Hi,
My name is Nicholas M., and I would love to tutor your child. I have a broad knowledge of history, English, French, philosophy, anthropology, math (K-12), high school level biology and chemistry and an excellent command of study skills, the college prep process. I'm also a quick study, and I'm willing to do whatever it takes to help your child succeed at school.
In 2006, I graduated from Bedford Public High School in Bedford, Massachusetts, and matriculated at Wesleyan University, from which I graduated in 2010 with Honors in the study of Religion. I've always been a voracious reader, an inquisitive scholar and a little bit of a pest when it comes to factual accuracy. I always want my information to be factually correct while expressing a textured, nuanced respect for differences of opinion.
Currently, I'm a Master's Degree student in the North American Religions program at Columbia University, focusing on the history and contemporary ethnography of American Pentecostalism. My research focuses on the problem of exercising positive knowledge in engaging across religious traditions; basically, I've been trying to study the lives of religious people without refusing their fervent expressions of belief. It's a tricky area requiring differentiation between world-views in order to fully encompass their different positions. Both my academic work and my tutoring strives for this kind of balance. I try to teach from within the bounds of a student's worldview by modifying my approach to reflect your child's unique character without sacrificing the need for broad, flexible knowledge and critical thinking skills. The goal, as I see it, is to get children to see their own lives and interests in the subjects they study.
This isn't always simple, nor is it the best approach for every subject. When it comes to SAT/ACT/GRE/PSAT prep, students need to get inside the tests' "head," to figure out the logic that drives their composition in order to best master their tests. I'm a big believer in attainable goals; I will not promise magical 400-point score boosts. Instead, I'll proctor practice tests for students in a stress-free, supportive environment, and work with the student to identify problem areas requiring either broader study in the topic or a stronger, more critical use of relevant test-taking tricks. My goal is always to improve critical thinking skills hand-in-hand with test scores. I have good SAT's (740 verbal/690 math/690 written) ACT and GRE scores (and when I can locate the written proof of those results, this section will be updated to reflect that).
I have experience with the challenges of working with students who learn differently. In 2007 and 2008, I worked as a math tutor and camp counselor at The Carroll School in Lincoln, MA. The challenges of ADHD, dyslexia, dysgraphia and differences in cognitive processing can make school unbearable for students. I know the importance of patience, creativity and strong study skills for these students, and I'm always willing to adapt my teaching style to the hooks that work best for a given student.
I'm also an excellent cook, and would love the opportunity to teach that as well. I try to cook with a lot of vegetables, legumes and whole grains, but I'm not afraid of meat or butter. Again, as in academic tutoring, my focus is on instilling key skills while broadening the student's horizon of creative possibility.
I'm available mornings, nights and weekends across New York City. For tutoring opportunities outside of New York, I'm willing to negotiate on a case-by-case basis.
I look forward to hearing from you.
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