All of
Lisa’s current tutoring subjects are listed at the left. You
can read more about
Lisa’s qualifications in specific subjects below.
Classics
At the University of Houston I took courses in Classical Literature and Literary Theory, which focused on the works and philosophies of Homer, Virgil, Ovid, Sappho, Aristotle, Plato, Sophocles and Euripides. I also took three years of Latin. I have two years of experience tutoring students in Greek and Roman mythology, Homer's Odyssey, and Ovid's Oedipus Rex. But, aside from formal education, it is really my lifelong interest in the subject that makes me a great classics tutor. For mythology, for instance, I help students learn the gods and goddesses and their traits using picture books I loved as a child. It is so much easier and more interesting to students than memorizing a list! I also have thorough knowledge (and an extra copy) of Edith Hamilton's Mythology because it was one of my favorite books growing up, and I read it many times just for fun. For the "big picture" student, I also have knowledge and reference books that I can use to help put classical texts into historical perspective.
College Counseling
My first job when I graduated college was doing college counseling for a local tutoring company. In my time there I quickly became the best college consultant they had (their words, not mine), and a client favorite. Students I have helped have gone on to UT, A&M, Georgetown, UPenn, Michigan and Georgia among others. I love college counseling because it is an opportunity to help the students tell their stories and learn valuable lessons on writing at the college level at the same time.
I can help in any and all stages of the process, from helping decide whether a school is right to you, to brainstorming for essays, managing deadlines, to pressing the "submit" button. One of the biggest ways I help is in relieving stress by making the process not so scary. I also help students avoid common pitfalls, like choosing popular and played-out topics, or choosing colleges for the wrong reasons. The college admissions process can be intimidating and stressful for everyone involved, but I am here to make it smoother, more productive, and often a surprisingly informative learning (and sometimes even family bonding) experience.
Grammar
I have three years of experience teaching grammar to students from junior high through college, native English speakers as well as ESL students from a variety of countries. My approach is to teach grammar in a practical way, using sentences that incorporate everyday situations and phrases. The goal is to show students that grammar is something students already understand because they use it every day in their speech and writing; they just don't know the technical terms for everything. My method takes the intimidation out of learning the subject and gives students information they can use not only in the classroom but also on standardized tests like the ACT and SAT.
Literature
At the University of Houston I took specialized courses in Ancient literature (mythology and classics), Literary theory, African American lit, Mexican American lit, Victorian lit and poetry including Jane Eyre, Wuthering Heights and Pride and Prejudice, Ancient and Modern British Literature from Beowulf to works by Shakespeare to A Tale of Two Cities, American literature from Moby Dick, the Scarlet Letter and Huck Finn to works by Jonathan Safran Foer and Joan Didion. I have two years of experience and thorough understanding of the junior high and high school literature curriculum, and if I have not read something a student is reading, I read it too. In fact, I enjoy reading books with the students because I can teach with fresh eyes and show the students a working example of how to read the text to meet the teacher's expectations.