Our Tutors

Andrea A

Teaching Style

I have a passion for learning, both as a teacher and a student. As a mother of a blended family of seven children, I am also very well versed in the uniqueness of children. Coupled with my diverse background, experience and training, I tailor my efforts to fit the specific needs of each individual child. I also believe that everyone has a preferred learning style and I work to discover those strengths within my students to ensure greater success. I also make a concerted effort to provide interactive lessons that engage the child's imagination in meaningful ways so that their progress is long-lasting. I believe that mistakes are natural, and that they often offer the most significant learning opportunities. With this in mind, my students and I form a warm working relationship in which we learn from one another. I believe every person is an "expert" in something and it is my goal to uncover that for my students and to foster self-confidence and independence as a learner for life. I am passionate about children and about learning, and I consider it an honor to have the opportunity to make a different in a child's life through education and inspiration.

Experience Summary

I love education and I believe it shows in my training. Having first obtained a BA in Studio Art and Psychology, I then went on to attain a Masters degree in social work. I worked with families and children for close to 10 years in this capacity. Through this, my respect for diversity and its effect on learning was deepened. Over time, my desire to inspire children more directly "on the front line" led me to go into teaching. I achieved my Masters degree in Early Childhood Education and worked with preschoolers, special needs students and as a 2nd and 3rd grade classroom teacher. When the first of my four children were born, the many joyful hours I spent reading to them led to my pursuit of certification as a reading specialist. As my family grew, I worked as a substitute reading teacher, and volunteered as a reading assistant in my local schools, from which I was able to hone my assessment skills as well. In this, I also gained insight into the critical importance of reading across the curriculum. Thus, my focus as a tutor switched to reading over the past two years. I also conduct workshops for preschool parents and teachers on developing prereading skills through play. I have been able to use self-created materials to help parents and teachers work with diverse populations. My writing and editing skills have been extended through 15 years (and ongoing) of at-home work as a medical transcriptionist/editor for the leading pediatric hospital in Boston.

Shannon S

Teaching Style

My teaching style is very adaptive and enthusiastic, stemming from a genuine love of the material. I enjoy getting students excited about science and the endless potentials that may be found within the sciences, looking at the world around them in new and exciting manners. I believe that each person has their own way of learning and understanding material and it is the responsibility of the instructor or tutor to strive to find what works best for each individual student. An efficient and astute teacher continually strives to modify material, to expand their way of thinking and to challenge their methods of instruction to adapt to the ever-changing world around us.

Experience Summary

I have a wide variety of experience and an innate desire to learn more about the world around me. I began my undergraduate degree in Political Science, but after taking a Biology course in California, became rather excited about the sciences. I have worked in a variety of laboratory settings, as well as in the field, applying the science that I have learned to real life situations and truly gaining a better understanding of the dynamic nature of the sciences. This is what I love. From reading the latest National Geographic to listening to Science Friday on NPR, the never-ending potential of science today excites me and certainly makes me a more dynamic, animated instructor.

Ellen E

Teaching Style

I prefer to focus on a child's strengths, even while teaching a subject that may be considered the child's weakest. I believe finding and integrating strengths promotes learning because it creates positive attitudes and a more productive learning environment. While understanding certain systems or theories is necessary, I think it is sometimes easier for a child to grasp challenging material when they see plenty of examples of the theory at work.

Experience Summary

As a recent graduate, with seven years experience writing in a professional environment, I excel at writing and editing because I understand the system of language, and I pay close attention to detail. I have nearly five years experience working with children in a structured environment, in addition to working with children of various ages as a summer camp counselor. I also hold a certificate with significant training in teaching English to non-native speakers.

Brittany B

Teaching Style

I love teaching children, seeing them learn and discover things for the first time. I also love the challenge of finding different and creative ways to communicate information so that each student can be engaged in a subject and understand the material. I have found that being patient and consistent, expressing clear expectations, and providing immediate and appropriate feedback creates a positive learning environment for academic achievement. It is my desire to provide children with an enriching, memorable learning experience that will teach them not only facts and information, but critical thinking skills and real life applications for real life success.

Experience Summary

After volunteering and instructing summer literacy classes in Clearwater, Florida, I discovered my passion for teaching and children. I pursued an education degree at the University of Florida, where I earned my bachelors in 2009 and finished a masters with an emphasis in literacy and an ESOL endorsement in 2010. I also completed several school placements throughout the program, concentrating in kindergarten, third, and fifth grades. I recently accepted a job teaching in a charter school in Philadelphia. I enjoy working with children of all ages, especially targeting struggling early readers.

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.

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.

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.

Ashley A

Teaching Style

I believe every student is different and has his or her own way of learning. That’s why one of the most important things in being a tutor is the capability to listen to your students and understand their needs. Another fundamental quality in tutoring is the ability to make it fun and interesting for the student by developing a rapport with them. If the students aren’t comfortable or aren’t enjoying what they are learning, then there is no interest in retaining and applying the information. I am also a firm believer in using the Socratic Method to help students learn. I especially like asking students to explain how they came to their conclusion. I believe this forces them to understand the fundamentals surrounding the answer rather than giving a memorized response. This, in turn, leads to the development of critical thought which will benefit the student in all subject matters. I am also a firm believer in using the Socratic Method to help students learn. I especially like asking students to explain how they came to their conclusion. I believe this forces them to understand the fundamentals surrounding the answer rather than giving a memorized response. This, in turn, leads to the development of critical thought which will benefit the student in all subject matters.

Experience Summary

Ever since I was a child I loved to learn. I would read anything I could get my hands on to discover more about the interesting world we live in. My love for learning earned me a full scholarship to the University of Florida where I graduated with a BA in Economics. While at UF, I mastered my mathematical skills and critical thinking but it wasn't until I was working for an economist that I truly learned to write professionally and concisely. Today, I have become a well rounded individual who has never lost their love for learning. The only thing that has changed is that now I enjoy helping others love to learn through tutoring. Throughout my life I have tutored my family and friends but it wasn’t until recently that I began tutoring professionally. I have experience tutoring math, reading comprehension, science and economics. However, I am confident that I am capable of tutoring: writing, history, social sciences, sciences-(elementary, middle, astronomy, biology), economics, and psychology. I also have some experience with SAT Test prep.