Hi. I'm Marsha Hurd.

I taught in public schools as a Special Education teacher, dual certified in English, for twenty-six years. My goal was to help my students achieve to the best of their abilities in their classes while feeling positive about themselves. Since most of my students struggled to read the assignments in class,it became obvious that the gateway to success was to improve their reading levels. As I saw what a difference direct and explicit reading instruction made, teaching reading became my passion. I used a number of different reading programs, but when Forsyth County offered to pay for Wilson Reading Certification for a small group of teachers, I quickly signed up. I was familiar with the program and knew how well it worked. It was well worth the year of hard work it took to earn the certification. Since 2005 I have taught the Wilson Reading program. After retirement I have had the privilege of working individually with students. Although going from one step to the next step is hard work for a child, it is a joy when reading starts to become easier and the child realizes it. Watching a child who never reads anything unless required, become a child who enjoys reading, is like watching a minor miracle of which I am so glad to be a part of.

Services I Offer

I offer instruction in the Wilson Reading System. When I first meet with a student I will test her in order to determine what skills have already been attained. I have met students at their homes, in after school programs or at a library. I will drive up to 30 minutes away from Huntersville. When a distance is further than that sometimes a library is a good meeting place.

Our son lives with dyslexia and has navigated the challenges associated with a specific language learning disability. His early elementary school years were incredibly tough, marked by the struggle to read and the unfortunate need to "fake reading" to avoid ridicule from his classmates. Despite countless reading programs through the Wake County School system and private programs tailored for dyslexic students, he faced persistent setbacks.

It wasn't until the beginning of middle school when Marsha introduced the Wilson Reading System that we witnessed a transformative change. Starting at the foundational level equivalent to first-grade skills, our son, now in high school, has made remarkable progress. Thanks to Marsha's dedicated tutoring, he not only reads proficiently but consistently outperforms his peers in standardized exams. Marsha's training has equipped him with the skills and confidence to exit the Special Education program. We now believe he is not only college-ready but poised for a successful life beyond. Marsha has truly been an answer to our prayers.

Ada & Andy

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My eleven year old son has struggled with reading for many years and we tried multiple ways to catch him up. Mrs. Hurd has worked with him using the Wilson method and my son had loved working with her. It’s nice to find a tutor that understands his struggles and recognizes the same areas of need as I do. She has been a great advocate for my son and has helped him to fill in the gaps where he has missing information.

Ellen, mother of sixth grader

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Before beginning working with Marsha using the Wilson Reading System my son, James, who is a profound dyslexic, was at a major roadblock in his reading ability. James will likely always struggle with reading, but six months into the program he has made significant progress in recognizing sight words, has improved fluency, and improved reading strategies. We no longer feel hopeless. Marsha has been very patient with James and has provided just the right amount of persistence and consistence to help him begin to move forward. Marsha has also been very understanding and supportive for me as a mother with all of the emotional struggle that comes with having a child who struggles with reading. On numerous occasions she has taken the time to email me or call me to check on his progress or share a new idea or strategy. She has even called to speak with Wilson about James's struggle. She cares about her students and spends time planning and thinking about how to help each individual. We feel like she is more than a tutor - she's a partner.

Amber, mother of 12 year old home schooler

References available upon request.