Our Tutors

Riley R

Teaching Style

My own experiences with academics and from tutoring have shown me that practice does make perfect. When tutoring, I have often drafted my own quizzes that focused on key subject matter to help solidify the material. I have discovered that this method helps work through the most difficult concepts while highlighting areas that need extra attention. Nevertheless, it is important to have patience and tailor a lesson to the individual student's learning style in order to help make them a successful student.

Experience Summary

During my undergraduate years at Brandeis University, I worked as a teaching assistant and volunteer tutor. My responsibilities as a teaching assistant entailed leading review sessions, holding office hours and grading exams/papers. Additionally, I volunteered for a year with the 'Waltham Group' (a student run non-profit organization) and tutored local elementary school students. Both my undergraduate and graduate education is heavily concentrated in the biological sciences. My education has been supplemented with 5 years of laboratory experience. Furthermore, I have developed strong time-management skills by completing 3 Bachelors degrees in a total of 4 years from a Tier 1 University as a well as a Master of Science degree in 1 year from a Tier 1 medical school. Lastly, I have successfully completed several key national standardized tests including but not limited to the SAT, SAT II: Biology and the MCAT.

Shelly S

Teaching Style

Because science is a "hands-on" subject, I feel it is extremely important to use demonstrations, examples that are relevant to every-day life, experiments and anything else that will help students understand the world around them. I have been told that I have an "out-of-the-box" approach to learning, but have found it to be successful with the majority of students. Classroom discussions are utilized more often then lectures, because when a student plays an active role in their education, they learn more.

Experience Summary

Over the past 12 years, I have worked in both the private and public sectors of the education community. I have taught grades 7-12 in all areas of science. I have also been the director of a learning center, where I started as a tutor. The years of experience have taught me a great deal about children of all ages and abilities. With each new year, I learn something new about myself and my style.

Bill B

Teaching Style

I enjoy working with students of all ages. I have coached baseball and soccer for the past seven years to kids aged between six and fourteen. This learning experience has carried over to teaching teenagers and adults the principles of math and accounting.

Experience Summary

I am currently a Certified Public Accountant licensed in the State of Florida with over twenty five years of experience in Accounting and Finance. My education consists of a Bachelor of Science in Accounting and Finance, with a minor in Mathematics. I am also very personable and would welcome the opportunity to tutor students at any level.

Arthur A

Teaching Style

I try to cultivate a student's curiosity, and then provide the necessary tools for learning. If students are curious and driven to learn, their potential is limitless. My goal is to help students learn through discovery. I am patient, considerate, and respectful of each student.

Experience Summary

While studying for my BA in English (Emphasis in Literature), I worked for two years as a writing tutor at the Hagan Writing Center. Tutoring was offered as a free service for interested students. (For some students, it was required). I tutored students at all levels from pre-College Writing to senior level literature courses. I completed work for my degree at three different colleges and universities in the United States and England, and I feel that the different teaching and learning methods I have seen have prepared me to be a more effective English tutor.

Jahmel J

Teaching Style

My students never doubted my love for them. They know that I am a serious instructor who knows when it's time for laughter and play. I have been known to expect so much from my students. That's because I recognize each and every one of their abilities and capabilities. I believe children have the ability to soar if someone just tries to see their potential and allow them to reach it. My philosophy is quite simple...in my classroom I maintain firmness, fairness, and consistency. This philosophy has always worked extremely well in the classroom with my students and I. They know the role I play and what I expect, and likewise my students know what to expect of me. I believe as an instructor that I have the ability to make a remarkable change out of the lives of many, but if I can reach at least one student--then, I have done a job well done. My students can honestly say I am striving to make them successful, productive citizens of society. I expect nothing less!

Experience Summary

My experience as a teacher is varied. My first experience working with children started in 1997 as a tutor for the College Reach-Out Program (CROP) on Santa Fe Community College's campus. I maintained that position for three years until I went into the teaching profession. The moment I entered the field of education, I began substituting. I was offered my first assignment as a long-term substitute teaching Intensive Reading to 9th graders. Shortly after, my long-term position turned into a permanent position where I taught 9-12 graders intensive reading instruction. The following year I was appointed a Dean of Students at my high school. I have taught Exceptional Student Education to 9-12 graders, Advanced and Regular Language Arts and Reading to 7th graders. This past year I taught in Pinellas County as a 7th grade reading teacher. Each year I have taught in the public school system I have always facilitated or assisted with ELP tutoring programs or CROP.

John J

Teaching Style

I am convinced, partly because of my own experiences, that the current educational system best serves the needs of the average student. I also believe that it seldom addresses the needs of those students whose learning style is not a good fit with the one size fits all educational system. This may be for a wide variety of reasons, but the result is that the student is left without the needed skill set to compete and what’s worse, left with the message that they are responsible for "not getting it" and are inferior or stupid in some respect. I nearly flunked junior high pre-algebra, and was a mediocre math student in high school. I eventually managed to teach myself, and have subsequently scored 800 on the math section of the GRE and was one of about 50/15000 to score a perfect 15 on the quantitative section of the medical college admission test (MCAT). What is wrong with this picture? My own take is that we all have different styles of optimal learning, and what’s more, are often hindered by simple roadblocks that only 1:1 teaching can identify and redress. I am very passionate about finding the approach that clicks, and building back the esteem that comes with mastery of the subject material.

Experience Summary

Prior to entering graduate and later medical school, I tutored a variety of subjects in the area of mathematics and science. As a PhD candidate, one of the requirements was to assist in teaching the physiology labs, and as an advanced candidate, was given the opportunity to give lectures in physiology to medical and nursing students. Most recently I have been an unpaid volunteer on the on-line physics forum where advanced high school and college students can go on line for assistance with their homework. Because of my career selection, I have had to take many standardized examinations and am quite adept at these. I believe I can help other aspiring students achieve the higher scores needed for acceptance in programs of their choice.

Sam S

Teaching Style

I find a great deal of personal satisfaction in imparting knowledge to others. I am patient, open-minded and respect the individuality of those with whom I work. At the same time I am dedicated to the progress of those I teach and keep focused on the ultimate educational goal. Nothing is more important, to an individual's happiness and well-being than learning. Learning opens up doors heretofore closed. I recognize and respect the impact a teacher can have on a student's life. A person's education reverberates down through all the years of one's life.

Experience Summary

In my business career one of my most important tasks was to train individuals and groups in the use of computer software. I found it most rewarding to see individuals become more knowledgeable and thus, be able to perform their jobs more efficiently. Another task I performed was as a liaison or translator between technical people and business system users. I was charged with explaining the needs of business users to the technical staff. This required patience and interpersonal skill, so that, all parties became sufficiently knowledgeable to enable a successful result. Both my children had learning disabilities. This necessitated that I insure that homework assignments were completed. I also tutored my children in a wide variety of subjects (spelling, English, math) to supplement the efforts of their teachers. This required a commitment to the learning process and accommodation to their individual learning styles.

Sandra S

Teaching Style

I have always worked with children, first as a babysitter at the age of 12, and then through the schools. I've learned that all students are unique and they respond to different teaching methods differently. I can usually tell by their expression if they "get it" or not. And if they are having difficulty, I immediately change my instructional approach. I have been known to make up learning strategies on the spur of the moment to suit a student and the material. I just enjoy being around children and want children to want to learn. It is something they will need to do the rest of their lives and I want them to have the skills they need to learn in the future.

Experience Summary

I was the first person to graduate from any higher level institution on both sides of my family - and paid for it myself by working and going to school. I have always strived to achieve success in whatever I attempt. Through the various jobs I have had besides teaching, I have learned many skills helpful to me in teaching and in life. I was a Title I teacher for 27 years in Illinois focusing on remedial reading, phonics, and math skills. I have also taught art (K-8) and computers (K-adult). I have worked with classroom teachers extensively to help our students learn.