“I worked with Monica at two schools. She began her work at both schools identifying the expertise and background of the faculty to tailor her sessions to meet the needs of all learners. At both schools Monica worked with the literacy committee to create a three-year literacy plan. Monica conducted classroom walkthroughs, observing teachers’ lesson delivery of the literacy program and providing feedback. She conducted model lessons at each grade level….These lessons were invaluable and provided faculty with real world hands on training on how to successfully implement the curriculum effectively”. (Jessica Hicks)
“Dr. Medina-Olds’ ability to gain trust from others, ‘read’ people, listen to them and see what needs to be done next are skills that an excellent professional development facilitator needs. She is flexible in her delivery of her work with teachers and is always open to feedback; something she asks for after all of her sessions with faculty members and something she uses to build next steps.” (Sue Williams)
“Monica worked with out early learning teachers. I was amazed by the impact the writing strategy she taught me had on student writing. The stories live in the same place as our class poems and the children have every day access to this and use it daily! Thank you so much for teaching this powerful strategy to me.” (Katy Hawkins)
“I felt energized after our training on Balanced Literacy in Early Learning Classrooms. We had the chance to watch her lead a whole-group modeled writing session. One of the best parts was seeing how easily she connected with the children. They were fully focused, excited, and loved joining in. She shared helpful strategies we can use, gave us time to reflect, and answered our questions to support our learning. She also gave us a great set of resources and continues to be available for support. Monica’s teaching style is engaging and clear, which helps both students and teachers stay involved and excited to learn”. (Charlotte Lillywhite)
“On a school level, Monica was a tremendous support not only in assisting staff to move forward in identified goal areas, but in figuring the way forward when unexpected problems arose. Monica is highly effective because she so naturally establishes a rapport and trust with staff, and staff quickly are able to find value in the reflections that Monica prompts, the questions she poses, and the suggestions she respectfully shares.” (Ann Kox, Principal, American School of Valencia, Spain)
“Monica’s fluency in Spanish was an asset as she was able to provide Spanish speaking faculty with professional development to be able to align our Spanish and English literacy programs.” (Jessica Hicks)
“Monica brings deep knowledge of all elements of literacy. her work is grounded in research-based practices, and she models those practices with clarity, confidence and warmth. Teachers value her insights, and after working with her, they feel more prepared and inspired to implement high-impact strategies in their classrooms.” (Michael Palmer)
“With many schools overhauling their literacy programs, we were needing some guidance from a true expert in the field- and Monica was just that. She worked with us to make sense of current research, while also allowing us to continue to build on all the work we had already done. Monica’s demeanor is kind and understanding. She immediately connected with our teams, and they felt they could trust her as a thought partner. She is knowledgeable and adaptable. I appreciated her ability to plan her work around our school context and adapt the sessions as needed. We are looking forward to working with Monica again soon!.” (Jenny Mitchell)
“I had the privilege of working closely with Monica in her role as Literacy Consultant at our school, and the impact of her work has been nothing short of transformative. From the very beginning, Monica approached our collaboration with warmth, deep expertise, and an unwavering commitment to both teacher growth and student learning.”(Marwa Nsouli)
Pechersk International School: PSI, Kyiv, Ukraine
“During the two years we worked with Monica, teachers became more confident in their skills and our program became more streamlined. Components of Balanced Literacy could be seen throughout all of our homerooms. This was made possible due to the differentiated structure of Dr. Medina-Olds’ work with faculty. She knew when she needed to shift gears for those who were able to put her workshops into practice and those who needed more scaffolding as they deepened their understanding and skill level.”(Sue Williams, Principal, Pechersk School International, Kyiv, Ukraine)
“As a school leader, I’ve collaborated closely with Monica to align her expertise with schools goals. She consistently differentiates her approach whether leading professional development workshops, conducing classroom demonstration, or coaching individual teachers based on the culture, readiness, and priorities of each school. Adaptability and flexibility are just two of Monica’s greatest strengths and has made her work in each school both effective and sustainable across the varied contexts.” (Michael Palmer)
Verdala International School: Valletta, Malta
“What stands out most is Monica’s ability to build relationships as well as her deep understanding of best practice. She quickly earned the trust of our staff, and teachers felt more confident and energized after working with her. She generously extends her support beyond her time at the school and she provided a treasure trove of curated resources to support our continued growth.” (Damon Rickett)
“The first time she came, she sat down with our committee and with her guidance we mapped out the next three years of literacy renewal. Her humility and openness are tremendous assets when moving forward with changes that could otherwise seem jarring and overwhelming; her approach invariably causes people to ask for more support and energizes them in their work.” (Ann Kox, Superintendent, Wausaukee School, Wausaukee, WI)
“Our staff was skeptical by nature but Monica quickly gained their trust. That speaks volumes about her ability to coach individuals and teams. She has very high social intelligence, and quickly understood the dynamics of our staff and how those dynamics would affect her moving forward.” (Bobbi Tracy, Wausaukee School, Wausaukee, Wisconsin)
“Monica brought deep expertise, warmth, and strategic clarity to our multi-year literacy review process. Her ability to tailor professional learning to the unique needs of different school areas—Early Childhood, bilingual, EAL, and upper grades—made her an invaluable partner in both vision-setting and classroom practice.” (Katherine Deutsch)
© 2025 by Monica Medina
