What do all those letters mean after your name?
If you are wondering what all of those letters are after my name, here is an explanation.
MSEd = Masters of Science in Education - I earned this degree from Northern Illinois University. The focus of this degree was in Special Education. I earned licensure in the areas of Learning Disabilities, Social/Emotional Disorders, and Deaf/Hard of Hearing in Illinois. These categories are no longer used, and my licensure in Illinois is now a Professional Educator License as a Learning Behavior Specialist I and Teacher of Students Who Are Deaf and Hard of Hearing.
EdS = Education Specialist - I earned this degree from Miami University in the area of School Psychology. Earning this degree required me to be a full time student studying school psychology for three years, completing an internship in my final year, along with a thesis (not quite a dissertation). I also earned a Master of Science in School Psychology along the road to this degree, but I don’t include it in my title. It seemed like it would be a bit much. Along with this degree, I hold a Professional Pupil Services License in Ohio in the area of School Psychology.
NCSP = Nationally Certified School Psychologist - After earning my EdS in School Psychology, I applied to become a Nationally Certified School Psychologist (NCSP) through the National Association of School Psychologists (NASP). To qualify for national certification, a school psychologist must meet NASP's rigorous credentialing standards. In order to remain a Nationally Certified School Psychologist, I must engage in ongoing professional development, including in the area of professional ethics.
In addition to these, I also hold an Ohio Professional Intervention Specialist License in the areas of Hearing Impaired and Mild/Moderate Disability, with an endorsement in Reading.
The (Not-So-Brief) Story of DecodEd Learning
Amy Moser, MSEd, EdS, NCSP
Starting DecodEd Learning, LLC has been my dream for many years. When I first decided to pursue education as a career, I envisioned starting a learning center for students who struggled, to help them receive the support they need. The path to getting to that dream has been long and windy, but I never lost sight of the goal.
After receiving my undergraduate degree from Miami University in 1995, I began pursuing my Master’s degree in special education at Northern Illinois University. After graduation, I began working with students in schools in Chicago and then Tucson, Arizona. In my roles as a special education teacher (now called an intervention specialist) I worked with children who had learning disabilities, behavior difficulties, intellectual disabilities, social emotional struggles, Autism, and who were Deaf/hard of hearing. I worked with colleagues to address the difficulties they were experiencing through appropriate instruction and supports. I saw the frustration the children and their families experienced as we worked to find the best supports, and the joy and relief when they saw success.
When my own children were born, I was fortunate to be able to take a hiatus from working in schools to be home with them. As they grew, I started a tutoring business in Columbia, Missouri, where we were living at the time. I offered educational evaluation, personalized plans to target specific academic skills, and tutoring. Our family eventually moved from Missouri to Oxford, Ohio, where I now live.
In 2016, I went back to school, at Miami University, to update my teaching skills and complete a degree in School Psychology. After earning my degree in 2020, I began working in a public school setting as a School Psychologist. I gained further experience in the field of education. I noticed that, since the disruptions resulting from the COVID-19 pandemic, there has been a significant increase in the needs of children and their families. Children are struggling. They are lacking skills needed to make progress in school, often due to a lack of academic skills, social emotional skills, or executive functioning skills. I decided it was time to start DecodEd Learning, LLC to help provide support.
DecodEd Learning, LLC, is built to help you and your child find ways to succeed. I have many tools to determine what your child needs and how to provide it. My focus is on finding supports to help your child at school as well as at home. I will use assessment tools, interviews, and observations. I will thoroughly review the information with you, and we will develop a comprehensive plan to support your child. I will work with you to advocate for what your child needs at school, and support you in implementing strategies at home.
DecodEd Learning, LLC is here to support children of all ages, and their families, as well as college students. College can bring about many new experiences and challenges. Sometimes the strategies a college student used in high school are no longer as effective. I can offer a new perspective through evaluation to help you develop new strategies or tweak old strategies to help you be more successful in the college setting. This can be particularly helpful for students with executive functioning issues. Planning the best way to use your time, creating a schedule, and organizing your materials and your assignments can all be challenges when faced with the lack of structure of the college setting. I can help you find strategies that will help you create structure for yourself and see success!
My dream is to encourage individuals to be lifelong learners. That starts with finding what works for each individual to learn. I look forward to working with YOU!