“I’m a life-long teacher. I want to follow the example of my students and be a life-long learner, too!”
-Michelle Lindsey
Educational Therapist Michelle Lindsey founded Developing Minds Educational Services after discovering an effective blend of educational therapy and cognitive therapy techniques and tools that remove the frustrations of learning, giving students of all ages renewed self-confidence both in and out of the classroom. Since the age of six, Michelle has felt drawn to sharing her love for education with others. As a college student, she realized the students she most wanted to help were those who struggled to keep up with their peers.
While studying how the brain inputs and stores information is a hobby as well as a life-calling, Michelle also enjoys exercising, being outside, mountain biking, dancing, trying out new keto recipes, and playing games of almost any kind. When she is not in a session with a student or pursuing one of her interests, she can often be found visiting with one of her four daughters who were all home-schooled using Michelle’s powerful teaching methodologies. Her energetic, playful disposition puts children at ease and encourages them to work hard while her wide array of interests allows her to strengthen her rapport with her students.
Experience
Initially, Michelle began her professional career as a teacher in the Memphis City Schools in 1993. Over the course of three decades, she has passed her passion for learning on to many students through a variety of roles, such as a teacher at Greyfriars Classical Tutorials, a tutor of elementary, middle, and high school children, and as a member of the leadership team of the Educational Therapists of the Carolinas. Michelle is currently focusing on sharing her optimal educational therapy techniques and tools with students and their families.
Education
Michelle graduated Magna Cum Laude from Christian Brothers University with a B.A. in Liberal Studies for Professional Education. A continual student, she earned her M.A. in Christian Psychology. She holds a professional certification as an educational therapist from the National Institute for Learning Development and as a Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist from the International Dyslexia Institute. Since she's always looking for tools to assist students in developing their minds, she also is a licensed Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment practitioner and trained in the Orton Gillingham tutoring method. Participation in a variety of professional training opportunities brings new ideas and the benefits of learning from other professionals.
After earning an M.A. in Christian Psychology, Michelle went on to attain her Educational Therapist certification from the National Institute for Learning Development, become a Structured Literacy Dyslexia Specialist through the International Dyslexia Institute, achieve licensure as a Feuerstein's Instrumental Enrichment Practitioner, and train in the Orton Gillingham tutoring method to gain a well-rounded understanding of how to best assist her students with learning challenges. After years of teaching in multiple states and devoting herself to researching and studying instructional methodologies and practices, she developed a simple and effective system that has helped her students overcome educational challenges and find the joy in learning.
Michelle's unique educational therapy methodology enables parents and students to continue the work at home so that the student gains maximum benefit. She works with students of all stages of life. For elementary students in their formative years, Michelle helps develop the foundation on which the rest of their education will be based. Her middle school programs shore up fundamental skills like number sense, reading comprehension, and writing to prepare students for higher-level education. High school students and adults can receive the benefits of strengthening cognitive functions through Developing Minds’ proven strategies, which can then be applied in school, at work, and in relationships.