ChildFirst Heading.jpg

 We are so sorry, but ChildFirst Learning is not taking new students or waiting list students at this time.

Joyful learning should be a part of every child’s day.

Academic
Therapy

click here

Fun Group
Classes

click here

Curriculum
Classes

click here

IMG_4746.jpg

Does your child…

  • struggle, even with extra help?

  • worry that they are not smart?

  • take a long time to finish their work?

  • dislike school?

  • have a diagnosis of dyslexia, dyscalculia, or dysgraphia?

 
IMG_3300.jpg

The solution…

  • work together to address underlying issues - no “band-aid” tutoring

  • take a multi-sensory approach to go from learning to understanding

  • use proven interventions such as LiPS®, Orton-Gillingham and Ronit Bird for education that lasts

  • rekindle joy in education and teacher interaction with fun, evidence-based programs

Education Options

No “One-Size-Fits-All” here - there is private academic therapy for children who are looking for an advocate and teacher, as well as enriching group classes for kids who just want a little more fun in their day or need another homeschool class. Individual lessons are one-on-one and help students overcome learning challenges they may be facing. Group classes are for everyone, and have included Art, Coding, Zoom Adventures and Mysteries, and more. We also offer curriculum-based classes for homeschool, including a variety of language courses, math, social studies, and art.

Testimonials

An exceptional teacher, Amy has a deep understanding of her students’ academic, social, and emotional needs. She is diligent and knowledgeable in her approach to teaching and combines her extensive knowledge with a creative approach to making learning fun and effective for her students. Having been a Pediatric Speech Language Pathologist for over 25 years, she is among the most talented teachers that I have had the pleasure of working with. I highly recommend Amy as an Educational Therapist for any child needing academic support. 

-Sarah Russo, M.A. CCC-SLP, Speech Language Pathologist

 

Amy changed the trajectory of my daughter’s life when she tutored my daughter to help catch her up to her grade level.  She came highly recommended and I totally understand why.  Our daughter can have a difficult time learning in school and can be challenging to reach academically.  Amy took on the challenge with enthusiasm, grace and such caring.  She is patient, optimistic and works with the child as well as the parent.  She created games, songs and used fun, unorthodox methods to reach her.  As a parent who loves her child and felt scared and overwhelmed, she helped me feel reassured and become more confident in my daughter and how to teach her at home.  Amy has empowered my daughter and pointed her in a new direction that will be carried into the woman she becomes.  There are no words to describe my gratitude for Amy and her talents as a teacher and a guide

.-Lhiannon C., Gainesville, Fl

Website Pictures.jpg

Amy Richter is truly a child whisperer. I was lucky enough to have her be my daughter's and son’s teacher. She has been a very, very important figure in my children's life and early education. Amy has a tremendous skill for sensing what are the obstacles to learning, and making it fun to overcome them. My children are not naturally drawn to schoolwork but somehow under her influence they were inspired to learn and grow and strive for excellence, and enjoyed every moment of it. I remember for example she captured my daughter's imagination for math with an intricate game. My daughter up to that point hated math, but grew to enjoy it with that game. The results were spectacular. Amy has taught my children to be loving, honest, and kind as well, leading by example. She has always treated my kids with respect, and my kids always look forward to opportunities to learn from Amy. They have taken summer camps with Amy, and Zoom classes, and she has excelled at making those fun and engaging as well. Amy was a constant and positive presence in my children's lives from pre-K to 4th for my son and pre-K through 6th grade for my daughter. She helped them grow tremendously both academically and personally.  She has given to me very insightful and useful advice about how to promote my children's learning, and has always been an advocate for their well-being and personal growth. Amy Richter is a gifted and highly skilled early educational professional. I highly recommend her teaching abilities. 

-Elizabeth Veenker, Gainesville, FL


Amy is an amazing teacher. My children and I were immediately drawn to her because of her welcoming and kind demeanor. She cares for her students and caters to each student individually. Her respect for each child brings out confidence in her students and it shows. My children always love to be in her classes! Her creativity and love for teaching is evident in the classroom and outside of it.

-U.J. Gainesville, Fl


Amy's passion for teaching is unmatched by any educator I have known. With Amy as her first grade teacher, my daughter felt heard, valued, and cared for; and I saw not only how happy she was but how much my daughter learned and grew as a student that year. Every child should be so lucky to learn with Amy!

~Amy C., Gainesville, Fl.

Amy is magic and sunshine to kids, and a brilliant teacher. She taught my daughter both in and out of school, and set her up for academic and social success. My daughter loves school, and Amy had a great deal to do with that. I will always be grateful to her. 

-C.T., Gainesville, Fl


Amy is amazing! My daughter was struggling with reading, especially starting her third grade year on a digital platform. I was recommended to Amy by a friend and I couldn’t be more pleased with my daughter’s progress! Amy worked with my daughter twice a week for 6 months on re-learning letter sounds with the LIPS program and eventually progressing to reading comprehension skills. Amy makes learning fun and exciting! My daughter is doing so well with her reading now, and more importantly, she is confident with her skills! I highly recommend Mrs. Amy if you have a struggling student!

-Laura Frahm, Gainesville


"Favorite teacher" and "best teacher" are phrases that are most often used to describe Amy by children and families that have been fortunate enough to have her as a teacher. We are no exception. Even after moving to another state, I jumped at the opportunity for my kids to take classes and receive tutoring from Amy when she went online.  Amy was the first person to recognize that my daughter (now a 5th grader) had a gift for music and to teach her how to play the piano while still in pre-school. Then we had an amazing year with Amy as our kindergarten teacher, where she accomplished things with her students that I never would have thought possible with kindergartners, such as giving them the skills and confidence to write and illustrate their own books by the end of the school year. Flash forward several years later and Amy showed up again as an answer to a prayer when my son, a rising 3rd grader, needed help with writing. He was filled with anxiety and dread about the process and I was worried it would cause him to fall behind in school and further erode his confidence. As opposed as he was to the idea of spending his summer getting tutored, he brightened when he found out that Amy would be his tutor. Kids are drawn in immediately by her calm, peaceful presence. In almost no time at all, she eased his fears, lowered his resistance, and identified where he was stuck. Soon he was having FUN (what??) and didn't mind getting interrupted from his screen time play to have a lesson over zoom with Amy. Even virtually, she was able to work her magic. Most miraculous of all, she got him to say, "I'm good at this."

-H.S., South Carolina


IMG_0861.jpg

I highly recommend Amy. She thoroughly prepares and offers opportunities for students to grow and learn. She has a talent for connecting with students and creating a space where they can learn and grow. She is also a strong communicator with parents so that you always feel informed and part of the team.

-H. Montero
Gainesville, Fl


My daughters have been privileged to work with Amy for the past three years, through their school. Throughout the first part of this summer, they participated in Amy's online classes and enjoyed them immensely. Some of these classes included Art and Artists, Mystery Missions, Fascinating People and Places, 3D Drawing, and Zoom Games and Movies. Amy's ability to tap into technology as a teaching tool is invaluable, especially now. Distance learning would be unimaginable without her special touch and flare for making online learning fun, engaging, and worthwhile. I can't sing enough praises about her teaching expertise and talent. She has extensive knowledge and a keen understanding about children's development and learning styles. She is highly sensitive to what works for each student and clearly values each child as a unique individual. Amy is encouraging and patient, with a happy and positive demeanor and a special way of making children feel valued and capable. Her creativity is astounding. She pulls from her countless resources and experience to make her lessons meaningful and enriching. If it isn't already clear, I enthusiastically recommend her! As a mom, I feel so grateful to have my daughters learn from Amy, and we look forward to working with her in the future. 

-S.T., Gainesville, Fl


IMG_1947.jpg

Amy Richter is a phenomenal teacher: I wish every child could have the kind of learning experience she has provided my children. She works tirelessly to meet her students' individual needs in a safe, supportive and fun learning environment. She meets them where they are by tailoring their learning goals and activities to meet both their academic needs and personal interests, which keeps them engaged and appropriately challenged. After a year of remedial learning with Amy, my child returned to a full-time classroom environment this fall confident and prepared. I enthusiastically recommend ChildFirst Learning!

-Ann Chronic, Gainesville, Fl

We love Amy! Amy has been able to help my son immensely. We moved three times when he was in kindergarten and he entered first grade behind his peers. Amy was able to help us figure out some of his speech and learning challenges. The one-to-one tutoring sessions have been integral in catching him up in math, reading, and overall confidence. Amy is creative, intuitive, and an exceptional teacher. Online remote zoom learning is hard. Amy has navigated what works and what doesn’t and is always willing to try something new to make learning fun and engaging. We consider Amy part of our family and can’t imagine education without her. We are definitely blessed to have Amy in our lives. 

-Jacqueline S., Gainesville, Fl


Amy has a true gift for teaching a wide variety of topics.  She has been teaching my children for seven years. She loves children more than anyone I have ever met.  Every single one is special to her and they love her right back! Anyone who gets a chance to work with her is very lucky.

.-Kiona Subramanian
Gainesville, Fl


Amy is truly an amazing educator. My children had the privilege of being in Amy's classes across elementary school and into middle school. Both of my boys had minor challenges entering Kindergarten and adjusting to a classroom structure. Amy patiently worked with us to find a behavior modification/reward system that worked at both home and in the classroom so we could be aligned, texting us every day to let us know how they did at school. Through Amy's system, they both learned the very important lesson of how to be students while also being themselves, setting up for success then and in later grades. Amy helped each of my children individually discover their strengths, built their confidence, and worked with them to address any learning challenges with specific material or subjects. Amy has that special skill of assessing what works and then explains material in a fun way so kids understand and it sticks with them. She also connects with her students (and their parents!) in a way that shows care and understanding, helping everyone feel supported, even when giving difficult feedback. Both of my boys said that one of the things they loved most about having Amy as a teacher was that she "never gave up" on them. She always gently pushed them to be the best they can be both inside the classroom as better students and through extracurriculars outside the classroom as more well-rounded, kind people.  Our family jumped at the chance to do virtual zoom classes with Amy during the pandemic 2020 summer--my youngest son had a wonderful time and it was great to find something safe, yet engaging for him to do. Overhearing some of the zoom classes, I was constantly impressed with how Amy kept every student engaged and brought them into the class (plus, her patience level knows no bounds!) over distance. My son can't wait to take more!

-Lauren D., Gainesville, Fl


Amy has been such a huge help for my kids. They both love their time with her, and even ask "Mom, can I have more Amy-tutoring?" Amy has helped both my kids make leaps and strides academically, and the extra work she puts in to really understand their learning styles has blown me away. 

-Z.A.
Gainesville, Fl

 
IMG_2837.jpg