About
There are few things more terrifying for a student than to have a question and be afraid to ask it. Maybe you are thinking that the teacher has already answered that question five times….maybe you are afraid of the “rolling eyes” of the teacher, knowing that your fellow students are going to make fun of you for asking. AGAIN. Maybe you just do not understand the way that the teacher is explaining a concept. I mean, you are a smart person – right? Why don’t you understand this simple thing? Everyone else in the class “gets it” – right?
WRONG! There are LOTS of ways to do algebra or geometry problems! There are lots of ways to explain grammar or an effective way to write essays – or to explain the best way to do academic reading while retaining the important information contained in a passage. Maybe your teacher only knows ONE WAY to explain or do a concept – but YOU learn ANOTHER way!
Your teacher’s job – ANY teacher, especially a tutor – is to find the sixth, twelfth, or twenty second way to explain something. My job is not done unless and until you understand the subject matter in which you are seeking assistance.
That is what Alternatives Education is all about: helping you to lose the fear and getting you the help you need.
Lose the fear. Gain the knowledge. The first hour is even free, so that you can decide if this tutor will work for what you need. If you decide against continuing with me, you have lost only an hour – no money – AND you got a lesson in the process!
PLEASE FORGIVE THE OVERLAPPING TEXT. TUTORS.com’s WEBSITE HAS A GLITCH THAT NEEDS TO BE FIXED! 🤦♀️
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Paula K.
Luciano F.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
The student knows himself or herself better than anyone, so I ask students where they believe that their strengths and weaknesses lie. We plan and start working from there. The first hour of consultation-planning- tutoring is free, so students can have a full hour to determine whether this tutoring environment works for them without losing one penny.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I graduated from the University of Florida with a B.A. in English and have taken additional courses in Math and Spanish. I have been a certified teacher in the state of Florida, have taught 16 years in the classroom (both high school and college) specializing in English and ESL (English as a Second Language), and have been a private tutor for 44 years in the fields of English Grammar and Composition, English Reading and Literature, Math through Algebra, Geometry, and PreCalculus, standardized test prep (SAT, ACT, and TOEFL), and effective study skills (including note-taking, scheduling and planning, and time management).
I have also had the privilege of living in Japan (for three years, from age 10-13) and Spain (for three years, from age 25-28). I know what it is like to face new living and learning conditions because I have done it myself. I also have seen - in person - many other countries, learning their histories and cultures. This experience makes me a teacher who is cognizant of and sensitive to the wide variety of cultures, languages, and learning styles which I encounter as I meet new students and their families. My lifetime of such experiences has reinforced the idea that learning is a lifelong journey, and that a day spent without learning something new is a wasted day.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
The first full hour is always free - no charge at all - to my clients and prospective clients.
The base fee is just that: a starting point for discussion. My base rate is $40/hour....rounded to the nearest 1/4 hour (15 minutes). Discounts are given for more than one student in a family signing with the tutor and for more than 2 hours per week being booked and attended regularly by a student.
A student (or parent) has the choice of me emailing printed materials at no additional charge OR purchasing (for the student's personal use) his/her own copy of the books from which I have copied and emailed materials.
How did you get started teaching?
I have been teaching for over four decades.
The more precise question would be "How did you get started tutoring?"
I started as a tutor 44 years ago when I realized that when a student said, “I don’t get it”, then that really meant that no teacher had found an effective method of communicating a goal or process to the student.
What types of students have you worked with?
Sixth grade through Associate degree seekers, as well as adult ESL and native English speakers trying to prepare themselves for higher academic learning programs.
I have had the honor of teaching English, Algebra-1, SAT/ACT Prep, and Public-Speaking and Debate in the high school classroom. Privately, I have tutored math subjects, study skills, English grammar, literature, and composition, and social sciences (history, government, humanities) to students ages 12 to 2. I have also privately taught and tutored English as a Second Language both at the college level (at a Florida state college) and privately - most recently (and currently) to over ten adult learners of English from Brazil.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
I am literally fond of every tutoring experience I have had over the past 44+ years.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Be honest! Do not try to make the student look/seem either better OR “worse” than the reality; be honest about what has worked (or not) in past tutoring situations; be honest about any medical, emotional, or family situations which might be impacting the student’s ability OR desire to learn. Everything matters, and a tutor needs all of the facts before designing a plan which can address and correct the problems that the student is experiencing.
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
I would give the exact same advice as I answered in the previous question regarding advice to someone seeking a teacher: Be honest!
In addition, the student and/or parent (if high school age or younger) should together discuss what works well and what does not work. College students likely already know where they are weak and what methods do not work for them. Try to identify where the learning difficulties lie before meeting with the tutor. That way the student and tutor can move much more quickly toward solving the weaknesses or problems