"Hello! My name is Martin, and I have a dual degree in Comparative Literature and English with a minor in Philosophy from UCLA where I graduated with college honors. I am an avid reader and enjoy writing, and I try to instill that into my students because I want them to utilize their voice to write, to describe themselves, their experiences, what they have read, and what they think.

I approach tutoring as a conversation, each session tailored to the needs of a student: questions are asked to engage a student with the text, curiosity is fostered to enable a student to form their own thoughts, and trust is instilled in their capabilities to write and to improve their voice. I believe creating a trusting environment, where students feel heard, where their thinking and knowledge is nurtured, creatively and critically, will lead to success in their education and confidence in themselves.

I have five years of experience in education and tutoring. I spent two years as a language assistant in France teaching English. I had my own classroom, and I was assigned groups of students between the ages of 14-18. I taught students conversational English, US culture and history, and everything related to the States where group discussions, games, and presentations improved the students' speech and their confidence. After, I spent two years as an essay reviewer working with students from first grade to college to improve their writing. Aid was given in grammar, thesis statements, analysis, and format. Currently, I work with certain districts to help students in phonics, reading comprehension, and English as a second language. I am assigned students, and we work together throughout the school year by reading out loud, learning sounds, vocabulary, and writing. I listen to the student read, and I guide them through the work. These exercises are writing sentences using vocabulary from the text, sounding out words, answering questions about the story, and writing a short summary of what we have read." less...