All of
Dana’s current tutoring subjects are listed at the left. You
can read more about
Dana’s qualifications in specific subjects below.
ACT English
I help clients work to improve their understanding of the six elements of effective writing tested on the ACT, and I also provide guidance concerning study methods, test-taking strategies, and reducing test-day anxiety.
ACT Math
I can help clients review the math concepts commonly tested on the ACT. Just as importantly, I help clients stay on track with their study program while providing valuable insight into things like how to read and answer standardized test questions, how to budget your time during the test, and how to prepare yourself mentally for the big day.
ACT Reading
So much of being a successful test-taker is reading those questions and answers efficiently. I help clients identify weaknesses in their current approaches and share effective strategies for reading the test.
Algebra 1
I was always about three years ahead of schedule in Math, and I scored high on the Math sections of standardized tests with no preparation. I believe my success was the result of using a reasoning-based approach instead of relying too heavily on memorization, and this is the approach I share with my Algebra tutoring clients.
Anatomy
I'm a certified personal trainer with several nationally recognized group fitness certification. My lifelong participation in sports sparked my interest in muscular anatomy, physical fitness, and sports performance, and I enjoy helping clients gain a clearer understanding of these subjects.
Bar Exam
I successfully passed two bar exams on the first try, and in the process I developed several effective, time-saving strategies. I can help clients stick to a study plan; provide them with useful study tricks; and share general tips for staying calm, budgeting time, and writing great essay answers on test day.
Bodybuilding
In addition to being a certified personal trainer with several nationally-recognized group fitness certifications, I've been lifting weights for twenty years, both as a tool to help my sports performance and as a way to maintain general health and fitness. I'm interested in a holistic approach that helps clients reach their muscle-building goals without sacrificing healthy alignment or range of motion.
Elementary Math
Sometimes it helps to take elementary math concepts out of the abstract and explain in more concrete, real-world terms. This could be as simple as rewriting a word problem to involve something a child cares about, then later returning to the original problem once he or she gets the concept. Sometimes a simple explanation of WHY a rule or step exists or needs to be applied is all it takes to clear up confusion, but unfortunately these kinds of questions can't always be answered in the classroom setting. I can help clients understand math in the way they learn best, using visual aids, conversation, and humor to make math more interesting and accessible.
English
I've taught college composition and worked in writing centers at a state university and a private community college, helping a diverse group of students and writers with a wide range of goals and challenges. I enjoy meeting people and learning about their experiences with English and writing, and this helps me provide tutoring services that are tailored to each client's goals and challenges.
ESL/ESOL
I have experience helping non-native English speakers learn new vocabulary words. One of my favorite clients tells me I have a knack for explaining subtle differences between similar words in a way that's easy to understand.
Fitness
I enjoyed an active childhood and early adulthood, with continuous involvement in gymnastics, sprinting, hurdling, and cross country running. Only months after law school, however, my full-time law practice was already taking a toll on my body and mind. I lost lean muscle mass and put on excess fat. I developed low back pain and constantly carried tension in my neck and shoulders. I felt tired, stiff, and weak.
When I began practicing yoga on a regular basis, my low back pain disappeared, and I began to enjoy greater mobility and overall well-being. By working with a personal trainer, I regained strength and restored my body fat percentage to a healthy level. I was so happy with my results that I decided to become a fitness professional so that I could help others become healthier and happier.
I'm an ACE Certified Personal Trainer; a certified TRX, R.I.P.P.E.D., and Tai Chi group fitness instructor; and a licensed Zumba instructor. I'm interested in a holistic approach to fitness that helps clients reach goals while having fun and maintaining balance and range of motion.
Geometry
Geometry has always been one of my favorite subjects, though I'm not a fan of the way it's often taught. Instead of looking at Geometry as a subject requiring extensive memorization of rules and formulas, I try to help students understand the "why" and "how" questions behind the rules through drawings and conversations. I believe this helps students to become better problem-solvers and, ultimately, better test-takers.
Grammar
I try to minimize the use of technical terms and grammatical "rules" as much as possible, since this rigid attitude toward English deters so many people.
Instead, I tend to focus on the ways sentence structure, punctuation, and word choice can alter the meaning, tone, and power of a sentence. Also, when working with native English speakers, I often compare and contrast formal, written English with the ways people tend to speak in everyday conversations.
In short, I refuse to believe that Grammar has to be complicated, scary, or boring!
Law
Although I'm not currently an active, practicing lawyer, I have passed two bar exams and worked as a litigation attorney, judicial law clerk, and family court attorney case manager. My strengths lie in legal research and writing and law school test prep.
LSAT
I can help clients work toward improving their critical reading, analytical thinking, and essay writing skills, all of which are essential to success on the LSAT and in law school. In addition, I'll provide you with information about effective approaches to dealing with those infamous logic games under time pressure.
Prealgebra
I try to help students view Math as a subject based on reason, problem-solving, and creativity rather than a dull one involving pure memorization and formulaic approaches. I believe that dealing with Math this way early on, during Prealgebra, can help a student to enjoy the subject more and feel more confident before progressing to more difficult subjects like Geometry and Algebra.
Proofreading
I'm blessed and cursed with an eye for errors; I find them in books, on billboards, and on websites several times each day.
I have experience working with students and professionals, including non-native English speakers, on a wide range of writing projects.
The level of proofreading I provide will depend on the context. In the academic context, my goal is to help a student identify, understand, and correct his or her own errors. In other contexts, such as with scientific publications, creative projects, or employment or school applications, I'm willing to take a more hands-on approach.
PSAT
I can help clients set goals, stay on track with a study plan, and review content that is likely to be tested. Just as importantly, I can provide insight into essential test-taking strategies.
Public Speaking
As a certified personal trainer and tai chi instructor and a yoga enthusiast, I'm particularly interested in the ways that breathing and visualization exercises can help prepare people for public speaking and other anxiety-inducing events.
In addition to studying public speaking in an undergraduate course and during law school, I've done quite a bit of independent study on the art of public speaking and on using breath work and visualization to minimize performance anxiety. I've presented and performed in front of classrooms, courtrooms, and group fitness classes.
SAT Math
I did well on the SAT, particularly the Math section, when I was a student. That was several years ago, though, so I recently spent a lot of time taking sample SAT math tests to ensure that my skills are still sharp. I've also spent time analyzing the test-taking strategies that I always employed automatically so that I can explain them to students who aren't such intuitive test-takers.
SAT Reading
So much of being a successful test-taker is reading those questions and answers efficiently and effectively. I can help you identify the weaknesses in your current approach and practice better strategies for reading the test.
SAT Writing
Writing under time pressure is a nightmare for plenty of people; I'm one of the outliers who thinks it's fun and easy. I did very well on the SAT Writing subject test and the writing portion of the GRE, and I've passed many law school exams and two bar exams with significant essay portions.
The trick is to go into the test with a solid plan--a formula, even--so that you don't waste time or experience undue anxiety while developing your answer. I can share a simple formula that has served me well for years.
Study Skills
I have been an excellent student all my life, and I have plenty of credentials to show for it. In the last three years, while teaching and tutoring others, I have come to understand that effective approaches to studying--studying smarter, not necessarily harder--led to my success. I enjoy sharing strategies for being a more critical reader, a more effective note-taker, and studying for school exams and standardized tests as efficiently as possible.
Track & Field
I'm an ACE Certified Personal Trainer, and I also completed a course in Track Coaching Education while I was an undergraduate student at West Virginia University. In addition, I'm a former all-state track and field athlete--a hurdler and sprinter.
I'm particularly interested in fine-tuning hurdle race times by improving speed between the blocks and the first hurdle, staying as low as possible while crossing hurdles, and perfecting hurdling and sprinting form. I'm also interested in weight training and mind-body exercise as tools to improve power, range of motion, and balance and to reduce performance anxiety.
Writing
In addition to performing years of successful academic and legal writing, I've also studied creative writing at the graduate level and worked as a composition instructor and writing tutor at a state university and a community college.
Yoga
I enjoyed an active childhood and early adulthood, with continuous involvement in gymnastics, sprinting, hurdling, and cross country running. Only months after law school, however, my full-time law practice was already taking a toll on my body and mind. I lost lean muscle mass and put on excess fat. I developed low back pain and constantly carried tension in my neck and shoulders. I felt tired, stiff, and weak.
When I began practicing yoga on a regular basis, my low back pain disappeared, and I began to enjoy greater mobility and overall well-being. By working with a personal trainer, I regained strength and restored my body fat percentage to a healthy level. I was so happy with my results that I decided to become a fitness professional so that I could help others become healthier and happier.
I'm an ACE Certified Personal Trainer; a certified TRX, R.I.P.P.E.D., and Tai Chi group fitness instructor; and a licensed Zumba instructor. I've also completed basic yoga teacher training, and I've been attending yoga classes and enjoying a home yoga practice for several years. I'm interested in a holistic approach to fitness that helps clients reach goals while having fun and maintaining balance and range of motion.