Meet The Team
About Us
Founded by Tamar Lindenfeld, the Chalkdust Inc. team is made up of highly qualified, passionate educators with a love for learning, and improving their craft. Working collaboratively, we meet to share methods, strategies and ideas so that we are constantly evolving.
Read more about our tutors below.
Meet Tamar
Tamar Lindenfeld received her Bachelors of Arts in early childhood and elementary education as well as in Hebrew language from CUNY Queens College. She received her Masters of Science in Early Childhood Special Education from Bank Street College of Education. Since 2010, when she began tutoring, Tamar has been refining her craft in individualized educational support. While getting her masters she realized the reward of incorporating what she knew of special education into her tutoring sessions, and from this her educational consulting began. As her relationships with her clients deepened, her connection to their families grew and so too her desire to help the parent become an active member of the struggle that education (sometimes) can be. Tamar started Chalkdust Incorporated with a dream to provide individualized support to children throughout Manhattan and the greater New York area.
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In addition to managing the team, Tamar still provides individualized tutoring and consulting support to clients of Chalkdust based on need, availability, and scheduling. To book a session with Tamar please send an inquiry to chalkdustinc@gmail.com.
Our Tutors
Jillian G.
Jillian is a kindergarten teacher in Gramercy Park in the NYC public school system. She received her undergraduate degree in Early Childhood at Towson University and her masters in Elementary Education at Hunter College. Jillian works with our early childhood clients and is a master in teaching foundational literacy skills as well as developing a strong number sense. She believes that all children are unique, and each brings something special to their own education. She strives to provide a safe environment where students are invited to share their ideas and take risks. In her free time, Jillian enjoys spending time with her family, her dog Sophie, traveling and going to the beach.
Nicole E.
Nicole is a loving, creative and dedicated educator who’s goal is to make students feel motivated and excited about learning. She has received her bachelors of science in childhood education with a concentration in English learning. Nicole has worked as the head teacher in pre-k and kindergarten classrooms where her specialty was teaching reading and pre-reading tools. She has a great deal of experience with all elementary aged students as she has worked in first and fourth grade classrooms, as well as with students in individualized learning settings. Nicole has a passion for teaching students how to read and write. She believes that understanding the differentiated needs of unique students is so important so that together they can find the best way to enhance the students’ academic growth in all subject areas. Nicole loves to help children reach excellence and to build their self confidence to know that they can do so.
Maddy G.
Maddy is dedicated to working with children with varying academic styles and abilities. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from Emory University and is currently pursuing a doctorate in School/Child Clinical Psychology at Ferkauf Graduate School of Psychology. Maddy spent two years teaching elementary students at a private school for children with dyslexia and other language-based learning disorders in Manhattan. She has spent her summers working with preschool-aged children and doing research with various clinical populations. Maddy particularly enjoys tutoring, since it allows her to see tangible and unique progression in her students’ academics. Especially during the pandemic, Maddy feels passionate about helping her students feel confident and proud of their successes. She hopes to in the future provide social emotional and academic support for children of varying abilities and backgrounds. During her free time, she enjoys doing yoga, biking, and (in a non-Covid world) traveling as much as possible.
Jeanelsy R.
Jeanelsy graduated with her masters degree in Childhood Education and Special Education from SUNY Plattsburgh. Jeanelsy is also a native Spanish speaker from the Dominican Republic. She has been teaching for the past 7 years and currently teaches kindergarten in Gramercy in an inclusion co-teaching setting. Jeanelsy’s passion has always been to teach special education. She has taught in many different types of settings including self-contained, resource room, and as a special education services provider. These experiences has provided her with many opportunities to learn how to appropriately differentiate, modify, and provide accommodations for students with special needs. They have also helped her refine her craft in individualizing support for all types of learners.She believes that learning should be fun and always strives to create activities based on the students interest. In her spare time, Jeanelsy enjoys spending time with her family and with her puppy, Gintzly.
Wynn H.
Wynn is currently in graduate school at Bank Street School of Education working towards a dual masters and certifications in childhood education and literacy. She is teaching in a 5th grade classroom at The Churchill School and Center in Manhattan, a school for children with language-based learning disabilities. There, she supports primarily students with dyslexia and ADD/ADHD in whole group, small group, and one-to-one settings. Wynn has previously worked at P.S. 9 with kindergarteners, and she was a reading intervention tutor for grades K-2nd at H.D. Cooke Elementary in Washington, DC. In DC, Wynn also received her bachelors in Human Services and Social Justice, focusing on educational equity, child development, and children with disabilities. Wynn is passionate about using a strengths-based supportive approach to help students use a growth mindset and become confident learners who are willing to take risks. Outside of the classroom, Wynn enjoys spending time with friends and family, baking, and going to the dog park with her dog Toby.
Emily H.
Emily received her BFA in acting from NYU’s Tisch School of the Arts. After trying a few different occupations her interest was piqued by education and she began tutoring the ACTs, SATs and SHSATs along with academic subjects and college essays. She continued tutoring while also working as an actor, playwright, producer, and director and enjoyed supporting students with test prep so much that she completed formal SAT test prep training courses. Because of the high level of math content on the SAT, Emily is well equipped to support our high schoolers with math. About ten years later, she decided to go back to school and get her master’s degree in speech language pathology. Emily now works with high schoolers with severe and profound disabilities in a District 75 school in the South Bronx in addition to her tutoring work. She loves creating highly individualized education plans for her students and helping them learn to communicate and advocate for themselves. She strongly believes that learning should be fun and works hard to get to know each student, both at school and when tutoring, in order to create a plan that is centered around their interests and needs.
Shayna I.
Shayna received her M.S ED in special education for grades 1-6 from Bank Street. She is currently teaching as a special education teacher in the NYC public school system. Shayna has been teaching special education since 2017 and has worked with students in a variety of settings with many types of needs. She believes that all children can learn and are capable, which is what drives her to continuously add to her tools for modification and accommodation. Shayna supports our clients in elementary and middle school primarily, but thoroughly enjoys being given the opportunity to work with our early childhood clients to develop their foundational skills. In her free time, Shayna enjoys spending time with her family, her dog Strudel, and being in nature.
Genevieve R.
Genevieve received her Bachelors of Science in Biology from the University of California, Riverside and her Masters of Science in Museum Education, Childhood Education from Bank Street College of Education. Genevieve specializes in math support for students of all ages. She has had the unique opportunity to engage with students of different ages in museum, classroom, and outdoor settings. Due to the diverse and, often, unpredictable environment of informal education, Genevieve thrives in differentiating learning opportunities using unique resources for her students. She has translated this experience to her work in the classroom through the use of hands-on investigations and experiential learning. She strives to instill a growth-mindset to support her students in becoming lifelong learners. Genevieve currently teaches first grade in Manhattan and continues to work in museums during school breaks. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys going on long runs, reading, and trying new restaurants
Ellie S.
While attending college at The George Washington University in Washington, D.C., Ellie Sands interned for the Department of Education and pioneered their "Story Engine" initiative. Through this endeavor she researched, documented, edited, and published the individual experiences of school officials, teachers, and district leaders about their challenges and the best practices they used to overcome them. After graduating from college in 2017 she became a corps member for Teach for America, where she taught eighth grade English Language Arts at Harlem Prep Middle School in Harlem, New York. Her students are the reason she chose to gain a deeper insight into systems of power, how American institutions are interconnected, and how inequity seeps into society, creating a cycle of injustice. After her time teaching Ellie attended Columbia University Graduate School, where she received a Masters of Arts in Political Science and pursued joint studies in Journalism. It was at Columbia that she co-founded the criminal justice reform non-profit "The Pathway Project," aimed at re-entry services for incarcerated individuals. Ellie is currently the CEO of The Pathway Project, and a full time student at Brooklyn Law School, where she spends her time advocating for criminal justice reform and volunteering inside of jails. In her free time she goes on walks with her french bulldog, Scout, enjoys boxing, and loves going to the beach.
Victoria O.
Victoria received her B.S. in Cognitive Science at the University of Delaware with a minor in disability studies. At this time she had the opportunity to work with pre-school aged students to help develop their foundational skills. During the pandemic Victoria capitalized on the opportunity to support virtual learners and helped first and second graders manage their daily learning. After working with children in group settings and one on one, Victoria is currently obtaining her M.A. in Speech-Language Pathology at New York University. Victoria believes that flexibility and adaptation are crucial to success because each child is unique. Victoria enjoys helping children build confidence and learn new material in a way that suits them. She enjoys reading, fitness, and spending time with friends and family during her free time.
Julia E.
Julia received her Bachelor of Science in Mathematics and her Master of Arts in Mathematics from the University at Albany. She is currently teaching high school level math for the New York City Department of Education. Julia is a supportive and determined tutor who breaks down difficult math concepts and relates them to real world examples. She is skilled at identifying the strengths and areas of need of the students that she works with, and utilizes her knowledge of math content to improve their overall math fluency. Julia has a passion for helping people and traveling the world. When she is not teaching or tutoring she is outdoors looking for adventure.
Hallie B.
Hallie received her B.A. in Educational Studies from Colgate University. She is currently completing a Master’s degree in Curriculum and Teaching online through Boston University. Hallie is currently teaching at the Windward School, an independent day school for children with dyslexia and other language-based learning disabilities. She has experience working with students in elementary school, and has a special place in her heart for teaching 3rd and 4th grade. Hallie is licensed 1-6 and feels that she does best in supporting students at their level to access curriculum in a hands-on and attainable way. Hallie prioritizes differentiating instruction to reach all her students, and she is incredibly interested in the social's;-emotional development of children that takes place within, and outside of, the classroom. When she’s not teaching, Hallie loves to knit, walk along the East River path, and trying new cuisines in her neighborhood.
Michelle C.
Michelle is currently a high school english teacher who has her dual certification in English and Special Education. She received her B.A. in English Rhetoric from Binghamton University and earned her M.A. in teaching from Montclair State University. Michelle is dedicated to creating an equitable learning environment for each student to excel academically and socially through differentiated instruction. In addition to teaching English, she works with 11th and 12th graders in all of their core classes- Math, Science, History and English, giving them the necessary support to achieve academic success in each subject. She is also responsible for tutoring students who require additional assistance preparing for standardized testing. Prior to working at the high school level, she worked at the elementary level teaching students from pre-k to third grade in foundational literacy to build their reading and writing skills. Michelle was trained in ABA Therapy to support students with special needs. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys going on runs, traveling to new places, and spending time with friends and family.
Marissa C.
Marissa attended Goucher College in Baltimore, Maryland. While there she gained a true passion for education and educational equity. In conjunction with the community based learning office at Goucher, Marissa worked to establish strong connections between the Baltimore community and Goucher College. As a result she pioneered the middle school mentoring program for inner city youth and Goucher college students; the program helped to foster long lasting relationships that focused on the importance of education as a tool for liberation. Upon graduation she received awards for innovative teaching, community service, and practical politics. Post graduation Marissa joined the Teach For America Corps in Baltimore city where she began her career as a High School English teacher. As a New York native, she found her way back to the city and has been teaching 4th grade in Brooklyn for the past three years. In this role Marissa worked to build a love of learning and foster a sense of community with her scholars. Marissa is currently attending New York University Steinhardt for her Masters in Educational leadership politics and advocacy, where she plans to continue her work to put children first, as she truly believes they are the future.
Blair D.
Blair received her B.A. from SUNY Albany in Communications and Rhetoric. While in Albany attending undergrad, she ran an after-school enrichment program at a private Jewish Day School for students from kindergarten to 8th grade. After receiving her B.A., Blair worked for a
corporation in NYC, where she was a brand manager for 3 years, but found herself wanting to go back to working with children. She went back to school to pursue a career in education through the New York City Teaching Fellows program and received a M.S.Ed in special education from LIU Brooklyn. She is licensed in teaching grades 7-12 and has taught various subjects in middle school and high school classes. Currently, she is a special education teacher for the DOE in Long Island City and teaches math, science, social studies, and ELA. As a special educator, Blair has developed, written, and implemented several IEPs. She has a passion for differentiating instruction and helping her students feel successful with the curriculum at their grade level. She believes in teaching her students about a growth mindset and working with them to build their confidence as students. When she is not in the classroom, Blair enjoys traveling, cooking, taking fitness classes, and reading.
Nick V.
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Nick is a special education teacher with over 10 years experience teaching middle and high school students. Nick is certified in grades 7-12 and has had the opportunity to support students in each of those grades. Through his experience working with a diverse set of learners, he has developed numerous learning strategies that benefit his students. He is highly skilled at individualizing curricula and in executive function support as well as organizational skills. Prior to becoming a teacher, he was an attorney that trained international lawyers in legal writing. He then joined the New York City Teaching Fellows program and received a M.S.Ed in special education from Hunter College. He works at a secondary school in LIC and teaches a variety of subjects, mainly math and social studies to multiple grade bands. Outside of the classroom, he enjoys studying languages, bike-riding, and eating spicy food.
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Shayna B.
Shayna is currently a middle school special education teacher in the NYC public school system. She is certified to teach grades 7-12 across all subjects and is a highly skilled executive function coach. Shayna received her undergraduate degree from Hofstra University and her Masters in Adolescent Special Education from Hunter College in 2021. She has worked across a wide range of classroom settings ranging from general education classes to self-contained. Currently she is teaching a class of ASD students enrolled in the Horizon Program. When she is not teaching, she enjoys running and spending time with her friends and family.
Sasha K.
Sasha is dedicated to differentiating her teaching styles to best suit her students of all different kinds of learning styles and abilities. She received her Bachelor of Arts in Political Science from Muhlenberg College. She is currently pursuing her dual masters in Early Childhood Education and Special Needs at Bank Street College of Education. While in graduate school, she is also working full time as a teacher at York Avenue Preschool during this upcoming school year. In the past, she has worked as a teacher at The Dwight School and Avenues The World School. Additionally, she has spent many summers working as a counselor at a day camp on the Upper West Side. She hopes to provide social emotional support for children. Additionally, she strives to make all her lessons tailored to the child’s interest and have their learning truly be student led. During her free time, she enjoys photography, traveling and baking.
Shannon K.
Shannon is an experienced special education teacher in the New York City Department of Education. In her time in the DOE, Shannon has taught kindergarten, first, and second grade. As a special education teacher, Shannon has experience modifying curriculum to meet the specific, individual needs of each student. She prioritizes developing strong relationships with each child. Shannon received her undergraduate Degree from Manhattan College in early childhood and childhood education (birth through grade 6) with concentrations in Mathematics and Psychology. She also received her Master’s Degree from Manhattan College in Special Education. Currently, Shannon is working on a second Master’s Degree in Literacy Education. In her free time, Shannon loves to spend time with family and friends. She loves to read and exercise, but her favorite thing of all is relaxing on the beach.
Kathrynn A.
Kathrynn is dual certified in elementary and special education. She received her undergraduate degree in psychology and completed her masters at the Rutgers University Graduate School of Education. There, she joined the Urban Teaching Fellows which broadened her passion for teaching diverse learners. She currently works at an independent day school dedicated to teaching children with disabilities. Kathrynn has experience modifying curriculum and differentiating instruction to meet individual needs of each student. In her spare time, Kathrynn enjoys running at the park, reading, biking, practicing yoga, and playing with her cat, Joey.
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Erika J.
Erika is currently a 10th and 11th grade English teacher in the New York City public school system. Erika has planned curriculum and written several IEPs in her experience working with students with disabilities. In addition to teaching students with disabilities Erika has supported students that are learning English as a second language. As a native Spanish speaker, Erika tutors clients in Spanish language and supports native Spanish speaking students with their learning in English. Erika earned her undergraduate degree from St. Olaf College, where she majored in Political Science and minored in Middle Eastern Studies. Upon graduation, Erika joined City Year New York and discovered her passion for teaching and working with students. After completing service with City Year, Erika joined Teach for America and finished her master’s degree in Secondary Special Education from the Relay Graduate School of Education in June of 2020. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys taking long walks, reading, and swimming.
Thomas V.
Thomas is a dual-language special-education teacher fluent in both English and Spanish. He taught in New York City's Public School System in bilingual elementary classrooms. He graduated Fordham University with a Bachelor of Arts in History and Political Science and then, earned his Master of Science in Early Childhood General and Special Education from Bank Street College. Thomas sees tutoring as a powerful intervention tool because it is an opportunity to provide highly individualized instruction. In addition, he also really enjoys the unique bond tutors develop with their students and families. Thomas's enthusiasm for experiential learning means that his sessions are filled with exciting, hands-on learning experiences that are highly engaging. When Thomas is not working with and learning from children, he enjoys practicing his Spanish, reading plays, seeing live theatre, trying out new restaurants and playing with his cat, Charlie.
Erin P.
Erin is currently a fourth grade ELA teacher in East Harlem. She received her undergraduate degree in Elementary Education from Loyola University Maryland and her masters in Elementary Education from Goucher College. Erin's goal is to build a love of reading in children of all ages by teaching foundational and comprehension skills to students of all ages. All students have the ability to succeed with the proper support and Erin works to provide those supports. Erin's classroom allows for students growth, independence, and success by creating a safe, productive learning environment. Erin works with students in early elementary through middle school. In her free time, Erin enjoys going to the beach, working out, and cooking for family and friends.
Emily H.
Emily received a Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education and Special Education at the University of Delaware. Emily has been passionate about teaching since before she can remember. She currently works at an independent day school dedicated to teaching children with language- based learning disabilities. Emily is in the process of earning her masters degree in Elementary Math from Hunter College. She strives to instill confidence in all of her students and provide them with the skills needed to approach their work. Emily feels that it is important to adjust her material and approach in order to meet each student’s needs. She uses research- based instruction to ensure that she is best serving every student she works with. When Emily is not teaching or attending graduate school, she enjoys spending time with her family and friends, walking her dogs, and baking.
Apply Today
Apply Today
If you would like to be a part of our team, please send your resume to chalkdustinc@gmail.com