About Me
Experience & Qualifications
Welcome! I'm Beth Hankoff, Founder & Learning Facilitator at Encourage Education Services and ELA Alcove. With over 32 years of teaching experience, I have worked with students from preschool through junior college with diverse learning needs, including English Language Learners, ASD, dyslexia, ADHD, Down syndrome, dysgraphia, and more. I have been teaching and tutoring homeschooled students since 2008, and opened my business in 2017.
I am the mother of two grown neurodivergent children, and I am neurodivergent myself. My focus is on meeting students' individual needs and capitalizing on their interests and strengths.
For more about my business and background, see the ABOUT page of Encourage Education Services' website by clicking the button below.
Mission
Literature, Writing, and the Art of Self-Direction
I provide personalized literature and writing instruction for home-educated students in grades 3–8, partnering with parents to cultivate academic excellence and to encourage students to take the lead in their own learning.
Vision
To see every student transition from a guided learner to an autonomous scholar who possesses the literacy to understand the world and the confidence to chart their own course through it.
Values
Collaborative Partnership: I believe education is most effective when I work hand in hand with parents to support the unique needs of each home-educated student.
Student Autonomy: I move beyond passive instruction, teaching students to set their own goals, manage their time, and take ownership of their academic growth.
Critical Inquiry: I use literature as a tool to sharpen thinking, encouraging students to ask deep questions and form their own well-reasoned perspectives.
Personal Accountability: I foster an environment in which students learn they are the primary drivers of their own education.
Authentic Voice: I empower students to find and refine their unique voice through the craft of writing.
ELA Alcove: Your Partner in Cultivating Independence
