Why hire a tutor for your student? Effective tutoring can produce dramatic results: a happier, more confident student who takes pleasure in learning.
A teacher with 30 students does not have time to focus on one student's particular needs. Private tutoring offers the necessary support.
Why hire me? I’m a teacher and study skills coach; I know what works, and I can figure out what your student needs. If it’s complicated or there are many needs, I’ll tell you so.
The job of a tutor is to help a student fine-tune their ability to learn; that is, to help learn how they learn best. This tutoring emphasizes work on basic skills such as essay writing, test-taking, planning, argumentation, and daily and weekly organization. I have found that these skills benefit every student, even the strongest.
How I work. I assess a student’s needs, usually beginning with a reading test. By asking questions, I see what skills need work and the order in which I would like to teach them. I look at a student’s strengths, and also what motivates them. When I see a need, I address it, and I don’t deviate from the skill practice until I see progress. Once a student is ready for a complementary skill, we move on. Further, I teach skills to each student's level: advanced reading comprehension, reading fluency, note-taking, math, time management. All of this goes for SAT/ACT prep, beginning with the content for the test.
Teaching and tutoring experience. I have seventeen years of experience tutoring students in grades 2-12, and eight years of classroom teaching experience. I taught at Landmark School (MA), a pioneer in education for high-potential dyslexic students; the lessons I learned at Landmark, especially in the teaching of study skills, are among the best I’ve learned as a teacher anywhere. At a tutoring center, your student likely will be taught by a recent college graduate who may have the appropriate knowledge but lack the experience to teach a student effectively beyond a few sessions. A good tutor, like a good teacher and coach, knows how to teach skills in an effective order so that they accrue. The tutor understands that there is a different trajectory, or pattern, for each student, and teaches precisely what that student needs to learn. Finally, and most importantly, the tutor finds a way to help the student build confidence.
Subject matter expertise. I received a combined MA/MFA in literature and creative writing from Colorado State University, and a BA in English from Vassar College. I have been teaching the SAT and ACT since 2006. In addition, I worked as a newspaper reporter for four years and have published short fiction and poetry. My areas of expertise are standardized tests, English, writing, math, and study skills.
Setting. Private tutoring held in a library offers a better experience than teaching in a corporate classroom, in my experience.
Continuity and flexibility. There is no substitute for working one-on-one with a single tutor who understands your student. The benefits over time go far beyond the classroom. The tutor and student learn from each other what works best; the tutor observes and builds on the student’s progress. At a test prep or tutoring center, one may or may not get the same person for a continuous block of time. Tutoring is a weekly practice, like playing the piano; the more regularly it is done, the better the result and the greater the feeling of accomplishment for the student.
Convenience. I offer flexible scheduling to meet my students' needs. I work with you to schedule a convenient meeting time, ideally on the same day and at the same time each week.