Our Elementary Tutors

Carla C

Teaching Style

I believe each student has a unique way of learning, and that my job is to discover and support that learning style. Every writer has his or her own voice, and I work to empower writers to express their thoughts as clearly and powerfully as possible. My goal is not to impose information but to guide students in discovery, to support critical thinking and foster new perspectives. Writing is an intensely personal and creative act; I believe in providing a framework within which writing students can comfortably and confidently learn the strategies to speak easily on the page.

Experience Summary

I've spent most of my life helping people learn, starting as a peer tutor in high school! I began teaching professionally as a teaching assistant in college, and since then I've taught in a wide variety of settings, including government training programs, workplace and vocational education, university, high school and community college classes, and private language schools. As a published writer, I mentor and coach writing students in fiction, nonfiction and college composition, and I've designed and developed many classes and programs to support writing students of all levels. I was a tutor for three years at the International School of Languages in Beverly Hills, working with foreign students to improve their command of English. With a BA and MA in Russian studies and a minor in English and journalism, as well as certification in adult literacy, GED and basic education and a community college credential, I have a wide range of experience in language education and writing competency.

Luketan L

Teaching Style

I have experience tutoring as well as serving the role as a teacher's assistant for an Accounting Information System Class at UofO. As I learn from past experience, I am very approachable and open to helping every student find academic success. I can accommodate to different styles of learning and aim to emphasize my teachings around areas where each individual student struggles the most. I am very relaxed and open to what each student needs.

Experience Summary

I graduated from the University of Oregon Honors Business Program with a B.A in Accounting and Economics in 2007 with a 3.8 GPA along with earning Magna Cum Laude recognition at graduation. I have completed my CPA exam and currently being certified for the State of Oregon. My prior career experience in Accounting includes an internship and a career with two Big 4 Public Accounting Firms: KPMG as an internal audit intern in San Jose, Ca as well as an associate at PriceWaterhouseCoopers in Portland, OR. I recently switched over to private industry accounting in June 2008 and now work as an Accounting Analyst at Portland General Electric.

Elaine E

Teaching Style

Since I have a degree in special education and ESL, I have used many different methods of teaching. As a teacher I see myself as a facilitator. I want my students to be in charge of their learning, not me. I often ask a student “leading questions” instead of just giving them the answer. I also consider the audience when I am teaching. I ask myself...Are they familiar with our customs or not? Do they know our idioms or not?

Experience Summary

I have a MS in Varying Exceptionalities. I also have 18 hrs of ESL. Currently, I am working on 18 hrs of English. I have taught pre-school through adults. I have taught many different kinds of students. I have taught international students, ESL students, and native speakers of English. I have worked in pre-schools, public schools, private schools, language schools, and colleges. I have tutored many different kinds of students from foster children to adults.

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.

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.

Purvesh P

Teaching Style

I vary my teaching style depending on the student's particular disposition. I normally allow them to dictate the pace at which I tutor without digressing from our objective. Nonetheless, my goal is to be positive impact on the student. I love to help students get to a level they did not expect they could achieve, and in the same token, I am appreciative when I am humbled by challenging problems for which I have no solution. However, when faced with such a situation, I guide the student in an appropriate direction, and let them know that I will use my own resources to discover a solution and then get back to them. Without question, my style is synonymous to what computer users refer to good programs as, "user-friendly." I am patient with my tutees and steady in my demeanor so that I can gain and hold their confidence.

Experience Summary

I have been tutoring since my sophomore year at Rutgers University. I hold the College Reading and Learning Association Level II (CRLA) certification. I tutored Mathematics (Pre-Calculus, Calculus), Chemistry, and Physics to undergraduate students at the university. I have since tutored students in these disciplines at various levels, such as middle school and high school. I have also tutored adults in the area of Information Technology, subjects such as Introduction to Programming, Web Design, and Database Design, while studying for my IT Certification. I have since attained an MS degree in Computer Science at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and have been working in the IT industry for the past 4 years. I continue to enjoy tutoring and teaching others; be it students, co-workers, or family members. I feel a tremendous sense of satisfaction when I see others succeed and know that I have played a part in their growth.

Hoai H

Teaching Style

In my experience I have discovered that it is better for the student, whether he or she is at elementary or university level, to come up to his or her own conclusions and answers. My style of teaching does not involve doing the work for the student, rather I like to say that I provide the necessary information and aid to point the student in the right direction. This in some cases can take a lot of time and patience, but in the end one learns better when he or she does things himself instead of someone doing it for him. I also believe that one of the most important things to do initially when teaching new students is to create a friendly environment, where the student feels at ease with asking absolutely any question pertaining to the coursework. A student will not listen to a tutor who he or she cannot speak to on a friendly level or respect. I guess to boil everything down, my approach to teaching is simple, treat every student as an individual mind and person who has the possible capacity to grasp any thing he or she is trying to learn or accomplish.

Experience Summary

My time at UIC has given my many skills and experiences that make me a good candidate for your tutoring services. Being a former engineering student and ultimately switching over to and graduating with a degree in English, I feel that I have a wide range of attributes and experience in coursework to provide to your company. In addition, during my sophomore year I began working with the Boys and Girls Club of Chicago where I was a mentor/tutor for a group of students at the Frazier Elementary School on the west side of Chicago. The Frazier Boys and Girls Club taught me the patience it takes when it comes to teaching and tutoring young children. This position lasted three years and I'd like to believe that through my time with these children, I instilled the importance of education not only in school work and grades, but personal knowledge and intelligence. I have also worked for a semester at the UIC Writing Center where I was a writing tutor for students needing assistance with paperwork in a wide range of subjects from Science to English to grad school applicants.

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.