My Story
I’ve been teaching English in schools for over a decade. Kids are my passion and very close to my heart. As an educator, I began to notice a troubling pattern. Students who struggled to read and write were not receiving the attention they deserved. In a classroom of twenty, two or three students would be left behind. They were made to achieve only mediocre work when I knew, in reality, they were brilliant.
As an advocate for children, I wanted to better understand how kids learn and why some struggle despite trying their best. This led me to Orton-Gillingham’s structured literacy and The Writing Revolution’s Hochman Method, both of which are grounded in research and focus on clear, step-by-step instruction that helps students build confidence and skills.
I brought these strategies to my students and was encouraged to see the steady progress they made. Parents began reaching out to share that they were seeing the same changes at home. By the end of the year, those students were thriving - feeling confident about their work, their writing, and their ability to think. I realized every child deserved to feel this supported, every child deserved to feel this empowered.
This lead me to founding Pen to Pathways where my work centers around literacy intervention - helping children read and write. I am so grateful to the many families who have entrusted me with their children. Together, we’ve watched them grow exponentially, and I’m so excited to continue walking alongside students as they develop the skills and the confidence they need to thrive.
Credentials
Bachelor of Arts in English Literature
Master of Fine Arts in Nonfiction Writing
Orton-Gillingham–Based Structured Literacy Training
Certified Writing Revolution Instructor
ESL Teaching Certification
Published Author
Pushcart Prize Nominee
Fluent in Spanish, French, and Portuguese
My Services
Reading Intervention
Executive Functioning
Writing Intervention
High School Applications
My Students
Kids are my passion. It is an absolute honor to help your child find their voice.
What Parents Are Saying
“Our son came to Brenda feeling unsure and overwhelmed by high school writing expectations. She quickly put him at ease and gave him clear, structured steps to organize his work. He learned how to break large assignments into smaller chunks, and writing feels a lot less intimidating now. We’ve seen real growth in both his skills and self-confidence. Brenda’s guidance made a huge difference during this important transition year.”
— Parent of 9th Grader
“From the start, Brenda created a space where our child felt safe and encouraged as a reader. We’ve watched his confidence grow, as he learned to recognize spelling patterns, map sounds to letters, and read with fluency. Our son’s comprehension has improved tremendously since working with Brenda. We’d gladly recommend her to any family.”
— Parent of 3rd Grader
“Our daughter really struggled with executive functioning, especially staying organized and getting started on assignments. Brenda helped her break tasks into clear, manageable steps and develop routines that actually made sense to her. Over time, we saw a huge shift. She became more independent and more confident in her ability to handle schoolwork.”