About
My name is Cynthia Alliston, and I've been working as a private ELA (English language Arts) tutor for about 4 years. I have a Bachelor of Arts degree with Advanced English coursework in all ELA subjects including reading, grammar, and writing skills.
I love tutoring; it is my passion! I thoroughly enjoy helping children and my adult clients work towards achieving their full potential. My tutoring style is personable, engaging, collaborative, and fun. I actively communicate with each child's parents throughout the tutoring process. Sharing children's ELA test scores, areas for improvement, and their progress is important towards achieving each child's learning goals.
My clients range in age from 5-15, and adult clients, too. I specialize in all ELA subjects, including spelling, grammar, reading and comprehension, writing, and cursive writing skills.
Specialties
Student age
Current speaking level
Student's goals
Reviews
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Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
I communicate directly with parents to determine their child's learning goals, and develop a plan to achieve them. We would work together weekly as mutually agreed upon to achieve their child's learning objectives. We can adjust our tutoring plan as needed to accommodate the child's evolving learning needs.
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I have a Bachelor's degree in Sociology and Business Management, a prior professional leadership career in Human Resources and Organizational Development, and professional tutoring experience in English, Reading, Grammar, Language Comprehension, and Writing skills.
Do you have a standard pricing system for your lessons? If so, please share the details here.
My current tutoring rate is $40.00 per hour for an hour long (60 minutes) tutoring session in my clients' homes. If desired, 45 minute sessions are $35.00 per session.
If a family may have 2 children requiring tutoring services, I typically recommend 45 minutes per child, for a total of 1 & 1/2 hours with both children. My current rate for 2 adjacent sessions totalling 1 & 1/2 hours is $60.00.
Note: Rate Schedule Updated: September 2022
How did you get started teaching?
In my prior Human Resources and Organizational Development career, most of my positions included training and educating executives, managers, and employees on various HR/OD initiatives, policies, practices, and programs. After retiring from my Corporate HR/OD career in October 2015, I thought extensively about the type of work that I would like to do on a part-time basis. I have always enjoyed communicating with children. Given the adverse educational impacts resulting from the COVID pandemic, it was clear that there is a major need for tutors to work 1:1 with children of all ages and grade levels. I have have strong ELA (English Language Arts) skills, and was subsequently drawn to ELA tutoring.
Since June 2021, I have been actively tutoring children between the ages of 5-14 years old. Through my tutoring efforts, I have been able to improve my clients' reading and ELA test scores significantly. I use praise, recognition, and reinforcement techniques to reward positive outcomes. My tutoring style is engaging, fun, energetic, and collaborative.
I also firmly believe in keeping parents informed regarding their child's tutoring progress, and will make adjustments as needed to accommodate the evolving needs of my clients.
What types of students have you worked with?
Currently, I am working with children and pre-teens between the ages of 5-14, in Kindergarten through 9th grades.
In addition to tutoring Kindergarten through High School students, during 2021, I worked with college age young and older adult students to assist them in researching and writing both Bachelor's and Master's degree program coursework, essays, and papers.
I am also available to tutor adults who may desire to improve their business and/or personal writing skills, memoirs, etc. Adult ELA objectives may include improving one's grammar, spelling, reading comprehension skills, etc. Objectives are focused on what may be required to improve the adult's writing skills.
Describe a recent event you are fond of.
There have been many rewarding experiences while tutoring my clients over this past year. Some of the most rewarding events are when I receive feedback - either directly or indirectly - that my students really enjoy and have fun working with me, have expanded their ELA knowledge, learned new things about themselves, improved their ELA test scores, or positively navigated new school or social situations. Sometimes non-ELA conversations may occur during our 1:1 ELA tutoring sessions, and when they occur, they present opportunities to coach and mentor my students.
I strongly believe that every child and adult has great worth, specific gifts and traits that make them unique individuals, and personal attributes and strengths to share with others as they go out into the world to contribute their talents in society and eventually, the world of work.
Many of my students' parents have expressed deep appreciation for not only my tutoring efforts and results with their children, but also for the informal coaching and mentoring that I may provide with their child, as their curiosity, concerns, and questions may arise regarding social or school situations they may encounter ( e.g. bullying, socially fitting in, making new friends, etc ) . I am happy to coach and mentor my students as such situation or concerns may arise.
What advice would you give a student looking to hire a teacher in your area of expertise?
Let's meet, determine if there's a good fit re: working with your child/ren, and begin working together! 😊📚📖
What questions should students think through before talking to teachers about their needs?
- What ELA subjects is my child struggling with?
- What have my child's recent test scores revealed (areas of strength and areas for improvement)?
- What tutoring efforts (if any) have been tried? What tutoring methods worked or may not have worked for your child?
- What learning methodologies will the tutor use with my child?
,- Inform the tutor of any special needs, learning issues, the child's motivators, special interests, sports they like, etc.