our classroom is a complex human being with unique experiences, perspectives, strengths, and challenges. That conversation stayed with me. And the next day, while walking my dog, it hit me: In both education and healthcare, the people doing the real work are trained, thoughtful, and deeply committed. But in both fields, those professionals are often silenced by systems that prioritize money and metrics over care and wisdom. I’ve experienced this in both spaces—personally and as a parent. Decisions aren’t being made by the people doing the work. They’re being made by the people funding and profiting from it. The Parallel Between Education and Health Care Doctors get overridden by insurance companies. Patients are denied medications because of cost or bureaucracy—not based on what their physician recommends. In our family, it took nearly a year to get a specific asthma medication for my daughter because the version her doctor wanted her to take wasn’t covered by insurance. The name-brand version, which would have been available through a script-sourcing channel, was discontinued, rebranded as a generic, and thus became inaccessible through that channel as well. We tried workaround after workaround and various other medications for nearly a year before finally getting what she needed. In another case, I was prescribed the only medication available to me during a pregnancy complicated by hyperemesis gravidarum. The side effects were so intense and demoralizing that I seriously questioned whether I could go through another pregnancy. There was a better alternative with significantly fewer side effects—but it was $5,000 per pill. It wasn’t covered. It wasn’t an option. In the United States, over 25% of women with hyperemesis gravidarum report suicidal thoughts, and over 6% take their lives each year, according to the NIH. The suffering is that relentless. And while better care exists, it is often completely inaccessible. What This Has to Do with Teaching In education, the dynamics are heartbreakingly similar. Teachers—the professionals doing the work, implementing research, and studying best practices—are often treated as disposable. They are rarely invited to decision-making tables. Instead, curriculum is dictated by publishing companies. Policies are influenced by testing companies. Technology platforms tell us how students should learn, regardless of how students actually learn—or how detrimental all that screen time is to the developing brain. (Both teachers and pediatricians have been sounding the alarm on that one for well over a decade.) We’re seeing more and more school districts so beholden to standardized testing and government funding benchmarks that authentic learning is getting sidelined. Teaching to the test isn’t just happening—in some places, it’s mandated. But educators know better. We know that what helps students grow isn’t endless test prep; it’s practicing the skills those tests are meant to measure, in real and relevant contexts. And yet, we’re forced to retrofit bad curriculum, limit our creativity, and ignore our professional judgment in order to meet external demands that often contradict what we know is best. So What Do We Do? We teach in spite of the system. Just like doctors who bend red tape to help their patients, teachers adapt, advocate, rewrite, intervene, push back, and resist. We do what we can for the kids in front of us. But imagine if we didn’t have to fight the system every day just to meet the actual needs of our students and patients. Imagine what education and healthcare could be if the people doing the work had the power to shape the work. Teachers are not “just teachers.” Doctors are not replaceable by software. These are professions. These are callings. These are forms of care work and craft that deserve respect, resources, and trust . We don’t need more tech. We need more trust in human expertise. We are the science-informed artists. And the longer we practice, the better we get at it—if only the system would let us. If you’re an educator seeking a way to reclaim your autonomy and build a life and business that reflect your values, check out the T2E Intensive or the Intro to Private Practice Teaching mini-course on YouTube. Let’s reimagine what’s possible—together. Previous Next

Want to add your teaching business to our Directory? Or having trouble finding the right teacher for yourself or your student? Fill out a request form here. Welcome to The Private Practice Teacher® Teacher Directory Resource Page Access The PPT® Directory Here Students: Can't find a teacher for yourself or your student? Teachers: Would you like to add your business to the PPT® Directory free of charge? Meet the Teachers Click Here Click Here

< Back Ganaia Praema ** The Music Mentor ** PPT® Verified Educator Ganaia mentors aspiring musicians of all stripes. 🎸🎤 We might start with a guitar riff, piano chord, or vocal warm-up—but we don’t stop there. Her Pathfinders are also writers ✍️, visual artists 🎨, mixed-media makers 🎥, and Scrabble players 🧩 crafting their own creative process. Her specialty? Unmasking your blocks—the conditioned rules, rigid expectations, and “supposed to’s” that hold you back. 🚫 She’ll hand you a stack of index cards and the most flexible, fun permission to play—until you mash up mediums, break formats, and build a creative process that fits you like a favorite song 🎶—firing you up to create, even when you don’t know exactly what. 🔥✨ Go To Website

< Back Self-Care is Essential for Teacher-Entrepreneurs Reading time 3 minutes Published January 10, 2025 Category: self-care, mindset, entrepreneur How are doing? If you’ve followed me for a while, you know how passionate I am about self-care. It’s something I believe should be prioritized all the time, but if you’re like me, you might find it easier to practice when you tie it to a larger purpose—like your role as a business owner. Self-care isn’t just a nice-to-have for entrepreneurs; it’s essential. As small business owners, the health of our business is closely tied to our own well-being. When I was a classroom teacher, I struggled with self-care. I’d often push through sickness and exhaustion because the systems around me made it more convenient to go to work than to take time off. When I transitioned to self-employment, I realized how unsustainable those habits were. As a sole proprietor, I am my business. If I show up less than my best, the quality of service I provide suffers. And since I charge $80/hour for teaching services and $120/hour for coaching services, I owe it to my students and clients to give them my best—not my leftovers. For me, that means rescheduling when I’m not at my best and investing in my own well-being. But here’s the thing: I didn’t know how to create sustainable self-care habits. My default mode as a teacher was survival during the school year and recovery in the summer. I’d set up self-care routines every summer, only to have them fall apart by October. (If this isn’t your experience, you’re a unicorn—please share your wisdom!) After a lot of trial and error, I discovered a simple framework that has worked for me and many of the teacher-entrepreneurs I mentor: create two self-care practices—a s hort, daily practice you can commit to no matter what AND a longer, when-you-can practice you do when you have time to spoil yourself. Here’s how I break it down: Short/Daily Practice Example: Walk outside while listening to a podcast (15 minutes) Mind: Listen to a positive, inspiring podcast (no true crime!) Body: Move through walking and stretching Spirit: Engage with nature—notice birds, sunlight, wind in the trees Long/When-You-Can Practice Example: Yoga, meditation, journaling (1 hour) Mind: Meditate Body: Practice yoga Spirit: Journal to reflect and process There are two key components that make this work. First, these two practices are most effective when they intentionally care for your mind, body, and spirit. The second key? Recognizing that you—yes, YOU—are worth this time and care. It can be challenging for many of us to internalize that belief, so if it feels hard, pretend. Go through the motions until your mind and spirit catch up to your body’s actions. It took me over a year of self-employment to figure this out, but it’s made all the difference. As someone who manages my own schedule, I’ve realized there’s no excuse not to take care of myself. When I prioritize my well-being, it benefits me, my business, my family, and the clients who trust me with their time and money. If this resonates with you and you’d like help brainstorming your own self-care strategies, I’m here for you. Let’s talk about how you can start making self-care a sustainable part of your life and business. Previous Next

< Back Steph Paturel ** Learn + Roam ** PPT® Verified Educator Lean + Roam Steph is an incredibly talented and innovative online teacher who is experienced in teaching a variety of content. As a French Immersion teacher, she teaches French, Visual Arts, Drama, Social Studies, Health, English Language Arts, and more to students in grades 1-8. (As per Ontario's curriculum standards) As a French teacher, Steph teaches grade 6-12 Core French, Conversational French, and French Pronunciation (accents from both Canada and France). Steph also offers programs for Educational Advocacy for Parents, "Bully Busting" & Self-Confidence for Kids, and "The Sex Talk". Go To Website

< Back Stop Undervaluing Your Teaching Expertise: You're More Than a Tutor Reading time 4 minutes Published June 12, 2025 Category: teacher entrepreneur, teacher business When I first left the classroom to start my own private teaching business, I priced my services based on what I thought was "fair." I looked around at what other tutors in my area were charging and tried to stay in that range. That led me to charge $25 per 30-minute session. And I wasn’t alone. Just the other day, I had a conversation with a teacher-turned-online-tutor who told me she did the exact same thing. Her reasoning? She was just starting out, and $20 felt like the local going rate. But here’s what I told her—and what I wish someone had told me sooner: >> Pricing too low can actually hurt your business. It may seem like a smart way to attract clients in the beginning, but undervaluing your services causes two major problems: It doesn’t communicate your value. You are not just a tutor. You’re a trained, experienced, professional educator. Pricing yourself like an entry-level peer makes it harder for potential clients to see the difference between someone who knows the content and someone who knows how to teach the content. It sets you up for burnout. Even if you fill your schedule, you can’t make enough to live sustainably—especially when you factor in prep time, communication, admin work, and taxes. You’re working hard but still stuck. That’s a recipe for frustration and exhaustion. That’s when I asked her the question that shifted everything for me: "How much are private music lessons, dance classes, or sports training in your area?" When I stopped comparing myself to Craigslist tutors and started modeling my business after my daughter’s dance studio—everything changed. The dance studio had policies, registration fees, and consistent monthly tuition. They weren’t just charging for time. They were charging for professional instruction . And that’s what you provide, too. Anyone with an aptitude for a subject can offer tutoring. But teachers? We know how to deliver transformative instruction. We know how to scaffold, differentiate, assess, and build confidence. That’s not tutoring—that’s teaching . If we want to be seen, respected, and compensated as professionals, we need to stop marketing ourselves like bargain tutors. You didn’t go through years of training, licensure, and classroom experience to compete with a high schooler or college student on a tutoring site. So stop selling yourself short. You are a teacher. Own it. Lead with it. Price like it. If you’re not sure how to do that yet, I’ve created a free Pricing Strategies Webinar to walk you through exactly how to set sustainable, ethical, and confidence-aligned pricing. 🎥 Watch it now on YouTube → Watch HERE Because when teachers take back their profession, students, families, and society win! Previous Next

We can’t find the page you’re looking for This page doesn’t exist. Go to Home and keep exploring. Go to Home

< Back Niki Mitchell ** Brain Boost Academy ** PPT® Verified Educator Brain Boost Academy Niki is a K-12 reading specialist, level 1 Dyslexia specialist, and a 7-12 English & Honors English teacher. Niki is also an experienced Elementary teacher and offers instruction in K-8 math. She also offers writing instruction and editing services for college essays. Go To Website