As students settle into the new school year, Dyslexia Specialist Leah McKittrick’s classroom fills with enthusiasm. After years of educating at Palm Springs Elementary School in Hialeah, Florida, Ms. McKittrick brings her welcoming atmosphere to the Warrior community.
Ms. McKittrick began her career teaching elementary schoolers for 20 years as an English as a Second Language (ESL) paraprofessional. She has helped students navigate the language-learning process, equipping young minds with useful tools to traverse through life. During her years in the ESL program, she developed an interest in specializing in learning disabilities following recommendation from a close friend in the field.
“I had a friend that was teaching [students with dyslexia], and she encouraged me to apply,” Ms. McKittrick said. “I’ve always been interested in helping children with those foundational skills. There was an opening about six years ago, and I decided to go [explore] it.”
Bringing new ideas and teaching techniques to the school, Ms. McKittrick illustrates her dedication to helping individuals with dyslexia discover their unique capabilities. Though many focus on the negative attributes of neurodivergence, Ms. McKittrick sees dyslexia as a strength in her students.
“They can be very creative and think in pictures,” Ms. McKittrick said. “Many of them are very good at listening and gaining information from auditory needs. They can also adapt well because their brain works differently with finding strategies to help them decode and encode spelling.”
Adapting to her students’ individual needs, Ms. McKittrick implements multisensory learning through an evidence-based program: the Wilson Reading System helps her students learn kinesthetically, alleviating common struggles students with dyslexia face in regular classrooms.
“Many students with dyslexia benefit from multisensory learning, like touching the screen, writing on tables, [and] writing in the air,” Ms. McKittrick said. “Anything where they’re using one or more of their senses [helps] them learn and connect those pathways.”
Outside the classroom, Ms. McKittrick’s hobbies include reading and staying physically fit. She also devotes time to her family.
“I like to stay physically fit,” Ms. McKittrick said. “I have a pit bull that I walk everyday to help me exercise. I’m also helping my daughter plan her wedding.”
Though she is only beginning her journey as a Warrior, Ms. McKittrick expresses genuine love and enthusiasm for the community. This new teaching opportunity has shown her how school can impact students.
“I was out to dinner this past Friday, and I had my Westwood staff shirt on, a young man came up to me and he told me about three teachers that really made an amazing impact on his life,” Ms. McKittrick said. “It was very nice to hear him say how amazing his experience was at Westwood. It made me feel better, like I’m a part of this great community now. It really made an impact on me.”
