Megan Balcom - Private Orton Gillingham Practitioner

I have a wonderful student who came to me about 6 months ago with severe dysgraphia.
She is a super determined young lady and although it hasn’t always been easy look at the amazing progress she has made so far.

I can’t wait to see what the next 6 months have in store for her.

If you don’t like animals… this probably isn’t the place for you. 🐶🐔🐱

Around here, my furry (and feathery!) coworkers are part of the team. Whether it’s a therapy dog curled up beside a student, a Silkie chicken perched on my shoulder, or another animal making an appearance, they all play a role in creating a calm, welcoming learning environment.

Animals have a special way of helping children communicate, build confidence, and feel safe. Some of my biggest breakthroughs with students have happened with a four-legged—or two-legged—friend nearby.

Learning to read should never feel scary, and sometimes the best teaching assistant has feathers or fur. ❤️

☀️ Summer is officially halfway over! ☀️

While there’s still plenty of summer left to enjoy, September will be here before we know it!

My September–June Orton-Gillingham schedule is filling quickly, and there are now fewer than 5 lesson times remaining.

Orton-Gillingham is a structured, explicit, and multisensory approach to reading instruction designed for students with dyslexia and other reading and spelling difficulties. Every lesson is individualized to meet your child’s unique needs, helping them build strong literacy skills, confidence, and a love of learning.

Whether your child has a diagnosis of dyslexia, struggles with reading, spelling, writing, or simply needs extra support, Orton-Gillingham provides the tools they need to succeed.

📚 Individualized, one-on-one instruction
🧠 Evidence-based, multisensory approach
⭐ Designed for lasting success and confidence

If you’ve been thinking about registering your child for the upcoming school year, now is the time! Once these remaining lesson times are filled, I will begin a waitlist.

📩 Send me a message today to learn more or reserve your child’s spot!

🌟 Student Shoutout! 🌟

One of my students came to me just a few months ago with significant dysgraphia and dyslexia. From our very first lesson, I knew she was determined, but I don’t think either of us could have imagined just how much progress she would make in such a short time.

Watching her confidence grow alongside her reading and writing skills has been incredible. She is reading with greater accuracy, writing with more confidence, and tackling challenges that once felt impossible.

This is the power of individualized, evidence-based Orton-Gillingham instruction. Progress doesn’t happen overnight, but with the right approach, consistency, and a student who refuses to give up, amazing things can happen.

I am so proud of everything she has accomplished and can’t wait to see what she achieves next. Keep shining—you’ve earned every bit of this success! 💙📚

I try to be really honest on this page, and the truth is… sometimes I doubt myself.

Sometimes a student walks through my doors, I complete the initial diagnostic assessment, and I sit there wondering how I’m going to help them. Not because I don’t believe they can be helped — I absolutely do — but because I care so deeply about getting it right for them.

Then my training kicks in.
I trust the process.
I follow the child’s lead.
I follow the Orton-Gillingham approach.

Sometimes that means reinventing lessons, trying brand new ideas, scrolling TikTok for inspiration, or completely changing my plan halfway through a session. Because every child learns differently, and every child deserves someone willing to keep trying until something clicks.

And then one day… it happens.
The breakthrough.
The confidence.
The reading starts to come together.

Those are the moments that remind me why I do this.

The truth is, when I’m your child’s Orton-Gillingham practitioner, I care about them the same way I care about my own children. I never want them to feel defeated, overlooked, or incapable.

So yes, I doubt myself sometimes.
Because I care that much.

But I will keep showing up, keep learning, keep adapting, and keep fighting for every child to learn to read with confidence and joy. ❤️

Some lessons are filled with huge breakthroughs, confident reading, and smiles that come easily. ✨

Some lessons feel hard. There are tears, frustration, and moments where learning seems impossible.

And sometimes lessons look like singing “The Duck Walked Up to the Lemonade Stand” 15 times while we figure out how to spell the words together. 🎶🦆🍋

Every single one of those lessons matters.

Learning to read — especially for children with dyslexia — is not a straight line. As we strengthen and build new pathways in the brain, there will be challenging days. There will be moments where progress feels slow. That doesn’t mean growth isn’t happening.

Sometimes the biggest progress is simply showing up, trying again, and building confidence through connection and trust.

I always try to meet my students where they are, stay flexible, and make learning feel safe — even on the hard days. Because those hard days are often part of the process that leads to the breakthrough moments later on. ❤️

Happy Mother’s Day to all of the amazing moms in my community. 💛

To the moms who drive to lessons week after week, practice spelling words at the kitchen table, wipe away tears of frustration, celebrate every little win, and advocate endlessly for their children — I see you.

Your patience, support, and dedication make such a difference in your child’s journey. The progress they make is not just because of tutoring, but because they have someone beside them cheering them on every step of the way.

I hope today you feel appreciated for everything you do. 🌸

Tonight during a lesson, my student was absolutely crushing their reading. I said, “My gracious, look how good you are getting at breaking those words apart!”

Without missing a beat they replied, “Migration!! That’s a great word. I’m going to use that more often.” 😂

Not quite the word I said… but honestly the confidence, enthusiasm, and quick thinking made my whole night.

These moments are exactly why I love what I do. My students keep me laughing and constantly keep me on my toes. ❤️📚