"Hello! I graduated with a 4.0 with my Bachelor's in Education from the College of Saint Rose in New York in 2005, and in 2010 I graduated from SUNY Albany with my Master's Degree in Literacy, again with a 4.0. After graduating, I taught elementary school for 19 wonderful years. I have taught and tutored both in-person and online. I tutored various grade levels, as well as students with varied abilities. I tutored with the before-school program, and I have also tutored privately for over 10 years. I also have four (now adult) children of my own, who were so different as students, and I learned a plethura of information from their teachers about what to do, and who not to do, particularly with my son wtih ADHD. As my children were in upper elementary or middle school when I began teaching, I was able to use what I learned from their teachers to guide my own teaching and tutoring.

Through all of my years of education, it became quite obvious that students learn best when they feel interested in a topic, or when the topic has some relevance to their own lives. That is one of the reasons I get to know my students so well, both as a student and as a person. They come to recognize that they are much more than their grade or the outcome of an assignment; they are valued as a person, and valued for what they have to offer as a person. Knowing them so well also allows me to include them, their families, their interests, and even their dislikes in the stories, questions, problems and writing that we do.

When I am teaching or reviewing a skill, I will always explicitly teach the skill, and then give the students a chance to walk me through the skill, in guided practice. I will also ensure that the student has time to practice the skill independently, so that they feel confident in their ability to complete the skill on their own. I will do everything in my power to ensure that anyone I tutor feels confident in their abilities when we finish. I am easy to reach anytime, and I hope to hear from you." less...