Back On Track
Help your child gain the confidence to meet grade level objectives and beyond
Room To Grow
Challenge your child to continue to advance above grade level in all subject areas
Test Like A Pro
Encourage your child to test take without fear or anxiety
Bright Light Learning
with Michelle Kazam
ABOUT MICHELLE
Michelle Kazam began her career in education after earning her Masters Degree in Childhood Education from New York University in 2009. Immediately upon graduation,
Michelle joined the New York City Department of Education, teaching in Chinatown for
three years and then on the Upper East Side for seven years. During her tenure at Yorkville Community School (P.S.151), Michelle was recognized as an innovator of all-inclusive
education and was asked to speak at a conference of primary education peers at Columbia University. She collaborated with team members at Y.C.S. to create part of its founding project-based, thematic curriculum which became the platform for an entire grade. After a decade in the public school sector, Michelle continued her passion for education by working at a private preschool on the Upper East Side. It was there that she observed how foundational learning is absorbed beginning at the very earliest stages of a child’s life, and how it becomes the essential building block of a child’s passion for learning and exploring.
Michelle began private tutoring over a decade ago to provide one-on-one learning and
enrichment opportunities, specifically tailored to a child’s unique and individual personality, learning style, and needs. Parents are involved on an ongoing basis so that progress and goals are constantly being communicated. Michelle’s kind and compassionate nature combined with her knowledge of child development and curricula make any child feel comfortable and confident so that they may grow with and progress toward their unending potential.
SERVICES
All sessions currently conducted on Zoom or in person
Grades 3, 4, and 5 test prep
Confidence boosting
Early Literacy
Elementary Literacy (reading and writing)
Early Math
Elementary Math
Enrichment for children above their grade level
G&T Test Prep
Kindergarten readiness
WHAT PARENTS SAY
“I interviewed more than 5 people before hiring Michelle as a tutor for my son in preparation for the Gifted and Talented test. Her professionalism, warm personality and instant connection with my son contributed not only to his educational progress, but also instilled a positive attitude towards learning. Michelle is very knowledgeable, competent and successful in using various techniques to build a child’s stamina necessary for test taking as well as choosing and applying different kinds of materials(not just books but manipulative educational toys as well) to facilitate learning and to obtain optimal results. I have already referred Michelle to a couple of families who are very grateful and happy with their child's outcomes. I would recommend her to anyone looking for not just a teacher, but a patient, caring and effective educator. Thank you Michelle for all you are doing and have done for our son!”
Monika S.
"Michelle was really great in helping build my daughter’s confidence and knew how to get the best out of my child. I am particularly impressed with her way of lovingly challenging a kid by asking lots of questions. Whatever she taught my daughter stuck with her. I’d recommend her in a heartbeat."
Violet F.
"We feel so fortunate to have met Michelle. She tutors both of our daughters in math. We have seen great improvement in their skills, confidence, and motivation to do math. They are excited each week to work with Michelle and they are getting better and better each session. Michelle has a particularly wonderful way of connecting with children. She is super kind and encouraging and she always makes our daughters feel like they are doing an amazing job. She explains math concepts in a very simple and fun way which makes it easy for them to understand. She is also fabulous at teaching remotely. She makes our daughters feel like they are actually with her! She is always happy and very quick to smile and laugh along with them. Math has gone from something stressful to something fun for our daughters and we could not be happier!"
Michele C.
"Michelle is an incredibly gifted tutor; she is engaging, patient, and has created a curriculum well-suited to our 4.5 year old son's needs. After only two months, we have noticed a dramatic improvement in our son's math and early reading skills, as well as a general improvement in his ability to maintain focus in an academic setting. Michelle has instilled in our son a love of learning, and he truly looks forward to his weekly sessions with her."
Jess and Taylor T.
"Michelle has the innate ability to engage children and keep their attention - even virtually - with her positive spirit and creative learning techniques. Our five year-old daughter has drastically improved her reading skills over the course of just 6 weeks and we look forward to continuing to work with Michelle as we move into this upcoming school year."
Deborah M.
Michelle has been teaching our 5 year old son how to read more confidently since May 2020. We’ve seen a huge boost in his confidence when he reads age-appropriate books to us independently. At their initial meeting he was at a F&P Level A and pushed back whenever we would try to engage him to learn his letters and words. We were impressed that Michelle quickly figured out that our son loves to play games, so she personalizes each lesson to incorporate fun learning while keeping him focused. The weekly status updates are helpful. Also, we get worksheets sent to us weekly — she usually provides more worksheets than can be covered during class, which is useful for additional practice at home.
Myo Q.
When our 5 year old son began to show a strong interest in math, we interviewed several tutors. We chose Michelle and could not be happier. Michelle is professional and reliable and knows how to make math fun! Michelle knows just when to challenge our son or teach him new strategies and when to let him get there in his own time. We are thrilled with our son's progression but even more so with the confidence he has gained to tackle harder problems and his growing interest in math. Our son looks forward to his weekly math lessons with Michelle and tells all his friends it's his math day!
Evelyn G.
I simply can’t say enough about Michelle! She is not only my daughters’ wonderful tutor, but she is also our educational support system and has become an integral member of our family! My three daughters adore Michelle and we could not have survived pre- and post-Covid without her support. My older daughter Olivia (entering 5th grade) has been working with Michelle for three years. Michelle has helped Olivia tremendously not just with her math skills but more importantly, with her confidence in her ability to understand all types of math concepts, including multiplication and division, fractions, area and perimeter and multi-step word problems. Michelle also helped Olivia prepare for the math section of the ELA exam (cancelled in 2020 due to Covid). Olivia is now excited instead of intimidated by math and she is no longer nervous to tackle new concepts especially knowing she has Michelle’s help and support. Michelle has also been working with my twin daughters, Madi and Charlotte (both entering second grade), for the last two years. Michelle primarily works with my twins on reading, writing and word work. They are reading above grade level and with Michelle’s help they did not fall behind during months of remote/blended learning. I plan to have Michelle work with my daughters during the summer so that they do not fall back and are as well prepared as possible for the start of the new school year in September. Michelle is so patient and caring with my daughters and she gives them the confidence to push themselves. She makes learning fun and keeps them engaged during the entire session. My girls even ask to meet with her on the days they don’t have scheduled sessions! Michelle’s support and guidance means the world to our family – she is a patient, motivating and supportive tutor as well as a close friend to my daughters.
Alicia F.
