Creating Mindful & Meaningful Community Based Learning Structures Est. 2020
Our Mission
EMPOWER, ENLIGHTEN, EMERGE, ELEVATE
Since December 2020, we have been working with the growing young minds of the Venice and the westside by providing an integrated and individualized learning journey. We do this by creating interest based and meaningful learning opportunities to help learners develop the a solid foundation focusing on empowerment, enlightenment, elevation and emergence across their communities.
At Suitable Teaching Solutions, we believe that not one size fits all when it comes to learning. Our mission is to create crafted, student specific interest based learning programs for each of our clients using holistic and therapeutic learning opportunities, multisensory based programs and data driven instruction. This also includes community based practices within the Venice/ Santa Monica and westside communities so that young learners can connect their academic content and personal interests so they may apply them within their community. We consider STS an “in house shop” for all your learners local go to needs.
Services
Consulting: STS provides consultation for families, teachers, concerns or questions regarding IEPs/IEP process , behavioral/social emotional concerns and more. We also serve as a second opinion to previously conducted assessments as well.
Academic Tutoring: Many of the practitioners in our group are trained in the area of Special Education. Our trained providers are not only able to enrich your child in the content at hand, but will do so with tailored and data driven measures based on your child's current levels and interests.
Here are some areas used:
Foundational Reading
Phonemic Awareness, Phonics, Decoding, Comprehension, Fluency/Prosody
Writing: All areas from letter formation to written expression
Math
Sciences
Humanities/ Social Studies
College Prep/Essays
Community Based Instruction (see description below)
Examples of programs we use:
Fundations
Touchmath
CORE Series
Reading A-Z
Handwriting without Tears
Educational Therapy: Educational Therapy is a practice that is based on looking at a child as a whole. With this, some learners may require additional support to boost their skill set. These sessions carry various practices such as mindfulness, gardening, music, whole body movement, yoga, everyday life skills such as cooking, multi-sensory academic interventions such as writing letters in sand to shaving cream and more!
Behavioral Support for Home/School:
Functional Behavioral Assessments
Building Behavior Intervention Plans and Behavioral Contracts using methods such as token economy and other motivating tools.
Crafting Visual Schedules and aids for families and educators
Community Based Instruction: If applicable, students are encouraged to apply their skills in the community, whether this be academic or a personal interest. We are firm believers in connecting with our community in any way we can. By doing so, we are supporting young learners to be active, aware and participating members of their community.
Summer Programming:
During summer, STS provides opportunities for enrichment so that they may keep their skillsets strong throughout summer while also having fun! These include in home activities to experiences within our community such as the beach, walks and more. We are partnered with many local businesses and experts in various areas as we believe in the power of numbers within our community. With this, we are able to coordinate scheduling for your children throughout the week or anytime you are in need for various activities they have an existing interest in, or maybe something new they are willing to try. We are connected with many local organizations that promote music instruction, sports coaching, acting, cooking, surfing, skateboarding….you name it, we got it!
Why choose STS?
Our team consists of local professionals who are able to fully assess your child to determine strengths, areas to improve and interests to motivate them while providing applicable learning structures that are local and all done ‘in house’.
We work to give back to the community while providing learning opportunities to our learners to engage in it in a variety of ways.
Assessments and Diagnostic Reports:
At STS, we provide a full battery of comprehensive, diagnostic and dynamic assessments for families. These look at not only academics levels, but social/emotional regulation, interests, goal based motives and more. Many of our clients come from private schools where standardized academic assessments are not offered as they are in public schools. We provide a series of one on one tailored, standardized and informal assessments to see what areas your child needs attention in and where their strengths currently stand to provide up to date information to help drive your child's learning journey. This process includes:
An initial consult with parents/ teachers/ other provider(s)
Review of records ( Report cards, progress reports, previous assessments, tests, etc.
A series of 2-3 sessions of testing and observation
A formal report outlining each step of the process such as the results, suggested programming & recommendations
About our Founder
Emily Margaret Suits M.S.
Emily Margaret Suits has been in the field of education for the last 15 years serving as a special education teacher, curriculum designer, teacher’s aide, speech and language assistant, literacy assessor and more. Emily entered the world of education much earlier than your typical educator. In 1994 at the age of 9, Emily went with her mother to Yale Child Study Center to have her 5 year old brother evaluated as had very limited ability to communicate with his family, teachers and the complex world around him. After almost a full day of assessments, they were told that her brother would never speak, attend a public school, or live any sort of multifaceted life. When leaving, Emily watched her mom cry as she shared the same sense of hopelessness when all of a sudden we hear, “ mom, why you crying?” from the backseat. Needless to say, this motivated Emily to create routes and avenues to the outside world for her brother. She then begun attending summer school with him to creating social groups during summer with the other children in the neighborhood. Because of his incredible team of educators, paraeducators, along with his former Principal, who still to this day serves as Emily’s mentor, Yale Child Study was proven wrong. Today he is an involved member of his community as he graduated from college, holds a full time job doing what he loves, volunteering at the local parks and recreation.
Emily moved to Los Angeles in 2017 from Connecticut and began working within the nonprofit sector of education. Emily’s hobbies and interests include hiking, skiing, basketball, yoga, gardening, swimming in the ocean, cycling and more. Currently, she is studying to become a yoga teacher. Among her experiences, she has worked with students of all ages, with varying abilities, interests and learning styles. Using a broad scope of educational methods and practices, Emily is able to cultivate an engaging yet safe climate and culture within all of her learning spaces. This includes but is not limited to yoga, gardening, mindfulness, athletics, nature/environment, cooking, basic life skills and more. As one size does not fit all, Emily designs individual learning goals and lessons that include the students interests while honing into their individual skill sets.
