​Doctoral Study and Research Endeavors:

In July 2023, Carolyn is currently pursuing her Doctorate in Education with a concentration in Innovative Teaching and Learning at Northeastern University. The focus of her doctoral research endeavors is how increased access to book ownership and interactive reading experiences with adult caregivers can help children define a reading identity that is rooted in book joy and improve reading achievement amongst children experiencing economically-disadvantaged circumstances. Carolyn leads independent book donation drives and tenaciously champions the right to literacy and book ownership for every child. She earned her Masters degree, summa cum laude, from Fordham University's Graduate School of Education, graduating as Class Speaker, where her thesis included research in arts-integrated reading instruction. She holds a B.A. in French Literature and Fine Arts, also from Fordham. 

Carolyn speaks widely to parent groups on the topic of Raising a Confident Reader and devotes time and effort to achieving fair and equitable redistribution of book wealth throughout the Northeastern United States. She strives to remove the cost barrier to book ownership by providing equal access to book choice to all children. 

Skilled Advocacy:

Carolyn's persistence and determination have resulted in substantial gains for students throughout Westchester County, NY and Fairfield County, CT.  Her most rewarding work is as a tenacious advocate for students who struggle to read and write. Carolyn administers independent evaluations, develops comprehensive assessment reports, writes precise IEP goals, advises parents, and reports to child study teams. 

As a result of her more than twenty years of teaching experience and clinical expertise in reading and writing instruction and assessment, Ms. Polchinski has a proven understanding of the essential components of neuropsychological evaluations and classroom accommodations, IEPs, special education inclusion practices, and educational placements. She provides expert consultation to pediatric neuropsychologists and clinical child psychologists to determine interdisciplinary interventions for children and adolescents with learning impairments. Carolyn develops individual goals for students that optimize individual strengths.

Carolyn chose the name Confident Readers for her clinical practice since improving each student's overall self-concept and building self-esteem are her core values. The impassioned pursuit of learning equality and inclusion for all students is what drives and invigorates her work. At the heart of her enthusiastic approach to teaching and learning is her passionate belief in every child's limitless potential.
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​​​​Clinical Expertise:

Carolyn Polchinski is a skilled learning specialist, accomplished advocate, and doctoral student in Literacy Education. Ms. Polchinski is an experienced researcher, writer, speaker, and coach who supports children and adolescents in K-12 as they lead meaningful lives while navigating complex learning impairments. An engaging classroom teacher and proficient private tutor, Carolyn has empowered students to become stronger, more independent readers and writers for over twenty years.

In her leadership role as Founding Director and Senior Learning Specialist at Confident Readers, Ms. Polchinski adeptly and compassionately supports students who struggle to read and write by nurturing individual strengths and setting concrete goals for success. Her keen ability to identify individual strengths in every reader at any age allows Carolyn to optimize her expertise to increase the self-esteem of every learner she meets. Parents and colleagues call her work "the bridge", due to her proven ability to facilitate the path from expert evaluation to long-term and enduring results.

CONFIDENT READERS 

Increasing learner independence....

one child at a time.