The Tutoring Finale: The Tutor For Those Who've Exhausted All Avenues
About
I am an independent teacher/tutor/mentor who has worked with students of all ages and grades (from 5th grade to College level) for the past 10 years. I have a very unique gift when it comes to teaching and tutoring students. In a nutshell, I am able to present the material in a way that makes sense to YOU. Too many times I have seen students struggling because they were being forced to learn about something that did not interest them. More times than not, this is the underlying problem causing the lack of motivation, disinterest, and often times disengagement from a class and/or academic setting.
I strive to help others succeed at understanding the task/subject at hand. My multi-faceted approach to teaching (and especially one-to-one tutoring) is fueled by my extraordinary patience tethered to my ability to integrate the material and present it in a clear and concise manner that is "tailored" to the student's individual needs (i.e. learning style, learning speed, comprehension, special needs, etc). As a former medical student, I am very familiar with undergraduate and graduate level health and science courses. In the past, I have taught Introduction to Biology Lecture/Lab at a local community college in addition to other courses such as Anatomy & Physiology I & II.
I have a clear calling as a human being to help educate, guide and teach the students of present day because they will be the teachers of tomorrow and the leaders of our future. I have countless "tools" in my Tutor Toolbox that provide me with the ability to Love, Motivate and Teach ANY student (within my subject range) the material they are learning or may be struggling to learn. I have yet to have a single experience where I was unable to efficiently and effectively deliver the overall lesson content. By the same token, I see these individual instances (tutoring sessions) as a means to challenge myself and learn from every person I encounter to further refine my unique multi-modality approach to teaching. In doing so, I am attempting to unify and integrate the (subjective) "classroom experience" with the (objective) "observation & learning" tasks in order to provide a solid foundational basis on which the student can not only learn what is being taught but also potentially discover their academic and/or personal goals, ambitions & interests.
As a teacher/tutor/mentor who has worked with students in all demographic and socioeconomic classes I am probably one of the most easy-going, non-judgemental individuals you will ever meet. I mention this because in today's society many "blurry" lines are present and as a consequence many adolescents and young adults are growing increasingly confused. This most definitely contributes to the lack of direction and motivation present among students across the nation. I put my heart and soul into the work that I do because as a humantarian, I love nothing more than to feel and share the satisfaction that is experienced when something finally "clicks" and it is understood; an "ah-ha" moment. As satisfying as it is for a student when it "clicks," it is equally as gratifying to me because of the deeper understanding I was able to convey.
I possess a Bachelors degree in Biology with a minor in Chemistry from Nova Southeastern University and a Masters degree in Biomedical Sciences from Rutgers Univeristy. I am curently enrolled in school for my second Masters degree in Ayurvedic and Integrative Medicine at Maharishi International University. The subjects I teach and tutor will likely fall into one of two main categories: Biological Sciences or Mathematics. Although these categories account for roughly 85% of the subjects I tutor, I also tutor several other science and miscellaneous classes. These include but are not limited to chemistry (general & organic), physics, environmental science and piano. The most common classes I teach/tutor are as follows:
Biological Sciences:
Anatomy & Physiology, Biology, Genetics, Biochemistry, Cell biology, Zoology, Botany (middle school, high school, and college level)
Mathematics:
All math courses from pre-algebra to pre-calculus (middle school, high school, and college level)
Test Prep:
ACT, SAT, MCAT
Highlights
No reviews (yet)
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
When I first meet a new student I always like to take 10-15 minutes (minimum) to initially get to know them. I generally like to carry on a conversation with the student (and parent) to get an idea about any strengths or weaknesses that they are aware of. I like to learn about the students interests' as I am always looking for ways to apply real-world situations to help encourage and stimulate the learning environment. I feel it is necessary to understand not only where the student is lacking academically, but also the state of their emotional and mental well-being. From there, I will usually proceed and go into the lesson for the day, whether it be homework, assignments or projects, I will be alongside the student helping to guide and direct them to successfully complete and understand the lesson. I will not, however, complete the assignment for the student as this goes against everything I believe. I am not one to use negative reinforcement tactics as I believe condemning a student for not doing something or doing it incorrectly is not beneficial. Rather, if it's done incorrectly, I will ask for them to do it again. If it's wrong again, I will simply reevaluate my teaching standpoint and adjust it accordingly to eventually resonate with the students level of understanding and knowledge.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have taught/tutored in almost every type of academic setting there is. Middle school, high school, college, nursing school. More importantly, I have worked at several companies who specialized in In-home tutoring and one-on-one tutoring. Moreover, most recently I was working in a school-like setting (COVID-pending) that focused on individually tailored curricula for students who had previous issues at public schools or who had disabilities and/or IEP's
Education:
Masters degree in Ayurvedic and Integrative Medicine (Maharishi International University C/O 2022)
Masters degree in Biomedical Sciences (Rutgers University 2012)
Bachelors degree in Biology, minor in Chemistry (Nova Southeastern University 2010)
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
When it comes to pricing it is very difficult to have a single flat rate. The reason for this is because of the many different layers of complexity that are associated with certain subjects. Additionally, the grade level at which the subject demands also contributes to the variability in pricing. For example, as a rule of thumb, it is more expensive to get tutored in college level classes because of the detailed knowledge required to proficiently translate and convey the points of the lesson. From feedback I have received in the past I do know that the qualty of my lessons is high and therefore never set in stone. Is it in-person or online? These are all factors that play a role in the variability of my pricing, however, ballpark figures would be anywhere from $25/hr - $65/hr. As I said, nothing is set in stone and I am always willing to work with my clients and students.
How did you get started teaching?
I began teaching after years and years of friends and family alike telling me how I had a "knack" for explaining things in a way that was easy to understand. All throughout my life Ive had an inquenchable thirst for knowledge (and still do) and the determination and devotion to learn it. Once I began getting rather deep into my studies I realized that I was learning way too much knowledge for just myself. Although it was necessary to learn in order to graduate, I also felt a deeper calling in my heart to show, share and expand on the wealth of knowledge I had accumulated over the years and years in school. Paradoxically, between the 6+ years of college and graduate school and my unparalleled devotion for teaching others' I was able to arrive at a common grounds within myself by integrating these seperate instances into productive experiences with students and teachers. Present day, I am a very knowledgable individual who has an unparalleled devotion towards helping others succeed academically and any toher way that may be appropriate.
What types of students have you worked with?
I have worked with students from grade 5 to college level. I have taught students one-to-one who had IEP's. I have also worked with several students with other mental health issues or disabilities such as ADD/ADHD, depression, bipolar, autism, and aspergers. All students are lovely and it is truly a spectacle to see when they are able to open up and understand content in ways unbeknownst to them.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
A recent event that I am fond of would be the Jupiter and Saturn conjunction that occured this evening, December 21, 2020 for the first time in about 800 years (last time occured in 1226). I hope this is an acceptable event as I was very excited about it. I was even able to get a few clear shots of the planets at sunset.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Advice I would give a student would be to ensure that the teaching candidate was credible and detail oriented. Be sure to pay attention to their knowledge of the subject matter in addition to their time management skills. Are they rushing through the lesson? Do they take too much time recalling or looking back at certain topics?
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
Depending on the needs referenced in this question I would say that students should not think too much prior to approaching me to speak about their needs. Perhaps they do not want to ask a question because they feel that "their needs" are not important enough to be acknowledged. Nevertheless, the student should ask themselves, "have I truly attempted to complete this by myself?" if this is referencing an assignment.