Getting Started
Know what to expect with a simple step-by-step process
Get in touch to schedule a free consultation. I'll listen and learn about your child's needs and goals. We'll determine if I am a good fit to be a learning asset to your child and family.
We will decide on a tutoring schedule and convenient location within 15 miles of Staunton, Virginia. Meeting locations include in-school, at-home, or in a public place such as a park or library. Virtual sessions are also available.
Personalized tutoring sessions will result in learning successes and a self-confident child. Weekly follow-up conversation with the parent summarizes each lesson and offers ideas for extending learning at home.

Services
Contact me to schedule a free 20-minute phone consultation

Reading Tutoring
​​​$50/hr
One-on-one lessons for beginning or struggling readers using the time-tested, phonics-based Montessori and Orton-Gillingham reading approaches.​

Learning to read is a complex process, but when broken down into one-by-one steps and presented in a way that is enjoyable for a child, it can be a positive experience that leads to a lifelong love of reading. Following the child’s own pace, each sequential lesson incorporates movement, the sense of touch, an element of fun, non-stressful challenge, and a sense of accomplishment.
Elementary Math Tutoring ​
​$50/hr​
​One-on-one lessons guide students Pre-K to 5th grade along the path to math understanding.​

Using Montessori materials, math games, and hands-on objects such as nature items and marbles, the foundations of math are built - progressing from concrete (something the student can touch and move) to abstract concepts.  A thorough understanding of the four operations (addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division) is fundamental to success in algebra, geometry, and beyond.  The Wild Math curriculum is an option that can be utilized in a local park.
Homeschool Consultation
​$50/hr, Group rate available
One-on-one consultations and group presentations for homeschooling parents who are interested in setting up a Montessori-inspired learning environment or infusing Montessori-inspired activities into the current homeschool curriculum. The focus is on materials and activities that can meet the needs of multiple ages and developmental stages. ​

Testimonials

Thank you so much for providing such a strong foundation for my future education at such a young age.” Former Student
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“I just want to thank you for choosing to devote yourself to impacting children’s lives. (My child) is majoring in linguistics. She learned her letters and sounds and had her first experience with written language with you... The foundation and fundamental building blocks of the English language, with its complex relationship of phonemes to graphemes, was laid at Salem Montessori School. In addition, her creativity and inquisitiveness were nurtured and encouraged, causing her first experience with formal learning to be one that inspired a delight in and love of learning.” Jeannie, parent
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“You, and the school you created, gave me an entirely new and different way to think about nurturing and educating my children. For me, it was as if you gave form and voice to something I knew must exist - a way to make a child’s education a joyful journey instead of a forced march. You brought out the best in my children, in my family, and in me. Best of all, you taught me to relax a little more and trust that their natural gifts would develop with just a little encouragement. Thank you for the love you have poured into your heart’s work. You were instrumental in setting the stage for my children’s later educational success.”   Nancy, parent

​Hello, I am Karen Wilson, a Montessori educator and founder of Encourage Learning, an educational resource based in Staunton, Virginia.
I have been an educator for over thirty years, as a classroom teacher; co-founder and Head of School of Salem Montessori School in Winston-Salem, NC; and a reading and math tutor. My work is inspired and informed by the Montessori approach to reading and math and the Orton-Gillingham approach to reading, spelling, and writing for students with learning differences. I use my knowledge and years of experience to serve students in the Staunton/Augusta County, Virginia area through one-on-one tutoring and homeschool consulting.
  • BS Elementary Education, Baylor University
  • MA Christian Education, Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary
  • American Montessori Society Certified Early Childhood Teacher 
  • ​Co-founder of Salem Montessori School in Winston-Salem, North Carolina; Head of School 2001-2019
  • Certificate for Associate Level Coursework from Orton-Gillingham Academy
  • Certified Positive Discipline Parent Educator 

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Encourage Learning