Gretchen Paige, L.P.C.

Certified Orton-Gillingham Dyslexia Specialist 

“”It is time for [us] to teach young people early on that in diversity there is beauty and there is strength.”
– Maya Angelou


Hello!  I am a Certified Orton-Gillingham Dyslexia Specialist, Learning Specialist, and Licensed Professional Counselor who was inspired to create Customized Learning, LLC after 12 years of working individually with students of all ages in a variety of educational settings.  Customized, one-on-one assistance is the most effective remedy for students who are struggling academically.

My certification, training, and experience in the Orton-Gillingham reading approach, along with master’s degrees in education and counseling, make me uniquely qualified to provide effective, individualized instruction in reading, spelling and writing for students who are struggling.

  • 16 years of experience providing individualized instruction in reading/writing for students with learning disabilities
  • 11 years of experience utilizing the Orton-Gillingham reading approach successfully with students of all ages
  • Proven ability to facilitate dramatic improvements in clients’ self-confidence, reading, spelling, and writing skills

Credentials

Master of ArtsEducation
Concentration: Literacy Education
Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan

Master of Arts, Counseling
Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
Licensed Professional Counselor (L.P.C.), State of Michigan

Certified Orton-Gillingham Dyslexia Specialist
Brainspring Educator Academy, Troy, Michigan

  • Certification earned through Brainspring is accredited by International Dyslexia Association (IDA) and International Multisensory Structured Language Education Council (IMSLEC)
  • Completed 63 hours of accredited Orton-Gillingham training
  • 60 hour supervised practicum experience
  • 5 hours of supervised lesson observations

Additional Orton-Gillingham Training and Experience

  • Completed over 100 hours of training in the Orton-Gillingham reading approach at the Michigan Dyslexia Institute; my instructors were Fellows of the Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators (AOGPE)
Bachelor of Science, Interpersonal and Public Communication, Magna Cum Laude
Central Michigan University
Minors: English and Business Administration

Relevant Experience

Learning Specialist in Private Practice
Customized Learning, Haslett, Michigan
2013 – Present

  • Provide individualized instruction in reading, spelling, and writing for diverse learners of all ages utilizing Orton-Gillingham approach

Orton-Gillingham Reading Instructor
Michigan Dyslexia Institute, Lansing, Michigan
2013 – 2014

  • Provided individualized reading instruction for students with dyslexia utilizing Orton-Gillingham approach

Learning Specialist and Academic Mentor Program Coordinator
Student-Athlete Support Services, Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
2008 – 2013

  • Provided individualized instruction in academic strategies and skills for a diverse caseload of student-athletes who were educationally underprepared and/or had learning disabilities
  • Taught students to utilize assistive technology to enhance their academic performance
  • Prescreened incoming student-athletes; utilized results to identify/establish appropriate academic support plans
  • Coordinated educational testing; reviewed students’ results and implemented recommended strategies
  • Hired, trained, supervised, and collaborated with 15 Academic Mentors who worked with at-risk student-athletes

Academic Advisor and Seminar Instructor 
Communication Arts & Sciences (CAS), Michigan State University, East Lansing, Michigan
2006 – 2008

  • Helped students create degree completion plans based on their academic skills and goals
  • Provided individualized, ongoing academic counseling for a number of at-risk CAS majors
  • Nominated by advisees and faculty for the NACADA “New Advisor of the Year Award”
  • Created and co-taught freshman seminar designed to increase retention rates of CAS majors

Guidance Counselor
Williamston High School, Williamston, Michigan
2004 – 2006

  • Provided academic mentoring and counseling for students with regard to personal, academic, and social concerns
  • Helped all students develop, implement, and revise individual educational “4-year” scheduling plans
  • Developed and implemented successful peer tutoring and mentoring programs

My Philosophy

SunflowerStudents are like plants.  Given the right conditions—sunshine, rain, fertilizer, and good soil—they will flourish.  In today’s society, many students don’t have the circumstances they need in order to thrive for a variety of reasons.  I can’t change society, but I can set the “climate” of my sessions and identify the specific “conditions” each student needs in order to flourish academically.

As a counselor and an educator, I believe that significant, enduring learning is the result of a combination of 3 important factors, which are present in sessions with me:

  • Students deserve a climate that is warm, respectful, and supportive
  • Students’ unique academic strengths and needs must be understood and appreciated; I collaborate with students, teachers, and parents in the process of designing academic plans and strategies
  • Creative, engaging, research-based techniques will help students develop skills and strategies that will allow them to become independent, successful, lifelong learners

I am passionate about education because I believe it can help students break through barriers and improve their lives.  In our sessions, I help students close the gap between where they are academically, and where they want to be.  I embrace and draw upon students’ unique experiences and knowledge to help them develop their academic skills and achieve their educational goals.