Our Tutors

Andy A

Teaching Style

I am grateful that school was easy for me, but I also know that for many children the task of discovering, understanding, making sense of, and retaining information can be tough and may seem almost overwhelming. All children can learn and there is no better way to instill that desire in them, than to work one-on-one or in small groups. All subjects can be made interesting, and I feel I have a knack for making the "boring" material come alive with relevance and excitement.

Experience Summary

Upon graduating from Johns Hopkins with a degree in writing, I substitute taught full-time at the high school and the middle school levels in the small upstate New York town where I grew up. Since my days as a substitute teacher, I have worked as a freelance writer, Senior Editor at a major publishing company, Senior Copywriter at an ad agency, and attended grad school. Over the past 15 years, I have tutored a number of high school students primarily in English, social studies, paper-writing, and general test-taking strategies.

Timothy T

Teaching Style

First I would like to get to know the student and parents, focusing mainly on the student's interests and goals as well as how they feel about the particular subject they will be tutored in. After that I would have the student show me where they currently are in class and what they need help with. Then, depending on the particular circumstances, I would create a plan to get the student caught up and self-sufficient as quickly as possible. Even though fast results are what I hope for, the student would set the pace of the sessions. No topics would be overlooked and they would all receive as much time as the student needs to master them.

Experience Summary

I attended MTSU and received a bachelor’s degree in Biology. After college I worked at a food-microbiology lab in Nashville for a year. I plan to teach science in Africa with the Peace Corps for two years. I am very capable in most areas of math and science. I am also outgoing and easy to get along with.

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.

Tyler T

Teaching Style

At the university level, my experience has shown me that all students can have trouble from basic to advanced concepts. During the first meeting I explain to the student that it is not only my job, but theirs to help themselves succeed, and to understand what troubles they are having with their specific courses. I follow the student through their book carefully, and prepare myself for the individual tutoring lessons. This form of education has given me the best results for the students.

Experience Summary

Tutoring began for me at Montana State University-Northern while attending school majoring in Pre-Med. I worked at Student Support Services for five semesters tutoring mostly science based classes. I fell in love with giving knowledge and helping students understand concepts of their specific courses. I am two semesters away from obtaining my B.S in Pre-Med with a minor in chemistry. I have always enjoyed working with multiple levels of students, but prefer high school and up. Math and science are my preferred areas for tutoring including: Introductory chemistry, inorganic chemistry, organic chemistry, biochemistry, physics 1, cellular biology, anatomy and physiology, zoology, microbiology, and molecular biology.

Jessica J

Teaching Style

I am an enthusiastic teacher who loves to share my passion for chemistry. My greatest achievement as a professor has been bringing awe and excitement to the mundane: I will never forget the student who told me that she will never look at a boiling pot of the water the same way. I am patient and considerate but demanding of hard work and respect from my students. Students learn different ways, and given the opportunity and time, a teacher should try to find the best learning environment for their students. In a classroom, this can be difficult. When tutoring one-on-one, a teacher can alter their instruction methods (visual, audio, hands-on) to optimize the student's experience. I find the philosophy of "see one, do one, teach one" works well to emphasize important points and try to incorporate this within my teaching time.

Experience Summary

I earned a BS degree in biochemistry and did a senior thesis in organic chemistry. This inspired me to earn a PhD in biochemistry in Boston College's chemistry department. During those extensive years of education I studied many areas of chemistry and biology in depth. In addition, I excel at problem solving and research. My writing skills have been honed after years of writing research papers and theses. During the past 12 years I have taught many areas of chemistry and biochemistry at the collegiate level as well as tutored high school and college students in chemistry, organic chemistry, and biochemistry.

Gary G

Teaching Style

My teaching style has been, for the most part, dictated by student response. I am comfortable teaching in a traditional lecture format, in a format that uses a cooperative learning approach exclusively, or in a hybrid format. The goal is for effective learning to take place, and I believe my strongest quality is to be able to adapt in such a way that best helps students reach their academic goals.

Experience Summary

For eight years, I taught freshman and sophomore-level mathematics courses at Arizona State University. These courses included College Algebra, Pre-Calculus, Calculus, Finite Mathematics, and Elementary Mathematics Theory. Additionally, I have tutored students in these courses both in the Mathematics Department Tutor Center, and on my own personal time.

Diana D

Teaching Style

Having a minor in psychology, as well as the wonderful teachers I had been exposed to over the years, has helped me to recognize that each student had a unique learning style. I attempt to discover this style, which usually happens within one lesson, and focus in on proper teaching methods to cater to this style. I am very patient and have worked with various levels of skill and ability to intake information. I love hands on activities where possible (sciences mainly) and have a multitude of visual examples for many subjects. I hope to inspire my students to want to learn a subject they once thought was "pointless" or "boring".

Experience Summary

I began tutoring when I was in middle school. Our school designed a program where honors students were paired with students they believed to be at risk for dropping out of school before they graduated high school. I tutored one specific student for 2 years and continued to mentor him through high school. After this program I realized I loved working one-on-one with people who were truly struggling with education. I have always known education was extremely important to my own success and I wanted to help others gain knowledge towards their own goals. I tutored through college and still continue to do so. My education has given me insight into many levels of math and science as well as recognizing how to write on a scientific level due to laboratory analysis. Due to this ability to express math and science on a basic level it aides in explaining it to others who do not have a firm grasp on the topic at hand. I have tutored the following subjects at a high school level: chemistry (regular through AP), biology (up to the AP level), linear functions, calculus, statistics, physics (up to AP), algebra I & II, and trigonometry. At a college level I have tutored: chemistry, organic chemistry, biology, molecular biology, cellular biology, statistics (at the request of the professor), physics, biomedical physics, public health, anatomy, and trigonometry.

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.