“I will never forget the relief I felt during my first phone call with Marie Foley. It was a quick chat to get to know one another and make a meeting to determine if tutoring would be a fit for our daughter. By the end of it I was in tears because I felt hopeful in a way I hadn't in many, many months.

Our daughter was halfway through grade two and struggling to read even basic texts. Marie's calm, patient energy was a comfort to us all. Our daughter loved to go, and we loved to sit in. I used to joke that the hour with Marie was part lesson, part therapy. But it's actually quite true. She has very easily earned our trust and deep respect.

Now in grade 6, our daughter is well on her way, but she couldn't bear to graduate from Marie, and to tell the truth, we weren't ready either. At first we scaled back from bi-weekly to bi-monthly sessions, to keep them in touch and investigating words together for fun - Marie calls our daughter a scholar like herself, which is thrilling. But we soon realized twice a month was not nearly enough. Marie and our daughter had too much to discuss, the hour would fly and they'd want to keep going. So they're back to a weekly session and I honestly can't imagine a time when Marie won't be in our daughter's life.

She has done everything you'd expect a good tutor to do - she got our daughter reading and spelling and enriched her understanding of language and built her confidence up. But she's done more than that. She's instilled in our daughter this intense curiosity, not just about language but about the world. She's become a beloved friend and mentor to our daughter, and a part of our family as well.”

— Lauren Ballem, parent

“For the past two years Marie has freely offered her unique and invaluable insights, and ever-evolving expertise to support me and a group of colleagues in our quests to better understand the English orthography system. I came to know Marie and learn about word inquiry through sheer happenstance, and ever since have been both professionally and personally moved by her passion for inquiry and for supporting learners as they explore the richness within our language system. While she is a truly gifted literacy instructor for people of all ages, she also possesses a superb ability to nurture a learner's deepest desires to question and seek deep understanding.”

— Aida Fahoum, Parent and Learning Resource Teacher at The Bishop Strachan School

“The work that Marie does with students and families is exceptional in its own category of excellence! Marie is able to connect with students to develop their missing skills with customized lesson planning, she walks families through the confusion of learning differences and the necessary accommodations that can change lives. Marie also pulls together teams of experts (as a teacher/parent I have also been invited to consult) to facilitate information sharing in support of student success.”

— Liz Kingston, parent and teacher

“As a teacher and proud mom of an endearing grade 3 girl, with several clinical diagnoses, I was very impressed with the efforts Marie took to connect with my daughter, to see and to hear her. Marie’s genuine interest and understanding of my daughter’s specific needs allowed my daughter to open up and trust her, and the learning Marie wished to cultivate in my daughter. Marie constantly motivates her to see beyond her challenges and use her strengths as a dyslexic thinker when tackling her learning journey. Marie helped my daughter see herself as being smart and creative when dissecting the English spelling system. The tools that have been offered to my daughter will consistently serve her well in her learning journey.”

— Mariana M., parent and teacher

“Marie is a wonderful teacher: knowledgeable, compassionate, and enthusiastic. Both my children love working with her. Marie has provided them with tools that have dramatically improved their reading and spelling. Also, she has inspired their curiosity about language and given them the confidence to ask questions and investigate when they meet with challenges.”

— R. Barker, parent