Samir Fridhi

First, is contextualizing the tutoring objective for the student, i.e "What class is the student enrolled in?", "Which learning objectives/standards is the student struggling with?", "How far has the student gotten, on their own with the material?", etc. Answers to these questions help me understand which strategies would be best to employ when aiding the student in their learning process. Next, is fundamentals! Testing a student on the fundamental content is a perfect way to find the best style of tutoring suited for them, i.e "Are they a visual learner?", "Do they prefer learning by example or understanding the abtract nature of the problem?", etc. Answers to these questions help narrow down the best to way to coax a student into internalizing the content. Finally, the last step is to integrate the answers to all of these questions into a teaching style which best fits the students style of learning, in a way that sparks their curisoity!

My passion for tutoring began in 8th grade when I began attending a new school, in which I was placed in the 9th grade Algebra and Geometry classes. My Mathematics teacher was a 21 year old Harvard graduate, who, essentially, made it as hard as possible for the average 8th grader to understand the content. I myself, excelled, not because of the teacher, but because I realized I had been left to my own devices, and had to overcome by way of learning to teach myself. Eventually, other students began noticiing how well I was doing and asking for help. Naturally, I obliged, trying every which way to help them understand the content and eventually was known as the kid to ask for help. Over the years, well into High School, I would stay after school to volunteer as a tutor for both grades above and below me. I even went on to create a tutoring program at my high school where students could sign up to volunteer or even get paid to tutor those who were struggling after school. 

My standard pricing system is based on the level of difficulty of the class and content but is also subject to variation based on the means of the Parent and/or Guardian:

Tutoring in any average K-12 Mathematics or Science class: $50/hour

SAT/ACT Preparation or AP Courses: $75/hour

Dual Enrollment/College-Level/AP Courses: $100/hour

Of course, if you are struggling due to financial circumstances, changes in pricing may be accommodated. Furthermore, any combination of these will be charged by the hour (e.g. if you would like ACT Prep and help in Algebra II, it is $50/hour of studying Algebra II and $75/hour studying ACT Prep).

Please see answer to "What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?"

Throughout my time tutoring, I have worked with a variety of students. In high school and early in college I tutored students from low-income and historically underprivileged communities . Later on in college I spent two years as a departmental course tutor for the Loyola Marymount University Mathematics department, teaching mostly freshman and sophomores, and one year as an instructor at Mathnasium teaching students from as young as five years old to as old as eighteen years old.

I would say to find the teacher who is going to serve you, and your learning style, the best and do not settle! Everyone deserves a fair, comprehensive, and rigorous education, regardless of who they are, where they come from, or what their means are.

Asking yourself questions and being honest with yourself is imperative to your education! What do you love to learn? What do you hate learning? How can you turn something you hate learning into something you love to learn? What challenges you to be better? The answers to all of these questions lead you to learning the most effectively!