"Michael brings a near magical blend of competence and compassion, of expertise and empathy. He is quick to give of his time in ways that lead to students experiencing (perhaps for the first time) skills and strengths they may not have known they had. I highly recommend him for any work that involves nurturing both a knowledge of and a love for the English Language." — Rahn F., Learning Center Coordinator, Champlain Valley Union High School (CVU)

"Michael Bleau is an outstanding and compassionate professional. He has successfully helped countless students at CVU reach for higher academic goals and achieve learning standards. When students in my classes work with Michael, the outcome is excellence. I would recommend his services to any family seeking help for their children." — Lezlee S., high school Social Studies teacher, CVU

"Michael is a skilled professional tutor who successfully adapts his teaching methodology to the needs of his student. His strengths are in teaching reading, writing, and study skills. He is patient, persistent, and caring. He successfully develops trust and confidence in his student while helping him/her to achieve optimum results. Michael is reliable and communicates well with teachers, parents, and students. I highly recommend Michael as tutor." — Kelly S., client

"What I love most about Michael is his joyful and peaceful nature: he’s compassionate, calm, and exudes helpfulness. Students loved working with him, and he was one of my favorite people and tutors at CVUHS. He’s very skilled with editing; more important, he is very skilled at helping others help themselves. He’s well-rounded and is a deep thinker with an array of skills. If you’re looking for kindness—that’s Mike. If you’re looking for skills with a humble nature—that’s Mike. If you’re looking for a strong listener and team player—that’s Mike. I miss him." — Andre L., high school English teacher, CVU

"He is emblematic of the teacher who treats each child as though they were his own." — John F., mentor teacher, Essex High School

"Thanks to Michael’s support, I was able to learn how to prioritize assignments and allocate time to work on them. Thanks to him, I was able to achieve my goals and graduate. On top of that, he is a personable and kind guy that I enjoy working with." — Perry C., client

"Michael has been a blessing to our ninth grade core program at CVU! Specifically, he works with students who need pre-teaching and possible re-teaching of content. He has also been exponentially helpful when working on specific writing instruction around individual Learning Targets for students who are struggling writers. What makes Michael such an excellent tutor in this capacity is his ability to really listen to students and know exactly what they NEED from him. Additionally, he is probably one of the most patient and easy to talk to colleagues I have worked with in the past 13 years as a high school educator. The students who work with Michael have made significant gains in their individual skill sets. I cannot say enough about his effectiveness as a tutor!" — Michelle F., 9th grade Core Humanities teacher, CVU

"Michael provided tutoring for our college-aged son for about a year, with a focus on writing and organizational skills. This was extremely helpful, and Michael was empathic and knowledgeable in his approach and support of our son. Michael provided concrete assistance on assignments, as well as partnering with our son in organizing his time and work overall. Michael was empowering and really supported our son in recognizing and building on his strengths. Michael built a trusting and collaborative relationship." — Karen B., client

Michael is patient and thorough, important and essential skills for success at college. My son is definitely benefiting from his tutoring, especially given learning differences. — Elizabeth S., client

"His kindness and compassion, his patience and fortitude, and his belief and desire that every child can learn make him a superior candidate." — John F., mentor teacher, EHS

"I have employed Michael Bleau as my ‘one on one’ representative with any number of students. His combination of native wit and professional knowledge allowed my struggling (and also my overly ambitious) students to write with new confidence and ability. I should also add that he has been painstakingly careful to remain as ‘guide, teacher, and mentor’ for these students and not to become their surrogate, or their crutch. Succinctly put, I recommend him to you without reservation." — Joe G., high school English teacher, CVU

"…his expertise in English as well as writing, research, and organizational skills are outstanding." — Dan S., high school administrator, CVU

"Michael does his research by working with the teacher … is excellent at preparing and planning how he is going to help students and the teacher by providing supporting learning opportunities … is low-stress for students because he is pretty relaxed and easy-going … and he really does his homework!" — Karen N., high school math teacher, CVU

"Michael has developed a ton of great relationships with our students." — Dan S., high school administrator, CVU

"In every interaction I’ve had with Michael, I’ve found his demeanor to be unfailingly pleasant, thoughtful, and professional." — Jen L., high school English dept. co-chair, EHS

"He is among the most highly motivated students I have encountered in thirty-six years of teaching, bright, self-starting, utterly dependable, articulate, questioning and able to express himself well both orally and in writing." — John E., former college poetry professor, Saint Michael’s College

"In the classroom, Michael has been engaging and substantive. His presentation style is energetic, his classes well planned, well in command of literature ranging from 1620 to antebellum America…. [H]e commanded respect from our students because he paid them so much respect." — John F., mentor teacher, EHS

"Michael proved himself an excellent writing teacher…. His responses almost intuitively blended concise corrections with valid, respectful criticism. His remarks on first drafts always held out the opportunity for improvement, subtly “raising the bar,” as it were, almost so imperceptibly that it might have escaped students’ conscious knowledge." — John F., mentor teacher, EHS

"Michael does an excellent job coaching and instructing the children within our hockey program, demonstrating patience and sensitivity to the needs of every individual." — John L., VP, Essex Youth Hockey Assoc., Essex Jct.

"Michael has a great outlook and attitude towards life and work…. Michael sets a high ethical standard and is a great role model." — John C., former Cub Scout Den Leader, Essex Jct.

"I can, without a doubt, attest to his steadfast integrity, his deep commitment to learning, his true love of teaching." — John F., mentor teacher, EHS