Find a Local Tutor Who Gets It

I am a California credentialed teacher in all sciences with more than seven years teaching experience. I also have experience in tutoring at the elementary, secondary and collegiate levels. I owned my own science education consulting business and served as presenter at conferences.high school: chemistry; biology; physics; algebra 1; geometry, algebra 2; economics; statistics, government; history; English language arts; Spanish elementary: math; ELA collegiate: general chemistry; statistics; biochemistry

I have always performed well as a student, achieving a 4.2 GPA at Villanova Preparatory High School and a 3.25 GPA at UCLA. At Villanova, I scored a 1370/1600 on the old version of the SAT, and earned a 4/5 on the AP English and US History exams. My professional experiences have given me the opportunity to grow comfortable interacting with youth in a variety of settings. As the administrative manager for an environmental youth employment program known as Concerned Resources & Environmental Workers ("The CREW"), I worked with youth ages 14 and older doing recruiting at local high schools and colleges, in addition to my main administrative duties, from 2009-2011. As a full-time ESL teacher in Seoul, Korea, I taught English to students grades 1-6 from 2011-2013. I became adept at handling large classrooms, as well as smaller ones with more of a one-on-one learning environment.

I get really excited about teaching - something that I have wanted to do in a more organized or professional way since grade school. My outlet for that has been in college and as a professional engineer - mentoring employees to learn and improve skills. Next, I love to learn and am an avid reader. I always want to know something new - I follow the news on TV, radio and internet pretty religiously. I read about new technologies, new products and new ideas. I am always fascinated by our natural environment and love to pass on that excitement to others. I love to discuss things - there is a world of learning available by interacting with other people. I suppose I can say that I am reliable - hmm - how to prove it? I feel bad if I let someone down so I try to avoid that. I have fostered young children that have been neglected and/or abused so that takes a significant commitment. My wife and I have had our own successful retail business (florist) so I can say that we were both committed to going above and beyond to make sure our customers were satisfied. Part of our business was weddings and events - so we had to be timely for those. Finally, I also have a variety of career and professional experience to draw upon - including free-lance writing for magazines, auto mechanic and auto shop owner, racing car construction, race team management, manufacturing engineering, construction and restoration of historic buildings, 120v electrical installation, hydronic heating systems, CAD/CAM design, operating various machines including CNC mills and lathes, grinders, gearcutters and presses. I am proficient with computers and Microsoft Office, have done some network admin and have some maintenance and troubleshooting skills. I have also traveled to every one of the United States and have met and interacted with people from all states and many foreign countries. I have also traveled in Canada, Mexico and Europe. I think these wide-ranging experiences will help me relate to learners in a variety of ways.

I have a genuine desire to help students achieve their goals. For example, when I tutored in high school, I found it extremely exciting when my student said that she aced her integration pop-quiz because of the advice I gave her. It was one of the most fulfilling experiences I had. Aside from my honest passion for helping others, I can communicate my knowledge effectively, and if the people I am helping don't seem to understand, I always try a different approach until it "clicks."I can be relied upon to keep my appointments and commitments simply because I love to help others, and thus would never want to let them down.

If I've ever had anything that I've been good at, it's writing an essay. I've always just had a natural talent for letting words flow and I'm the go to girl for all my friends for essay help in school. I also love to see the a-ha moments. I love to work at showing others that they have what it takes to learn. I get other students realize their potential and that's why I love helping students in reading. I was also am bilingual in English and Spanish; Spanish being my first language. I moved here when I was six and consider my self to have a great grasp on both languages.

I excelled academically, but I suspect that this alone would not qualify me or anyone else to be a tutor. The characteristics I would value most from a tutor include empathy, patience, respect, and the ability to listen--and these are the qualities I would try hard to bring to each session.Barring significant unforeseen circumstances, I don't miss appointments of any sort, let alone professional ones. I have reliable transportation, and I consult with my day planner regularly in order to stay on top of my schedule.

Having just finished my undergraduate degree in psychology at UCSB, I know that I have the skills to tailor and relay knowledge efficiently to prospective students. I pride myself on my patience, creativity, and ability to communicate effectively with a great deal of varying and unique individuals. I hope to engage students to critically think about their work, in an effort to better facilitate not only their success in their specified course, but also in life. Reliable and punctual, I manage my time quite well. If Grade Potential (and their patrons) is willing to hire me, there is no acceptable reason that I should not fulfill the requirements expected of me as a tutor to the absolute fullest. I take commitments very seriously, and pride myself in being a dependable employee.

I believe I would make an excellent tutor for Grade Potential because I have years of tutoring experience, a Master's degree in Reading Education, and a passion for helping students feel successful in their academic pursuits. This semester, I will be teaching one class at Santa Barbara City College, which gives me a flexible schedule to tutor students throughout the week.I have been a Gateway tutor at Santa Barbara City College in the English Skills department since 2011. I have tutored for English 70, English 80, English 100, and English 103 at Santa Barbara City College. I will be teaching Finance 100: Personal Money Management at Santa Barbara City College this spring.I have some experience working as a private tutor for a high school student in Santa Barbara. I tutored this student in English and Geometry.I also have experience teaching English abroad in Galicia, Spain.