It wasn’t until I had to spend several months on my back, that my long-awaited dream would actually take shape and quickly become a reality!

I grew up in a bi-lingual home in what’s considered the Art Museum Area of Philadelphia. I loved and embraced the multicultural aspect of my family and neighborhood, which was an eclectic mix of Hispanic, African, Irish and Italian Americans. As the second youngest of five children, I was always surrounded by family. And for as long as I can remember, I’ve always had a strong affinity for children. Their inquisitive nature and desire to learn never ceased to amaze me. I have always felt the need and responsibility to encourage their interests and foster their creativity. My other great interest, even as a young child, was the spoken language. My parents spoke both Spanish and English and I was fascinated by the different nuances each language had to offer. I loved that I could jump back and forth between the two, and felt blessed to have two worlds in which to communicate.

When it was time to head off to college, I decided to pursue my love of other cultures and their respective vernaculars and elected to major in Spanish and minor in French. My mother thought I was meant to teach, but I knew better!

As with most college students, the first two years flew by – I collected electives and enjoyed the freedom of living away from home for the first time. It wasn’t until my junior year that I had an experience that forever changed my life. I sat in my French class watching with intent my professor, whose passion for his subject and love for his profession was so intense it was palpable, and something clicked – I knew I had to teach.

Coincidentally, the college I attended had one of the best teaching departments on the East Coast. I finished my undergraduate degree in Spanish and went on to receive a master’s degree in Multicultural Education as well as an elementary teaching certification, thus combining my two passions.

My first experience as a teacher was at William Cramp Elementary School, located in the West Kensington section of Philadelphia. I taught half-day kindergarten and I could not have been happier. I had a job I loved and actually got paid for doing it! The school was my second home and the kids were an extension of my family.

While I was over the moon about my job and the kids, I was not blind to the challenges that I, along with my fellow teachers, faced. From oversized classes (32 to 33 kids in one class), to the lack of parental involvement, to the various learning differences and special needs of the students, it was almost impossible to make an impact on each child. For those parents and grandparents who were looking for supplemental support, resources were limited and private tutoring was just not an affordable option for many.

My dream was to “one day” create a full-service educational firm that could serve inner city schools and the needs of the urban population. I had visions of affordable; no strings attached, one-on-one, private instruction. I envisioned a pay-as-you-go scenario with no long-term commitments or obligations. I wanted parents to have access to affordable, private instruction specifically designed to support and supplement classroom learning. I saw my tutors working hand-and-hand with the classroom teacher in an effort to develop a truly customized program – a program to fit the whole child.

Ok, so I’m literally on my back – per doctor’s orders, awaiting the birth of my twin daughters and I’ve got nothing but time on my hands. My every intention was to return to the classroom following my maternity leave, but I could not stop thinking about my students and how different their lives could be if they had access to affordable supplemental educational support. I thought, why not take this opportunity to do a little due diligence and see where that might lead. While I had an idea of what was out there, once I did more extensive research, I felt I could provide something better for these kids and their families and I knew the time had come for me to follow my dream!

I put my thoughts on paper, further developed the afore mentioned business model and got to work. I started securing compassionate educators and spreading the word, and before I knew it Team Tutor was a reality. Once we had a market presence in Philadelphia, we branched out to the surrounding suburbs. We have even added an easy immersion language program – Learning Spanish Together, to our portfolio of services.

While leaving the classroom was a most difficult decision, I know my young clients are getting the help they need at a cost their parents can afford. I am truly blessed with a wonderful support system that includes my husband and three children from whom I drawn inspiration each and every day. I could not feel more fulfilled as an educator, business owner, wife and mother.