Susan Schapiro
Educational consultant
Susan Schapiro Educational Evaluations and Get Set to Read Consultations, Towson
Projected annual salary --$75,000
Age --50
Time on the job --Five months
How she got started --"I've always enjoyed working with children," said Schapiro, who holds a master's degree in education with a concentration in reading from the Johns Hopkins University. She began her career as a private school teacher. She moved on to teach in the Baltimore County public school system, where she became involved with the program for students in the Gifted and Talented Program. About eight years ago, Schapiro went to work as an independent reading specialist. Most recently she was employed with a large educational consulting practice in the area, then decided to go into business for herself. Although she has been in business only since September, Schapiro expects her salary to be in line with what she made at her last job.
Typical day --Schapiro works as an educational consultant and diagnostician, meeting with students about any educational problems or concerns. Her clients' needs vary, but she specializes in dyslexia assessment and treatment.
Much of her day is spent consulting with parents or students, performing educational evaluations, testing and making recommendations. Schapiro sees private and public school students ages 4 to 18. She estimates she works on three to four cases at a time, with each case taking about three weeks to complete. The end of her day is spent following up on past clients and meeting with tutors, other education specialists and psychologists.
"Parents are taking a more proactive role with their children who are struggling. They want to get to the bottom of it to see what is going on, if anything."
Fees --Schapiro charges $195 per hour for consultations up to $1,200 for a full educational evaluation, which typically takes eight to 10 hours. She also offers a consultation designed for children ages 4 to 6 who are experiencing difficulties with pre-reading and pre-writing skills. The fee is $500.
Finding the problem --She says the key is to identify a child's weakness. From there you can determine the right type of intervention or tutor, Schapiro says. "I try to make a good fit with a tutor that will have the right skills to work with the individual needs of that child."
Diligence --Schapiro has learned to be patient when working with children. She views each case as though reading a novel -- while she might think she has a case all figured out at the beginning of testing, she knows to wait before reaching any conclusions about a child. "I try not to jump to conclusions," she says.
Most common problems --Reading and organizational skills.
The good --"What could be better than helping children?"
The bad --Making recommendations for tutoring and other services she knows will place a financial burden on parents.
Philosophy on the job --"I want to help each child I consult with reach his or her own personal best academically and emotionally."