EDUCATION IS THE KINDLING OF A FLAME, NOT THE FILLING OF A VESSEL
-SOCRATES
About me
I have worked as a standardized test writer for seven years, and I have tutored for 30 years. I have also taught in the classroom at the middle-school, high-school, and college levels in subjects such as grammar, reading comprehension, writing, history, and mathematics. I hold two Master’s Degrees (Classics and Ancient History) and a PhD (Education).
-
First and foremost, I love working with teens. I particularly enjoy helping them find their voices and confidence. It’s great to see their test scores and grades improve along the way, of course, but my primary goal is for them to take the lessons of those successes and apply them to their future pursuits.
My background:
Long before becoming a tutor, I majored in Classics and minored in mathematics at Wake Forest University. I then earned a Master’s in Classics at Tulane, followed by a Master’s in Ancient History at the University of Pennsylvania. In both Master’s programs, I had the opportunity to teach and TA college classes, not only at Tulane and Penn, but also at Rutgers (main campus). After that, I moved to Australia with my family, where I completed a PhD in Education at Monash University.
For ten years, I lived between Australia and Singapore, during which I completed my dissertation while adding four children to my family. I also worked for various NGOs, authoring several papers on human rights and a handbook on income inequality.
I moved back to the States in 2017, and since then I have worked as a standardized test writer and tutor. My standardized test writing has largely focused on the subjects of grammar, reading comprehension, and history.
When I tutor, I bring every element of my background — from my PhD in Education to my inside knowledge of standardized tests — to the process. More importantly, though, I bring a sincere commitment to helping my students meet their goals and increase their confidence. I consider my work with a student to have been successful not just when they meet their immediate goals, but when they go on to greater successes long after their time with me.
Tutoring Services
Test Prep (SAT, ACT) — Individual
In-person or virtual tutoring sessions tailored to the student’s individual needs and goals. Flexible scheduling.
-
What’s included:
A careful review of the student’s academic and test-taking background
An individualized test-prep plan based on the student’s strengths, problem areas, and goals.
A tutoring schedule that works for the student.
SAT Prep: Online Group
A four-session series that covers the most efficient and impactful strategies for navigating the four modules of the SAT.
-
What’s covered:
Session 1 (SAT Reading and Writing): Layout of R&W modules; re-ordering the subsections; question types; recommended test-prep materials for each subsection.
Session 2 (SAT R&W): Common tricks and traps per subsection and how to address them.
Session 3 (SAT Math): How to approach the most frequent SAT math question categories.
Session 4 (SAT Math): Common tricks and traps and how to address them.
"Trouble-shooting" Test Prep
This three-session, diagnostic-heavy package is designed for the student who is 50-100 points away from meeting his or her test goal.
-
What’s included:
Student interview and in-depth review of previous test-prep results
Detailed, targeted study plan for student based on problem areas
Second interview with student and review of new practice tests
Detailed, targeted study plan to address any remaining gaps in performance
SAT/ACT Diagnostic Package
My holistic diagnostic process looks at both content-knowledge and suitability to test styles and strategies. My recommendation comes with a test-prep road map for the student based on data and a student interview.
-
Most SAT/ACT diagnostics only test superficial content knowledge, while most students struggle more with the format and styles of the tests than the content.
I have used my years of test-writing experience to design a diagnostic that captures not only holes in content-knowledge, but vulnerabilities to test-writers’ tricks. The latter tends to be much more important in determining which test would be more closely suited to each student’s abilities.
My process:
1. The student takes the diagnostic and answers a few qualitative questions at the end of each section to capture comfort level with various question types.
2. I review the material and draw preliminary conclusions.
3. I sit down with the student for an informal chat about their test-taking experience and my interpretations of the data.
4. I make a test recommendation and provide an individualized study plan for content, test-taking tips, and strategies for navigating test sections.
We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit.
—Aristotle
College Essay Support
Help with writing primary and supplementary college essays that reflect the student’s unique voice and perspective.
-
Incudes any or all of the following:
Brainstorming
Developing ideas
Organizing content
Editing
Academic Tutoring — Individual
One-on-one sessions, either in person or virtual, tailored to the individual needs and learning styles of the student.
-
Subjects: Math (through pre-calculus), ELA, social studies, essay writing, grammar, and Latin.
What we work on: Content mastery, test-taking skills, review and retention of material, and confidence.
Writing and Grammar — Online Group
An eight-week program that familiarizes students with the skills involved in writing a five-paragraph essay
-
What we work on:
Composing an effective paragraph (topic sentence, command of evidence, conclusion, transition)
Editing (self and peers)
Giving and receiving constructing feedback
Planning and writing a five-paragraph essay
