Victor S. – Mindful Academic Coaching, Test Prep & ADHD Specialist
About
My team of professional educators and I guide bright students who are struggling with tough subjects, time management, or challenges such as ADD/ADHD by teaching them proven systems that empower them to thrive in school and develop lifelong habits of success.
Our unique services combine academic tutoring with a foundation of mindfulness, growth mindset, and metacognitive skills.
Since 2007, I have helped hundreds of students including children and adults with diagnoses such as visual and auditory processing disorders. Patience, professionalism, and proficiency are the cornerstones of our philosophy.
Success Stories:
• Two of our students diagnosed with ADD/ADHD and auditory processing disorder earned admission to Loyola Marymount University and Cornell. And we’re proud of one of our local football players who earned a full scholarship to San Jose State University starting in 2019.
• Our juniors and seniors have regularly gained 260+ points in the SAT and +5 composite ACT points by following our test prep programs.
• See our 5-star reviews on Google and Yelp, thanks to our mindful, diligent students.
See reviews at https://goo.gl/maps/sRns1Aug8t42
• Since 2013, I've taught test prep classes to the players of the Beach Cities Volleyball Club, Manhattan Beach.
• Best of Thumbtack Award for Tutoring 2015, 2016
Get health updates and study tips at https://www.facebook.com/initiaeducation/
My journey from high school through UCLA and beyond was a rollercoaster of what I felt were failures and successes. Despite my achievements and scholarships, I struggled with time management and stress... until I found a couple of inspiring mentors who taught me a powerful lesson: Learn and pay it forward.
That's why I love bringing my compassion and energy to every session with my students—because I know they too can achieve incredible things with the right guidance and mentoring.
My team and I are passionate about drawing from our research of performance psychology and the neuroscience behind learning to help our clients become skilled, inspired, and confident achievers.
Photos and videos
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I provide a free academic planning session to first meet with parents and their student. We'll discuss the student's goals, identify hidden obstacles, and create an action plan to get results. We typically meet in person at my office or via video conference using Zoom.
Based on our discussion, I'll recommend a specific program and instructor, such as myself or a trusted partner, as the best fit for the student's unique needs.
You may choose a program, such as a test prep package, or start with one session and pay-as-you-go before deciding on a consistent schedule. We'll do our best in our first session to ensure your student feels supported, encouraged, and positive about learning.
Once we agree on the right program, we'll email you a service agreement with terms, pricing, and our basic policies. We appreciate the opportunity to earn your trust.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
• 13 years of experience teaching test prep classes, tutoring, mindful study skills, workshops to children and young adults, and training other professional educators in tutoring best practices.
• Our team of South Bay and online instructors have over 35 years of combined classroom and private client experience.
• Seven years teaching test prep classes at private and public high schools in Los Angeles; trained by a leading test prep company where I authored curriculum content for their flagship program.
• Master tutor training, A.S. Life Sciences, El Camino College.
• Phi Beta Kappa and National Society of Collegiate Scholars member, UCLA.
• Neurolinguistic programming (NLP) practitioner certification.
• 14 years of experience in film production and teaching workshops on producing for business owners and young filmmakers.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
We have different packages of session hours. Packages of more hours have better hourly rates.
• Office sessions are the most common for local students. Home sessions are a higher rate — ask about our availability.
• Zoom video conference sessions are the best per hour. These may be added to any program, with 30 minutes minimum.
• You may start with one session at a time and pay as you go.
• Professional editing for college application essays, research papers, and other academic papers is available at different rates. Ask for a sample edit and quote based on your needs and timeline.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
I suggest making a list of important questions you'd like to ask an instructor. Listen to how they ask you questions in return to get a sense of their communication style. Do you feel they're listening to you well?
Here are some ideas as you develop your own questions:
1. Why do you enjoy working with students?
2. What subjects and topics do you find most interesting? Why are they interesting to you?
3. How have you guided other students who have similar needs to mine? How did they get better results?
4. How do you conduct your first few sessions with a new student?
5. Which subjects do you most enjoy tutoring and teaching?
6. How do you help students stay accountable and on track when they're not in a tutoring session?
7. How do you recommend materials, books, or handouts?
8. How did you first start tutoring students?