About
Brain On Tutoring strives to be responsive to the goals of unique student and parent teams. The aim is to make the best of the time, energy, and talents at everyone’s disposal.
Elementary, middle, and high school are places for learning how to learn. Not only do students pick up the basics that will carry them through college and future professions, they figure out how to acquire and apply knowledge. Tutoring can provide students with insight and guidance through that process. Good study habits and organization, awareness of mastery of knowledge, and confidence in their ability to take on academic challenges are all enhanced by tutoring. Unlike in most school settings, tutoring offers one-on-one focus and feedback on both the subject matter and on the student’s experience of learning.
Amanda Halperin, the owner and primary tutor of the company, faced many obstacles in her own academic career, including ADHD and a parent who was attending college while working full time. Nevertheless, she obtained her BA in Medieval Studies and Communication at UC Davis and her Master’s in Public History from CSU East Bay. She also completed all the medical school prerequisites through Organic Chemistry. Her experience with designing systems for a rigorous academic environment helps her guide students successfully through the same process.
In her over seven years as an educational professional, she has tutored kindergarteners to graduate students, taught junior college classes, and designed curriculum.
Subjects Taught
Math
Elementary Math
Middle School Math
Pre-Algebra
Algebra 1
Algebra 2
Geometry
Trigonometry
Pre-Calculus
English for K-12 and College
Writing Basics: grammar, citations, vocabulary, and quotations
Writing Essays: making a claim, supporting claims with evidence, structuring an argument, logically explaining evidence, organization, transitions, and many more
Writing Narratives: characters, dialogue, plot, and story
Reading: identifying key ideas and details, literary analysis, and understanding craft and structure
Social Studies for K-12 and College
All historical subjects
Psychology
Government and Politics
Research Skills
History essays and formatting
Science
Elementary Science
Middle School Science
Biology
Earth Sciences
Environmental Sciences
Chemistry
Zoology
I am inveterately curious about how people's brains work. When I received my ADHD diagnosis in my late 20s and was finally presented with systems and strategies designed for my learning style, it was a revelation. As I've gained more experience as a tutor, I've discovered that, lo and behold, many students who end up in tutoring also have learning differences. Coming up with systems that work with instead of against those differences is one of my great pleasures as a tutor. I especially love the moments when students realize that they could be good at learning if only they figure out how they learn best.
Reviews
Amanda P.
Drew M.
Kirsten S.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
The goal of a first session with a new student is to determine whether my teaching style is a good fit with their learning style. To this end, I generally begin the session by introducing myself, explaining that I enjoy figuring out how people think and learn, and asking them what they would like to accomplish with tutoring. As they tell me about their goals, I ask clarifying questions and come up with a few ideas of how to approach the materials. I briefly explain those plans, ask the student which one they'd like to try, and then we try it. I keep iterating that process through the rest of the session, refining our methodology problem-to-problem. By the end of the session, I generally have a good idea of what approaches will prove successful and whether a student and I will work well together. To solidify all that, I write a summary of what we worked on, recommendations for practice during the week, and send it on to the student and/or parent.