Occasio Prep

My primary goal when working with a new student is to get to know the student well: where are they currently at in the subject, where do they want to go in the subject, what are their common difficulties, and, most importantly, what are their overall academic goals. While this varies from subject to subject, it usually begins with a quick diagnostic assessment in the first session along with just chatting, getting to know the student better.

I have a bachelor's degree in political science and a juris doctor (law degree), and am certified in Texas for social studies, business, finance, speech, and working with GT students. I have extensive experience in tutoring, dating back to my days in high school and through college. For the past five years I have been a certified teacher in the classroom, teaching a wide variety of students in middle school and high school as well as coaching competitive high school debate. My tutoring and teaching experience runs across a wide variety of subjects, age ranges, and skill levels. I also provide test preparation for PSAT/SAT, GRE, and the LSAT, tests that I have personally scored highly on and have helped others do so as well.

I price by the hour, and generally run one-hour sessions at a time. For most subjects, my base rate is $50/hour. For test prep, AP courses, and writing, my rate increases in response to the difficulty of the material.

I tutored in high school, but really got started teaching courses in college as a part-time job, teaching PSAT/SAT prep classes for a large tutoring company. I've always gravitated to teaching others, preferably in a small-group environment.

I have worked with all sorts of students, ranging from third graders to college students aspiring to grad school. Some students needed additional help with topics covered in school, while others were looking for advanced material beyond what their school work provided. In regards to test prep, I've worked with students at all skill levels and all sorts of college goals. In the classroom, I've taught a diverse range of students from all skill levels and socioeconomic backgrounds.

When looking to hire a teacher, obviously you should find one who knows their stuff. If they don't know the material well, they'll have a difficult time getting you to know the material well. Beyond that, the real key to successful tutoring is making sure the tutor's teaching style is compatible with your learning needs. Do they care about what you want to achieve? Do they have a plan for you to actually achieve those things? Is the tutoring tailored to you and your specific needs? The power of tutoring is in its flexibility and responsiveness: it's a tailored experience, and the tutor you are looking to hire should approach it as such.

Above all, students should be honest with themselves and their tutor. What do you feel like you know well? What do you know you don't know well? What are the times you like the subject you are learning? What are the times you don't like that subject? The student should really think about their goals and what they want to achieve. This will inform what the tutoring will work for, and how it will operate.