I can help your child succeed!

• Undergrad:

  Illinois State University

• Tutors Out Of:

  Waukegan, IL

• Travel Radius:

  10 miles

• Tutoring Certifications:

  biology - elementary (k-6th) - English - GED - grammar - reading - study skills - vocabulary - writing - zoology

• Tutor's Fee Per Hour:

  $36.00 * with a 10% discount after purchasing $360

• Email Marlene from Waukegan today!

My philosophy is that personal attention is the answer to helping students achieve. I actually had established my own tutoring service, but found that finding my market was the difficult part...so I'm glad to have Wyzant to do the heavy lifting for me!

I've tutored a wide variety of students, from pre-school to a "boy genius" in high school. I believe strongly in working WITH the material the student is presently studying, rather than burdening him...and you...with a second set of books and materials. I'm also a strong believer in mastering basic skills. I'm appalled by how many 8th graders fumble through multiplication tables or high school students (or even teachers!) who can't spell. Study skills, or course, are also basic to success, and I've had considerable success coaching my students on that.

A typical comment I get from parents of students I've tutored is that they approach their schoolwork with more confidence. Plus, grades go up! I do, of course, have references available on request.

• elementary (k-6th)

  Yes, I really am smarter than a 5th grader! And some 6th graders, too... Not only have I done substitute teaching at this grade level, I also ran my own tutoring service, focusing mainly on kids in these grades. This is when the personal attention matters most! The better foundation we can give them in basic skills, the more capable they will be, not only in school but in life. I am a huge believer in back-to-basics. All the fancy theories in the world aren't going to help your son balance his checkbook someday if he never mastered his times tables. I despise teaching to the test, but of course children do have to take the tests...and having basic skills under their belts helps them with that, too. Some subjects have their own set of core skills (long division, spelling); others require retention and understanding of facts (Social Studies, Science). For children struggling with these, it is vital that they develop their study skills. I have a wonderful unit on study skills that will teach your child to read effectively to increase understanding. Finally, I'd like to say that I believe in working closely with the parents. I believe that parents, better than any teachers or experts, know their children. I promise to listen to your concerns and do all I can to supply the help your child needs. Looking forward to hearing from you!

• GED

  If you're working on getting your GED, you're probably a working adult seeking better opportunities. I can help you succeed! I can accommodate your schedule. I also have experience teaching adults. I'm a certified Adult Literacy Tutor. The skills I learned there easily translate into helping any student improve his/her reading comprehension. I can also help with math...having gotten a BS in Biology, high school math holds no fear. In short: If you're prepared to do the work, I can work with you!

• grammar

  I am more than qualified to teach English grammar. My verbal skills are excellent. For example, when I took the exam to qualify for the accelerated program to get a teaching license, I got a perfect score on the essay question. My entire work history has been in documentation, revising and proofreading documents for a large pharmaceutical company. My co-workers considered me the "go-to" person for questions of spelling, grammar or style. (I would jokingly sign my corrections "Grammar Cop"...they knew who that was!) I've also done volunteer work as a certified adult literacy tutor...skills which easily carry over to teach younger students. I'm also a published poet. I consider grammar to vitally important and seriously underemphasized in today's schools. It seems that both teachers and students have fallen into the mindset that the spell/grammar check on the computer can do their thinking for them. Of course, this is simply not true. One who does not understand grammar is seriously impaired, for ungrammatical writing makes one sound uneducated. It takes practice and dedication, but it's a skill that's well worth learning. I'm glad to help.