Joyful Learning - Academic Subjects & Test Prep
About
Looking for an in-depth, personalized, compassionate educator? Look no further - I am here for all of your academic needs, be that math, science, English, history, Latin, or test prep for any college admissions standardized test (ACT, SAT and subject tests, AP exams) AND the New York State Regents Exams.
Fast Facts About Me:
- Columbia University alumna (B.A., Neuroscience, 2017)
- 9 years tutoring experience
- 4 years homeschool teaching experience
- All high school subjects except spoken foreign languages (I teach Latin up to the collegiate level)
- Flexible hours
- Personalized lesson plans
I have been tutoring for the past 9 years, and I work with students from all backgrounds and skill levels to help them realize their fullest academic potential. More then that, my goal is to help students begin to love learning if they don't already, no matter how difficult the subject is.
As a high school student, I scored a perfect 2400 on the 2010 SAT as well as 800s on my subject tests in math, science, and history, and I've been working to help students achieve those same stellar scores ever since.
Highlights
Reviews
Sam F.
Frequently asked questions
What is your typical process for working with a new student?
1) Initial Consultation: this is usually a meeting with the student and parent(s) to discuss academic and organizational goals, major issues, preferences for communication, and scheduling.
2) For Test Prep students, a diagnostic exam. I proctor a full-length diagnostic for whatever test the student is prepping for, with all the formal timing protocols, and then we go over it together. This allows me to see where strengths and weaknesses are regarding logical reasoning and content. If the student is not preparing for a standardized test, we will do a thorough review of old assessments and assignments they have completed in the subject we are working on together.
3) Start sessions! These can be weekly minimum or more than once a week, and I typically recommend sessions are between 1-3 hours, as most students typically max out at that point.
4) Regular communication as per parent requests. My baseline is to send weekly check-in emails/texts summarizing what we've done that week, upcoming assignments or assessments, and goals for next week. This can be more or less frequent depending on the parent's level of involvement, and I am also happy to coordinate with other tutors or learning specialists as needed.
5) Watch the progress happen!
What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
My bachelor's degree is in neuroscience, and I have worked in clinical research for many years, so my pedagogical techniques are all heavily based in sound scientific principles of learning and memory. Efficient studying is infinitely better than endless hours, and my goal is always to increase comprehension AND retention simultaneously.
As an avid reader and lifelong learner myself, I take tutoring seriously and stay up to date on educational literature and psychological studies about stress, information acquisition, and best practices for working with students with learning disabilities.
Although this is not always the case, sometimes emotions can run high when struggling with an academic subject, and as a trained crisis counselor, my empathetic listening skills have come in handy more than once.