Our Tutors

Jon J

Teaching Style

My teaching style begins with understanding the level of each student's knowledge and learning approach. During my college years I participated in many tutorial sessions realizing that it could provide instructional help as well as social interaction with other motivated students. I believe that tutoring helps a student become more involved in his/her studies, creating a greater interest and a more enduring impact. I can teach very detailed, down to the fundamentals, or using simple examples. The best part about teaching is watching as the students "get it."

Experience Summary

At the University of California, Irvine I completed my degree in Economics with a minor in Spanish. Additionally I took the necessary courses for medical school. I have completed Chemistry, Organic Chemistry, Physics, and several Biology courses. I also took the Medical College Admissions Test. I have tutored students in their homes in areas of mathematics and Biology.

Katherine K

Teaching Style

Throughout my teaching experience I have encountered students of all ages and abilities, from high school students with learning differences to adult learners of ESL. I believe each student is unique and brings their own set of experiences and strengths to the material to be learned, necessitating an adaptable teaching style. I am experienced in the communicative approach and believe each students learns best through discovery and by utilizing their particular intelligence. I am patient, relaxed and treat each student with respect. I think students learn best when they are having fun and have a trusting relationship with their teacher.

Experience Summary

While working towards my bachelors degree in English (with a minor in Political Science), I worked as a substitute teacher in the public school system for a year and a half, in order to ascertain my affinity for many different levels and subjects. My writing and grammatical skills are excellent; in 2004 I was awarded First Place in Undergraduate Writing at the University of North Florida. My first professional teaching experience complemented my areas of expertise perfectly: I taught English as a Foreign Language to business professionals in Argentina for six months, using the communicative approach. During this time I learned much about South American politics and culture, as well as the Spanish language. Upon return I taught English to high school students for one year at a private school for students with learning disabilities and emotional/ behavioral problems. This summer, I have again taught international students at a Berlitz ESL program, ELS Language Center. Throughout the years I have also tutored and worked with students one on one many times, specifically with rudimentary reading and writing.

Lin L

Teaching Style

I enjoy working with learners from preschool-age through the adult years. I have found that encouragement and positive reinforcement seem to be most successful in helping my students reach their highest potential. As an educator it is my responsibility to determine what each student needs. Sometimes the student needs the information re-taught; sometimes the information needs to be presented in a different way; and sometimes the student needs additional practice to move the information from short-term to long-term memory.

Experience Summary

After graduating from college, I began my career in education at the elementary level. As I was teaching, I realized I needed a better understanding of the reading process because it is such a fundamental skill. I decided to get my Master's degree in reading. I have taught in elementary and middle school classrooms and have worked as both a math and a reading specialist. Throughout these experiences I have been actively tutoring as well. I have tutored in reading, writing and math through the college level.

Tony T

Teaching Style

My teaching style is similar to the management style I employed as an editor. I prefer to be a coach rather than a top-down administrator. I urge my students to not accept mediocrity and instead strive for excellence in all they do. My goal is to make them better writers and better people with a sense of ethics and responsibility to themselves and society. I preach that good writing comes from hard work and research and a mastery of the English language, which I also encourage them to strive for.

Experience Summary

After several years as a journalist, writer and editor, I had the opportunity in 2001 to teach writing courses at Orange Coast College. Because teaching had always been of interest to me, I took the offer and have enjoyed it ever since. Teaching seems to fit me well. My students tell me all the time how I'm the best teacher they've ever had, and my student evaluations support that. It is so fulfilling to me to see my students go on and succeed in life, sometimes changing courses and pursuing a career in writing because of me. I don't teach so much for the money but for the enjoyment I receive in educating young minds. Other experiences include being an English literacy tutor at the Huntington Beach library, teaching ESL learners how to read in English to their American born children. Another very fulfilling role.

Paul P

Teaching Style

For various reasons, we all learn in different ways. Often times this is difficult to address in a classroom setting, forcing teachers to address skills by giving particular instructions (how to write a paper, how to solve an equation, etc.) thereby making education a project of memorization more so than understanding. I believe it is important for students to grasp the broad concepts of their subject manner, through their particular learning style, then applying these to specific objects as opposed to the other way around. This not only allows for students to achieve in various exercises, but creates a context by which students can relate to their subject, thus internalizing it and creating a solid foundation to move forward from.

Experience Summary

Educationally, I have a BA in Mathematics from Vassar College, a school where I achieved a high level of success graduating with high honors both generally and within my major. While this gives me the mastery necessary to approach all levels of math up to the graduate level, my teaching experience makes it possible for me to convey those subjects to my students. I began working one on one with students while teaching guitar in high school and since then have continued to facilitate students' learning at various levels. Most recently I've pursued experiential education working with kids on farms, backpacking trips, and canoe expeditions. I apply this hands on approach to education in the classroom as well, one that I found successful while teaching Linear Algebra to college freshmen my senior year.

Jarumi J

Teaching Style

I find teaching interesting and rewarding. Helping students grasp a better understanding of their course work which they find difficult makes me feel like I am doing something valuable for them. I always try to break things down into every day examples. I realize that students tend to understand more when they can relate to the topic. I also believe that everybody has the potential to be intelligent, some just need to work harder than others.

Experience Summary

As a student of the City University of New York (CUNY) I worked as a tutor in my senior year. I tutored mostly in accounting courses. I also tutored in some students in finance, economics, and math courses. I graduated with a double major in Accounting & Finance in December 2008.

Farrah F

Teaching Style

I enjoy teaching and working with students. I now understand that all children learn on their own level and at their own pace. I am very easy going, but I insist that students do their homework and stay after school for extra help if they need it. I grade work off of understanding. It is not always finding the correct answer, but the process to get to the correct answer. I believe that a good teacher makes a good student and I strive to be that good teacher and student.

Experience Summary

I enjoyed tutoring while I was in college working in the math lab for three years. However, now that I have been actually teaching my very own students I have a better understanding of the basics of mathematics and I am a much better student myself.

Victoria V

Teaching Style

I truly enjoy teaching. My strategy involves actively engaging the student in the learning process. I always try to develop personalized programs based on each student's strengths and weaknesses.

Experience Summary

In 2006 I graduated from Bowling Green State University (Ohio) with a Master of Science degree. During my Master's program I worked as a teaching assistant in General and Organic Chemistry Laboratories. I was responsible for a brief introduction of the material prior to every lab period. This greatly helped me to learn how to organize material I was to present and explain difficult concepts in a simple manner. At USC as a Ph.D. student, I had a chance to work for the Student Athletes Academic Service where I was a chemistry and math tutor. In addition, during the spring of 2007 I was working as an assistant for the Organic Chemistry Course at LA Trade Tech College, where I was responsible for weekly sessions.