Find a Local Tutor Who Gets It

I believe I would be a great tutor with Grade Potential because I love working with students. As a high school senior working with my own group of 2nd and 3rd graders I realized that I enjoy enlightening students, and getting them excited about learning. I decided to major in liberal studies at Cal Poly to advance towards becoming an elementary school teacher. Now, as a senior in college entering the credential program, I hope to use what I have learned throughout my college career to tutor others. I have maintained a 3.7 GPA and learned not only what to teach students, but how. In my classes, it is emphasized how students perceive different problems. Why is math so difficult for some students? How can concepts be presented to children so they gain a conceptual understanding rather than a procedural understanding. I have held different professional positions ranging from a Lead Tutor to an Office assistant, all which require reliability and punctuality. I have learned to organize and time manage in order to be as efficient as possible for myself and those around me.

I would be a good tutor because I have a lot of experience in working with children, especially in a small group or one-on-on setting. All of my higher level education has prepared me to work with children and be an effective teacher. My undergraduate education in Liberal Studies gives me a balanced strength in various subjects, especially those that pertain to the K-6 grades. My credential and masters equip me to know how to, then, apply that knowledge and teach the material. I know how to scaffold learning so that it is appropriate to each student. I can tap into multiple intelligences (visual, spatial, verbal, kinesthetic, etc.) that pertain to each student so they can understand the material in a way that comes easily (and is more enjoyable). I am also good at building good relationships with students so they feel safe and comfortable to try something new or hard, even if they make a mistake. I am, naturally, a very reliable and responsible worker. Through my education and current part-time job as an instructional assistant in a classroom, I have developed a strong work ethic that values the time and energy of co-workers, parents, and students. I am always upfront and honest about my availability. I am also strong at keeping a good relationship and open communication with students and their families.

I have a natural love and passion for helping others and I knew this passion would ultimately be my life. What I love most about teaching is the learning experience and those "aha!" moments. Helping people understand the world around them by educating them is vey rewarding and very important. My goal is to apply to the Peace Corps upon receiving my teaching credential so I can teach and help those in need abroad.In regards to being responsible, as an employee of Grade Potential I will have the pleasure of working with students in need of help and who rely on me to be there for them. That being so, it is my job to not fail these students and that means being there on the allotted days at the allotted times. As someone who has decided they want a teaching career, being present is synonymous with teaching. However, I am very responsible, my last job requiring tight deadlines and turnaround times, constant updates to the client, etc. I will not let you or your students down.

I believe I would be a good candidate for this program because I have a wide variety of life experiences to draw from - and experience working with a range of age groups. I thoroughly enjoy working with children, teens, young adults, and adults. I am outgoing, personable, reliable, and friendly. I have creative ideas with regards to learning, and I am not fixated on any one "right" way to learn. I believe in trying a variety of approaches in order to open up my students' minds to the subjects we are studying.

During my college career, I have earned excellent grades in a variety of classes, and I understand that personal achievement of excellent grades is only the most basic qualification a tutor must possess. I pride myself on my honesty and punctuality, and I do everything in my power not to disappoint others or miss appointments. I always make sure that I schedule appointments, classes, and work shifts with plenty of time in between for any necessary transportation. I genuinely enjoy tutoring, which I think is essential for someone who aspires to tutor successfully long-term. I enjoy explaining concepts and watching students' faces light up when they finally understand something. I am confident in my ability to help students with writing and Communication classes. This is evidenced by my Santa Barbara City College tutees' improvement after their sessions with me. Students have thanked me for clarifying concepts and ideas in an understandable way. Tutoring is an ideal career path for me, and Grade Potential would provide that opportunity.

Through my personal and professional experiences, I know I would be a highly-qualified tutor for Grade Potential. I am extremely confident in my teaching pedagogy and firmly believe that all students (regardless of gender, ethnicity or socioeconomic status) are capable of achieving academically through enough scaffolding and supports. My time teaching in Los Angeles has given me much experience working with ELLs and students with learning disabilities. I am also extremely passionate about closing the achievement gap and have had success working with students 3-4 years behind their higher achieving peers. I've been recognized as a leader amongst my teaching peers, and have the opportunity to lead professional development sessions on topics such as data driven assessments, engagement in the classroom, and unit planning. I have also regularly coached first year teachers at my school site. In my first year of teaching, I had 84% of my students score proficient or advanced on our district benchmark exam; in my second and third years of teaching, that number jumped to 95% and 97%. I enjoy teaching and have recently moved to the Santa Barbara area for graduate school in education.

I would be a good tutor for Grade Potential because I have experience both tutoring and teaching. By combining the skills I have developed from my tutoring and teaching experiences I have developed the necessary skills to help students reach their goals. With my experience tutoring I was very reliable and only missed one appointment in over a year of work (due to illness). My primary goal is to help students succeed, and I am willing to do whatever it takes to make sure that happens.I tutored AP Biology, Biology, Algebra 2, Geometry, SAT Biology, and SAT Math at Honors Review Tutoring in Santa Clarita from June of 2012 until August of 2013 when I moved out to Westlake Village. During that time I was also doing private tutoring of Junior High School.

I'm excited to work for Grade Potential because I want to help students feel better about themselves. With the emphasis placed on achieving high grades, the only way to succeed in school is to become very comfortable with learning. Sometimes the teaching style of a particular teacher and student does not match up and I would like to be there to help the student understand the material being taught. I believe the best way to teach is to cover the basics first, then expound on the details afterward. Another important element in learning is developing critical thinking. I would encourage the student to interpret the correct answer through observation of patterns or context clues so they can eventually develop the ability to teach themselves. I would be a reliable person to hire because I understand the value of time and the reflection that my behavior has on the image of Grade Potential. My work experience has shown me the level of professionalism required in any job setting and I expect to transfer these ideals to my work with Grade Potential.