Our Tutors

Karissa K

Teaching Style

I love one-on-one tutoring because of the complete attention I can pay to the tutee’s specific needs and his or her learning style. My personality is encouraging, positive and patient, and that has served me well in building relationships with repeat tutees at the Writing Center over the past two years. To me, the primary role of a tutor is to explore ideas about the subject in a way that there is not time for in the classroom and also to ask tutees the questions they would not think to ask themselves about their ideas. I can help tutees explore the potential of their ideas and how to own the skills they already possess. My role is also to help the tutee expand his or her knowledge base and tools for future writing through examples, research and discussion.

Experience Summary

As a tutor at the University of Arizona Writing Center, I worked with undergraduate, graduate and international students on all aspects of the writing process. This encompassed higher and lower order concerns including brainstorming, outlining, drafting, formatting, thesis and topic sentence work, grammar and ESL concerns, research methods, and content. My tutees came from all majors including English, History, Business, and the sciences. I worked on everything from rhetorical analyses to technical writing for business to personal statements and research papers. I also spent two semesters in an online tutoring program for high school students to submit drafts of their college admissions essays for commentary. They could then make revisions and resubmit additional drafts for further critiquing. Additionally, as a Magna Cum Laude History graduate with a Political Science minor, I focused on American History and government and developed a passion for those topics I love to impart on others.

Chi Young C

Teaching Style

I believe all students will learn successfully, given the appropriate tools. I place great emphasis in finding their individual learning styles and their strengths and weaknesses. This helps me build an individualized program to target their specific needs and to enhance their strengths. I like to challenge the students to always reach higher and to learn in a meaningful and enjoyable manner.

Experience Summary

As a reading specialist in New York for the last 4 years and a tutor for 10+ years, I have enjoyed teaching students and leading them to success. Continually retooling myself professionally has kept me motivated to learn new techniques and strategies to help students achieve their goals. Because of my many encounters with struggling learners, I understand the academic and social demands on kids. When frustrations arise in school, specialized tutoring can attend to the children's needs and alleviate their struggles. With proper, targeted instruction, I have helped students succeed, feeling more confident to participate in school lessons and activities. With various high quality literature, non fiction, high interest magazines, manipulatives for word work including developing spelling and decoding skills, I have been teaching students with much success. I have also been trained and certified in the Wilson Reading Program. Using this multisensory, phonics-based program, I have led many non-readers to reading with confidence.

Jennifer J

Teaching Style

As an elementary and middle school Language Arts teacher I believe instruction should be tailored to the needs of the individual learner and to the needs of the community. I have had the opportunity to teach in a variety of settings and ability levels. Students confidently excel when they are in a learning environment that is tailored to their abilities and needs. I strive to build a relationship of respect with each student. I am focused, student-centered, and knowledgeable of subject matter. I can create and foster an environment that motivates students and helps them to learn.

Experience Summary

I have earned a bachelor of science degree in Elementary Education, a Reading and Literacy minor, and an endorsement in Middle School Education. As a teacher my students succeeded in reading literacy/comprehension, and improved their overall writing skills by several grade levels. After a successful teaching experience in Language Arts, theater, and journalism at the middle school level, I sought a master of arts degree in Educational Administration. Working in school leadership enabled me to focus on creating a real-world language arts curriculum, and improving student motivation and achievement.

Richard R

Teaching Style

I work primarily with late teenagers to adults to the elderly. I am very skilled at finding an effective way to impart information to my students, no matter what their learning style. I am easy going, easy to relate to, and mildly humorous. At OWATC, I received an award from the minority student association as their favorite instructor because of my ability to teach almost anyone and make them enjoy it.

Experience Summary

I have 30 years of experience at all levels of accounting. I have taught the last 11 years at the Ogden-Weber Applied Technology College (OWATC). OWATC teaching is not lecturing, but is extensive one-on-one work with students answering questions, reviewing assignments and test results, and explaining things. I have worked with all levels of high school and adult learners with skills varying from extremely basic to the advanced. I have also taught English, writing, and all sorts of business software, including extensive work with QuickBooks.

Melissa M

Teaching Style

I believe the keys to teaching any student, young or old, are patience and encouragement. I find that when I demonstrate a pleasant, usually fun, and encouraging environment for my students, they tend to thrive. There has not been a more fulfilling experience for me than to effectively teach a child something that they did not initially have the confidence to learn. My goal is to not only teach them the required material, but to also introduce a learning experience that positively impacts their self-perception. If they believe they can learn anything, they will ultimately thrive in other experiences that require self-confidence, patience, and leadership. The bottom line is that I love to teach, because very few experiences grant me this opportunity.

Experience Summary

From January 2007 to December 2010, I had the significant opportunity to teach for Broward County Public Schools in various education settings ranging from Pre-K to 12th Grade. I have worked at the high school level as a Resource Teacher and Exceptional Student Education Support Facilitator creating Individual Education Plans and working with parents, specialists, and district employees to monitor students’ yearly progress. During the course of my studies in Biomedical Engineering, I gained extensive academic knowledge in Math, as well as Technical Report Writing, Essays, and Research Papers. I have been able to guide students in attaining academic success by tutoring them in various subjects such as Reading, Algebra, Geometry, Language Arts, and Science. My life experiences have also allotted me the opportunity to teach non-academic subjects such as Music Education, Musical Theatre, and Dance. I currently work for a nonprofit organization providing public service educational programs set forth by its mission. Tutoring allows me the flexible opportunity to engage in additional community projects and endeavors.

Maria M

Teaching Style

I love tutoring and consider myself to be effective at it. I approach it with enthusiasm. I apply theory to practical applications in my career and life. My approach is one of ease. I consider mathematics to be easy, as long as you accept what I call "the rules of the game"; i.e., there are certain principles that have to be accepted, and not questioned, then everything else falls in place. I believe that all people have the capability of learning, and I love the opportunity to provide a positive experience to students.

Experience Summary

I have been tutoring for more than 5 years. My main focus is mathematics, but I also tutor students in Spanish I through IV. I have tutored Spanish, Algebra I, Algebra II, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Pre-Calculus. I have recently helped several students prepare for the SAT math test. I enjoy making a difference in the student’s life.

Ponswamy P

Teaching Style

Students come from different environments, backgrounds, and learning methods. As a teacher I can understand, adapt, and spend as much time needed to help them learn. I will teach them first the fundamentals, with examples, so that they can better understand the entire subjects.

Experience Summary

I've taught general chemistry, organic chemistry, polymer chemistry and polymer engineering to under graduates, post graduates, and PhD students.

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.