Our Tutors

John J

Teaching Style

I enjoy teaching and coaching. Why am I effective? I talk to - not at my pupils. My non-threatening and non-intimidating persona allows me to quickly develop a healthy rapport. By listening to my students' thought processes, I work within their frame of reference and then offer suggestions to guide them to a more appropriate path. Finally, I always encourage and am highly adept at objectively critiquing without offending.

Experience Summary

My professional career began at Kaplan Test Prep in Manhattan. As a Test Prep Specialist, I lectured to hundreds of students the concepts tested and test-taking strategies required for the GMAT, LSAT, GRE & SAT standardized exams. My ability garnered me Instructor of the Year for three consecutive years. In addition, I have private tutored in a variety of subject areas. Even during my MBA studies at Duquesne University, I was active in the school's PACT Tutoring Program, worked as a Mathematics Aid at Schenley High School, and delivered an LSAT training curriculum sponsored by the university's School of Leadership.

Julie J

Teaching Style

Teaching college students has been very rewarding. I encourage active participation in discussion and groups. Each class is started with a question and answer period about any nutrition issue they might have. Most assignments have an aspect of self discovery so that each student can learn something about their nutrition status. Late work is not allowed and attendance is not taken; rather random "reflection" responses are asked to reward those that attend and to ascertain their understanding of the concepts discussed. Each student can excel when the effort is made.

Experience Summary

As an adjunct faculty member at Brigham Young University Idaho since 1995 (it was then Ricks College), I have taught human nutrition, nutrition and the young child, introduction to foods, nutrition for the culinary arts majors, and various classes for the dietetic technician program. I earned my Dietetics degree in 1985 and have practiced as a Registered Dietitian since then. I have worked in clinical settings including hospitals, long term care, assisted living homes and fitness centers. I am a partner in the Idaho Plate Method LLC business, which created a diabetes education tool sold throughout the United States.

Katherine K

Teaching Style

My passion is learning and my hope is to inspire in my students a genuine love of learning and to help them gain the skills necessary to become lifelong, independent learners. I believe all children can learn in an atmosphere that is encouraging, supportive and structured in such a way as to challenge without discouraging. I believe in authentic learning and in teaching through discovery. I have acquired many different techniques and tools over the years and have learned that there is no one style of teaching that fits all. One reason I enjoy tutoring is that I can take the time to truly know the student and to help them discover which tools work best for them. I strive to make a difference in each of my student's lives.

Experience Summary

I have been actively involved in the field of education for 26 years as a high school English teacher, an elementary reading teacher, and as a school librarian. My teaching career has been varied, including four years working in inner city public schools, 17 years in an exclusive private college preparatory school, and three years as the Director of library services for youth at risk. I graduated summa cum laude and am a member of Phi Beta Kappa with degrees in English, History, Secondary Education and Library Science and have minors in classical literature, romance languages and philosophy. I am a certified Reading Specialist and have trained with the LindaMood Bell reading program. I have worked as a newspaper reporter and done freelance editing and research for local authors. Over the years I have tutored students from elementary school to graduate school in English, history, research, study skills, composition and reading.

Vinod V

Teaching Style

The cornerstone of my teaching philosophy and personal teaching goals is to help students develop their own thinking skills. I believe all students should leave the school armed with the ability to think for them selves, to think critically and to think creatively. Understanding how people learn is one of the significant aspects of teaching. This is linked to their “knowledge” background and maturity. The key to teaching is to relate to the audience by starting from what they know and building upon it. As a teacher I am totally involved with the class, dedicated to my students and 100% prepared to devote time and energy for their intellectual growth. Love for teaching evokes passion and dedication within me. I believe that the enthusiasm of a motivated teacher rubs off on his/her students, who derive the inspiration and encouragement which actuates their desire to learn. A good teacher should have sound fundamentals and command over the concepts. Fundamentals are the foundation intrinsic for mastering the subject; only teachers who are strong in fundamentals will be able to pass it on to their students. I believe that my strong command over the fundamentals will rub off on my students. I believe that the role of a teacher is that of a leader where you have to show the path, motivate, encourage, and lead by example. In short, my success lies in seeing my students succeed.

Experience Summary

My enthusiasm and love for education can be gauged from the fact that I pursued three Masters degrees in three distinct but related fields. One cannot pursue engineering as a profession without having an affinity for Math and Analysis. Math was a passion for me from my young days and still very much remains so. I have a thorough knowledge and understanding of math. Right from my school days I was involved and loved to teach math. I invariably obtained A+ scores in whatever math test I took in my lifetime. For instance my GRE math score was above 95% of test takers' scores. I have taught Middle school, High school and under-graduate students in Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Quadratic Equations, Applied Probability and Calculus.

Carrie C

Teaching Style

I can think of little else that is more rewarding that teaching. It is so wonderful to share knowledge and help another realize how powerful the willingness to learn can be - it can take you anywhere. So my enthusiasm for continuous learning drives my style which is really to take a complex concept and turn it into a real world example that the other individual can grasp. I try to break it down and add some color around each piece so that the other person can really relate and it's no longer an intangible concept. Once the individual can see that they can learn a concept that they originally may have been baffled by, I make sure to let them know that they can learn anything...it just takes some time, some questions, and maybe sometimes some help.

Experience Summary

During my high school and college years I frequently assisted others in learning subjects such as German, chemistry, algebra, business calculus, and economics. During my freshman and sophomore years as a college student I was formally employed as a tutor at the Pennsylvania State University for subjects including economics and business calculus. I earned a BS Accounting with honors degree in 2005 after which I began working at KPMG,LLP - one of the most prestigious and well-known global accounting firms. Employment at KPMG, LLP enabled me to continue my tutoring mentality due to the fast-paced team environment, and I was recognized for my focus on teaching others in 2008 with an award for Developing Others.

Ryan R

Teaching Style

My teaching style is patient and thorough. I like to think of myself as a guide for students who are having difficulty in areas of math and science. I urge them to do the work, answer the questions, and ultimately earn the rewards of learning and discovery.

Experience Summary

I have a bachelor’s degree in Physics from the University of Chicago, a Masters degree in Physics from the University of Wisconsin, and am currently writing my doctoral thesis in Physics at the University of Wisconsin. I have enjoyed the opportunity to tutor math and science on a number of occasions at the U of C and UW, in small groups and one-on-one. I have also taught introductory physics courses at the University of Wisconsin, Driscoll Catholic High School, and the National University of Health Science. Years of teaching and research in science and math have made me very comfortable explaining and teaching these subjects.

Mazen M

Teaching Style

I work with a hands-on approach. There is a lot of logical thinking and step-by-step processing in math and science. So, the student and I work together through each problem until they understand the process.

Experience Summary

I used to work at several private schools in Jordan. Many of the schools were applying American teaching styles to their system. I am capable of tutoring all levels of mathematics, physics, and many computer subjects.

Lori L

Teaching Style

I believe that students are wary of mathematics and statistics because they appear clinic and distant, with little to do with the “real” world. To educate I try to create dynamic and above all relevant “uses” for the lessons. My experiences have exposed me to different teaching styles and class formats and allowed me to develop a teaching philosophy that encompasses the best of all these methods. My philosophy is best described with reference to six primary concepts: 1. Knowledge conveyed in a relevant context 2. Interaction with each student and the material 3. Passion for teaching and the subject 4. Adaptability 5. Creativity in teaching methods and 6. Respect between the student and the teacher All students seek knowledge; it’s the teacher’s role to facilitate learning and guide them along the path. A successful lesson is one in which the student comes out seeing the world a little differently.

Experience Summary

During my education and career, the teaching of others has featured prominently in my personal goals and life objectives. While attending high school, I tutored fellow students professionally in subjects ranging from basic algebra to complex calculus. My undergraduate degree was in the field of Mathematics and Statistics with an additional biological statistics certificate and at present I am completing my Masters of Science in statistics. My understandings of these fields lead to my recruit by a number of professors and researchers to provide assistance and advisement on statistical analysis of their projects. In addition to assisting my professors, I was also selected to be a Graduate Teaching Assistant, and was also selected to conduct "stand alone" courses. I have a strong passion for these subjects and I believe my years of teaching experience have given me the insight, patience and ability to convey the complex world of mathematics and statistics to my students.