Harris Upper Level Math Wizardry

For families not sure they want to go the tutoring route, I like to meet with them (student and/or parent) for about 30 minutes. For families who want tutoring to start yesterday, I like to meet with them for about an hour or so.
That first time I like to get to know them a little and for them to get to know me. I ask them about school, about their course load, what their goals are for their future. I talk to them about their current course and where they feel that they are struggling and what they want to get out of the tutoring experience. 

After talking for a bit we either set up a time(s) for tutoring to commence or we start a session. For older students I will exchange phone numbers so that they can contact me directly with questions or scheduling. If the student it younger, I have direct contact with the parent only. 
For the first tutoring session, I ask that they bring prior tests/assessments for me to look over so that I can get a sense of what their teacher is seeing and so that I can have a starting point to help them. 

For my undergrad degree, I majored in mathematics and also education with a minor in chemistry. I graduated with a BS in Mathematics in 1992. 

I have a Master's degree in Education and am currently taking graduate level mathematics courses to also be able to once again teach at the college level. 

I have been teaching high school mathematics since 1993. I have also taught at JCCC from 1999-2003 and continue to teach a College Now course at my high school. I have tutored almost every year since my freshmen year of high school. 

I charge $60-75/session depending upon the number of hours utilized per week. My sessions run about 60-70 minutes. If we are working on a problem or almost finish with a test review, I like to make sure the student is comfortable with what we have done before we finish.

$75/session
$140/2 sessions
$200/3 sessions
$250/4 sessions
$60/hour for 5+hours/week.

Payment is rendered after the first session. 

ACT tutoring is $75/hour as this requires me to do additional work outside of the tutoring window. 

My dad. When I was about 8 years old my dad took me to his mathematics class where he was teaching future engineers. He would have me do problems on the board for his class. I was hooked! I switched schools between middle school and high school and my high school required Algebra 1 to be taken at the high school. Since I had taken the course during th 8th grade, that meant I had to repeat the course to fulfill the school's graduation requirment. I took it, along with another math course, and also tutored other students who were struggling to pass it their first go around. I continued to tutor my classmates for free the rest of my high school career. 

In college I tutored (mostly calculus) in the campus tutoring center all 4 years and also tutored local high school students in Algebra 1, 2, and Geometry. 

After I began teaching, I would tutor whoever/whatever as a side job. 

I have worked with students ...
a) who do not like math and struggle to make sense of it all. 
b) who are smart but their math course is kicking their tail and just need some extra support. 
c) who have a love of math but are taking such a heavy course load they just need to hear the material again.
d) who want to get an A in their advanced course where they are having to work so much harder than they have had to before.
e) who want to boost their ACT score for more scholarship money. 
f) who have a learning (dis)ability. Dyslexia, autism, ADHD, anxiety to name a few.

I am going to list two, one personal and one about a student.

The most recent personal event would be just this last weekend. My daughter was just able to get our dog into her apartment a few months ago and I watch the dog on occassion. This last week was one of these times. On her last night at my house the dog must have sensed it was her last night and she was stuck to me like glue; I moved, she moved. When I finally headed to bed, she curled up next to me and leaned her head over my leg and just sighed and continued to stare at me as she inched close as she could. She was like that for a good half hour or so. Made my heart melt. 

The most recent student event would be just a couple weeks ago. I put stickers on perfect score quizzes for my honors precalculus class. One student has been struggling to get an A on his quizzes let alone a perfect score. Finally he got a perfect score and when he picked up his quiz off my desk, he exclaimed 'yes' under his breath as he walked away. 

Make sure the teacher is passionate about the subject and that they have taught the course. To be an effective tutor, you must know the course and what the professor/College Board is looking for. 

Before seeking a tutor: 

Have I tried my best?
Have I been doing my best during class?
Have I gone in for help?
Have I tried seeking help from a classmate?
Do I need a tutor?

What do I want my tutor to do for me?
Am I able to fit a tutor into my schedule?
Where would I meet my tutor?
Am I comfortable with the suggested location?