Success And Study Skills

I try to get to know them a little, first and foremost, talking about their classes, what things they love and what things they hate, what they struggle with, how they study, if there are any challenges they have at home - time management, sibling interruptions, managing a part time job with their school schedule, etc. I try to figure out what their individual needs are and create goals and plans on how to push them over any hurdles they may face. Sometimes, it's as simple as creating a system to help them remember homework assignments. Sometimes, it's helping them create an environment with fewer distractions. Sometimes, they need a plan for when and how to study. Each student is different and finding out in which areas they struggle is huge!

I prefer to have lesson materials before a session - whether it's sharing online course documents or texting a photo of an assignment - so that I have some time to prep if possible, but I can usually jump right in when necessary and work through it with them. 

I studied English, Secondary Education, and Psychology at the College of Charleston for three years with the intent to become a high school English teacher but had to drop out after getting very sick in my junior year. I was working three jobs to support my family and going to school full time and pushed myself too far. I began working with children when I decided I needed a change, to slow down, and quickly realized it was exactly what I needed - the ability to still work with kids and give them individualized one on one attention and often give them more support than I ever would have been able to in a traditional setting. On top of that, it was a valuable lesson that has made it much easier to relate to and advise the students I teach. I've been there! Through mental health struggles, managing a job and school and family responsibilities, having difficult conversations with parents and teachers, learning to ask for help, and knowing when to put your health first. 

I have also been speaking Spanish for nearly 20 years, with 7 years of formal study. I am mostly fluent, though I still struggle a bit conversationally. 

My rates range from $20-45 an hour, depending on the complexity of the material and taking into account any necessary travel or additional preparation/research. These rates can be somewhat negotiable depending on a family's financial needs and the amount of hours available. I try my best to work with each person/family, though I have to make a living too! I will offer a quote for an hourly rate once I am aware of what the job entails and will try to cut a break where I can. I can price online sessions lower than in person ones, especially in the current climate, as they are lest costly for me in terms of transportation. 

I was always that annoying kid in class who got the material way too quickly. My teachers often had to give me extra work to occupy me because what we were learning was often not challenging enough and though I didn't realize I had it then, ADHD made me act out if I got bored. 

I really enjoyed helping my classmates though and started tutoring in high school. I faced a lot of adversity growing up and found very little compassion or patience in my teachers. Even in high school, I was already working to support my family, caring for a dying grandmother before and after school each day, and trying to manage schoolwork, all while dealing with an abusive home environment and untreated mental illness. By the time I reached college, with more unsympathetic professors and little support system, I realized I wanted to do more than what was done for me. Teachers are stressed and overburdened, but sadly, they also often don't take into account their students individual situations or struggles. I wanted to be all the things so many of my teachers weren't - supportive, patient, kind, understanding - and to create a safe space for my students. We never know what struggles kids are facing. Often, all they need is kindness and respect. 

I have worked with students of all ages, from preschoolers to college age students. I have homeschooled and done more intensive private tutoring with both middle and high school students. As stated, I have worked with a variety of mental illnesses - ADHD, depression, bipolar disorder, anxiety, generalized anxiety disorder, and autism spectrum disorder. I've also worked with LGBTQ+ youth and had special training in working with their unique needs. 

A student I homeschooled through most of high school recently got accepted to the Citadel and completed his freshman year on the dean's list. I was enormously proud to watch him grow from someone who really struggled with studying to a very serious student with so much confidence and drive for his future. He became like a little brother to me over the years, and it was really fulfilling to see how hard he's worked to stand on his own and thrive without my help. 

Find someone who can communicate with you effectively. If you sit in class and struggle to understand the concepts and look at the material and just feel lost like it's a foreign language, find someone who can help you break it down in a way that makes sense to you. This is often the hardest part. So much of learning is just "translating" what you are trying to understand in a way that your brain can interpret. Don't feel like you are somehow lacking or broken or stupid because you don't understand something. We are all different, and we all learn in different ways. The struggle is just in finding what way works for you. Once you know that? You can learn anything you set your mind to. 

Sadly, the hardest part of talking to a teacher is often anticipating how they will perceive your request. I frequently teach my students communication strategies - how to sound mature/like an adult - which realistically is an effective tool that they can carry further in life into the workplace. Talking to someone about your needs is about being clear and direct, being respectful of their position, informing them of why you have a problem, and making specific and realistic requests. Learning to advocate for yourself is a challenge we all face. The first step is often just educating people or communicating things that may be difficult to describe or open up about.