Find a Local Tutor Who Gets It

My passion in life is to mentor and be a cheerleader for the success of others. I get really excited about seeing people accomplish their goals as a result of our work together. Because I experience learning challenges myself (comprehension & retention), I am very sensitive to the fact that students learn in different ways. As a result, I pay close attention concerning how to best deliver material. In reference to my own academic career one of the things of which I am most proud is the fact that in spite of having difficulties with comprehension & retention, I graduated with a 4.0 GPA for my Master's degree.As for reliability, I will be happy to provide references. Knowing that others can depend on me is very important to me.

I make the learning process a fun and enjoyable experience while getting the materials absorbed. I work as a professional musician, and all that relates, so one of the major defining characteristics of my livelihood is punctuality and being reliable.I have been teaching students one-on-one privately for over 15 years. I have also taught extracircular courses at Montecito Union for group classes 4th, 5th, & 6th grades

I love relating ideas to students. I have been told since childhood that I have a gift in explaining things clearly in an exciting way which catches the student's interest. I have a wide range of knowledge in the history of civilization, religions, mythology, philosophy, and psychology at my disposal to make a topic relevant to the individual. I am empathic, sensitive, and can create safe boundaries which encourage students to excel. I am positive, encouraging and will try several different approaches to explain concepts which a student may not grasp at first. Because of my Socratic method of teaching and experience in Montessori method I can often elicit responses from students so that they get the "Aha!" experience which makes the knowledge their own.With over 40 years of experience I know how important consistency and reliability are for both the student and the teacher. I only make promises I intend to keep. If I make a mistake I apologize, so we can move on.

In a sense, I have been tutoring students throughout my career, since teaching English often requires individual work with students to help explain concepts and to further them in their writing projects. Additionally I come to tutoring with a very strong background in working with students from a variety of cultural backgrounds, having taught English in a Japanese school in Kanawaza, Japan as well as in the United States in an multicultural ESL program. Teaching a college level Study Skills seminar has also proved invaluable coupled with classroom teaching experience. Each of these teaching environments required new, innovative approaches, not unlike what is needed in a tutoring situation, assessing individual needs and adapting to how best to serve those needs. I like to motivate and challenge, all the while bringing enthusiasm and a love for the subject matter to students. Coupled with that is my commitment to being trustworthy and responsible.

I am very interested in improving people's writing, and I know a lot of simple techniques for improving rhetorical writing or argumentative essays, based on my philosophy and journalism classes. As a journalist I mastered the basics of English grammar and composition. As a graduate student I was exposed to a lot of seminar-style courses that improved my ability to speak publicly and to communicate ideas to my fellow students.

As an undergraduate, I volunteered at numerous middle schools and elementary schools in the Santa Barbara area. I was able to help students in math and science during instructional time as well as during lunch and after school. In my volunteer teaching, student teaching, and regular teaching, I have always had to be on time and reliable. I have never been to work late. I understand the importance of doing what is expected of you, which includes being punctual, professional, and somebody who students feel they can rely on and feel comfortable around.While student teaching 6th grade, I tutored small groups and individuals during lunch for students who opted to come in for extra help.

I would make an excellent tutor for Grade Potential for several reasons. While most people are able to relate to the frustrations that come with not understanding material, my interest in counseling and bounty of patience will allow me to provide both an encouraging and comforting learning environment. Also, having difficulty myself with conventional learning tactics, I am skilled at thinking outside the box. I find that I learn best when using metaphors, acronyms and the comparison of current events, as i'm sure others do as well. Finally, while I do not have previous tutoring experience, I do have immense job experience which has led me to be proficient in both explanation and composure.

I believe I would be an asset because I'm kind, understanding, patient and understand how frustrating the process can be if a student doesn't understand the material. I believe in finding creative ways to help students learn and finding a way that works for them. I have been very successful in the past and find it very rewarding having a student feel more confident about themselves and their work.