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Homework/Writing Help from Native English Speaker
Ray B.

5.0 (3,794 ratings)

6,366 hours tutoring

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Hourly Rate: $20
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About Ray

Bio

I am a patient person who likes to get results. You will benefit from my writing and analytical skills that I have acquired during a long career in government and the private sector. Specifically, I have been a manager with significant editing and proofreading skills. My career has been varied, having worked in management consulting, legislative analysis and city government administration. In city government, I honed my writing and editing skills through my tenure with the City of LA,...

I am a patient person who likes to get results. You will benefit from my writing and analytical skills that I have acquired during a long career in government and the private sector. Specifically, I have been a manager with significant editing and proofreading skills. My career has been varied, having worked in management consulting, legislative analysis and city government administration. In city government, I honed my writing and editing skills through my tenure with the City of LA, where I wrote/edited reports to the Mayor and City Council in the City Administrative Office and the Dept. of Cultural Affairs. I retired from a director-level position at LAX, where I had I have a high level of trust and responsibility.

My approach to tutoring is to simplify tasks through clarity and directness. I place a great emphasis on phonics as it relates to speech and presentations. I believe it is currently underutilized but pays off in many ways. Further, my approach is Socratic, as I place a premium on the dialog with the student, as well to encourage an exchange through questions and answers. One of the most important tools I bring to this arena is a finely developed sense of professional and fact-based(minimizing hyperbole and conjecture)writing that recognizes the value of logical flow, where one thought leads clearly to another. Another strength I offer is the economy with which I use words, which is a treasured commodity. Finally, I will demonstrate an appreciation for humor while learning, which has proven benefits when deftly applied!

I possess a Master's degree in Public Administration with a specialization in Intergovernmental Management from the University of Southern California, a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from San Francisco State University and have a solid educational foundation through my initial 12 years of private schooling.

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Education

San Francisco State U.
Poli Sci
U. of So. CA
Masters

Policies

  • Hourly Rate: $20
  • Rate details: Prefer to work with high school students and older, including adults.
  • Lesson cancellation: 24 hours notice required

  • Background check passed on 2/10/2024

  • Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

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Approved Subjects

Accent Reduction

Accent Reduction

In pondering the field of Accent Reduction, I conducted a survey of the literature and came upon Derwig's article in the Cambridge University Press titled "Putting Accent in Its Place" and realized how fraught this area is due to concerns about racism and findings that many programs do more harm than good. In this vein, I have devised a method of inquiry I have dubbed CASE, which emphasizes practicality in accent reduction over unrealistic expectations in attempting to re-create native speech. It is as follows: C: instilling Confidence through positive feedback. A: using Articulation as the primary tool to reduce the accent. S: speaking Slowly to improve communication. E: deploying Enunciation to enhance mutual understanding.
Accuplacer

Accuplacer

In the Summer of 2024, I participated in seminars with Donna Adcock, Academic Advisor at Texas A&M University, in which she provided significant insight into factors that determine college success, such as is done with Accuplacer. In the seminars, Ms. Adcock noted the importance of prerequisites such as in math, which is a key indicator of future aptitude (or lack thereof) and she also highlighted vital areas of insight that offer clues about potential harbingers of interest, including predilections for analytical and writing skills and how extra-curricular activities offer a window into college prospects. As an Operations Officer for Youth Mentoring Connection in Los Angeles, CA, I have evaluated numerous students' skills relative to how they can succeed in college. In addition, I have enrolled the agency in California's College Corps program, which sets students on the path to success.
ACT English

ACT English

As a highly rated tutor in the Wyzant system, I have imparted guidance on blending the right amount of focus to quickly answer English questions in the limited time ACT provides, while figuring out how to spend a little more time on the more challenging questions.
ADHD

ADHD

In preparing to tutor ADHD, I surveyed the academic literature and came across a 2006 study by Furman that was quite illuminating in that it shattered many of the myths we have come to think about the condition, such as that drug treatment reveals the same behavioral response among those "diagnosed" with ADHD as those who have not. Among Furman's other findings that will benefit tutoring in this area is the realization of a comorbidity of 12%-60% for those with ADHD and depression and anxiety, that there is no genetic marker for ADHD and that the Conners' rating scale is highly questioned as a tool in this field. Also, Furman's research is beneficial to those studying ADHD because she cited that subject informant data (interviews) are not a reliable predictor of the condition, but on a more hopeful note, Dr. Furman upheld the practice of individualizing treatment that addresses family, psychological and educational needs.
AFOQT

AFOQT

This test involves an unwieldy acronym, but that doesn't mean it can't be penetrated, just as I did by becoming qualified to tutor for the similarly themed Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery test. In my preparation for AFOQT, I noted that peer reviewed academic studies on this test were far and few between and I found only 3 published this decade, one of which by Kantrowitz et al focused on diversity and inclusions issues. The study found that there were significant inequities in the administration of the test and by digging deep into the research, I found information that is not published in the Air Force handbook on the test, which is that there are several unscored areas of the test: cognitive Physical Science and noncognitive Situational Judgement and Self-Description Inventory; all of which I believe will be helpful to aspiring Air Force officers.
African American Studies

African American Studies

After studying with African American Studies scholar Malena Douthit, I am ready to share her wisdom and techniques, such as the lens she provided in understanding WHY things happen from a cultural perspective and HOW they continue to show up in daily life, such as systematic racism involving the historical inequity of the GI Bill, which SHOULD HAVE provide for generational wealth. Douthit inspired me to posit that African American Studies will morph into Critical Race Theory as its own Applied Social Science and that to better understand African American Studies, we need this framework, not just facts. In addition, weekly seminars with southerner Dr. Jason Morphew (Educational Psychology), provided me the necessary tools to tutor African American Studies because he helped me analyze a case study of the racism of an inadequate post office in South Los Angeles, one that would never be tolerated in a more prosperous area. Supplementing this foundation, I have been on the staff of Youth Mentoring Connection since 2017, which is based in South Los Angeles, the heart of African-American culture in LA and is where I have learned the principles of ancient cultures such as the Zulu practice of "Sawubona" (I see you) and finally, my passage of the Alison course at a score of 87% called "Cultural Studies and Developments" has provided a solid framework in this field.
American History

American History

My professional background in public affairs provides the necessary structure to understand American History.
Anthropology

Anthropology

On August 9, 2024, I passed the Alison Anthropology course entitled "Culture Studies - Aboriginal Australians" on the first try with a score of 88%. This course provided an excellent foundation as it touches upon many important concepts in human civilization, such as spirituality, art (sand painting) and decolonization. In addition, I was lucky enough to take a full semester course from Prof. Max Kirkeberg at San Francisco State University in Cultural Geography, which is a close relative to Anthropology.
Archaeology

Archaeology

In the Alison course on Archaeology, I passed the class with a score of 84% on the first attempt, which bodes well for students that I would tutor. This course is quite rigorous and includes concepts confirming that X-ray fluorescence is still the most economical survey method. Some of the other topics were relative dating, stratigraphy and the relatively new use of GIS maps. Interestingly, the course clarified that Traditional Archaeology is not a valid subset of Archaeology, but Classical Archaeology attempts to shed light on artifact resources; these are key foundational aspects of the field that can be shared with budding Archaeologists.
ASVAB

ASVAB

There is no magic for ASVAB, just close reading of questions, process of elimination an use of common sense!
Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD)

In preparing to tutor in the realm of Autism, I participated in webinars such as that by Virginia Spielman, MSOT regarding sensory processing and learned that there are more than just the 5 classic senses; they are vestibular (movement), proprioception (sense of self-movement) and interoception (sense of our own body). In addition, I conducted a review of peer reviewed research and discovered a study from 2023 by Lampri et al that shed considerable light on this field of study that should help students. The research concentrated on Figurative Language Processing relative to Autism Spectrum Disorder and acknowledged the considerable difficulty in processing non-literal language, which is important for practitioners to know. Specifically, the researchers found that to process of figurative language and avoid systematic difficulties, several models are helpful: Theory of Mind, Language Ability and Executive Functioning, but the latter less so than the others. In summary, students will benefit from the teacher or tutor's awareness that minimal linguistics should be deployed in engaging in non-literal language exercises.
Bar Exam

Bar Exam

The sausage in the title is a reference to my in-the-trenches experience with legislation and regulations. I have work experience at all levels of government: as a Legislative Analyst in Washington, D.C. sorting through the "Federal Register" and attending hearings, as a registered lobbyist in California's state capitol, where I wrote and sponsored legislation and as a staffer who implemented laws such as the Mills Act Historic Property Tax Treatment and interpreted municipal statutes. There are some who can assist with Bar Exam prep, but very few have the practical experience that I do when it comes to the real world experience of public policy. There is a through-line between understanding how laws are made and passing the bar.
Career Development

Career Development

As the Operations Officer for Youth Mentoring Connection in Los Angeles for the last 7 years, I have been involved in career development programs for disadvantaged youth, which entails laying out strategies for professional growth such as the special day long curriculum I organized for careers related to aviation via my former employer, Los Angeles World Airports. After that, I was able to retire from municipal government at the second highest level of civil service. I would like to share my experience in how to develop one's career, such as I did when I advanced 3 levels at once early in my career. The key is to have the right credentials, contacts and focus. I continue to advise Wyzant students in this regard, as well as my work with Youth Mentoring Connection in Los Angeles.
CBEST

CBEST

Currently, CBEST results are kept for a limited time but I passed the CBEST test quite a few years ago. In fact, I was able to parlay the passing of the test into substitute teaching positions with the San Francisco Unified School District. Specifically, I taught at Luther Burbank Middle School and I would like to use that experience to help others pass the test.
Classics

Classics

By virtue of a special relationship with Dr. Jason Morphew, Professor of English Renaissance Literature at Stanford Online University, I am able to be part of a periodic seminar that focuses on the classics. A specific technique applied in these sessions involves assigning roles to students to be read aloud from the classics, which creates the effect of a colloquy with the tutor that fosters self-learning and discussion. Among the other analytical tools shared by Dr. Morphew is knowledge of the concept of heteroglossia, which has to do with understanding the significance of distinct character voices in the works of Shakespeare and Dickens, among others.
CLAST

CLAST

In the Summer of 2024, I participated in seminars with Donna Adcock, Academic Advisor at Texas A&M University, in which she provided significant insight into factors that determine college success, such as is done with the CLAST test. In the seminars, Ms. Adcock noted the importance of prerequisites such as in math, which is a key indicator of future aptitude (or lack thereof) and she also highlighted vital areas of insight that offer clues about potential harbingers of interest, including predilections for analytical and writing skills and how extra-curricular activities offer a window into college prospects. Also, as the Operations Officer at Youth Mentoring Connection in Los Angeles, it is my responsibility to guide students through college and this includes my stewardship of the State College Corps program, an excellent resource for young people; specifically, I have closely worked with students from Los Angeles Trade Tech College, to monitor their progress and keep them on track with respect to credits earned etc.
College Counseling

College Counseling

As the Operations Officer for Youth Mentoring Connection in Los Angeles for the last 7 years, I have assisted a number of youth with college counseling. I specialize in finding resources that are often under the radar, such as the College Corps program here in California. With my current assigned mentee, Kevin C., I have offered advice on how he can keep track of his credits for the classes he has taken, which also informs how many more units he needs for his degree.
Common Core

Common Core

In July 2024, I became a tutor for the Los Angeles Unified School District and Los Angeles County Library system and both agencies are heavily reliant on the Common Core method. Also, I have used the IXL system (for which I am certified), which allows easy navigation between grade levels to assess student skills, which is a hallmark of Common Core. The Socratic Method that I use in tutoring is conducive to Common Core because it rewards students who can challenge themselves to attempt to figure out problems. In addition, I deploy methods that promote abstract reasoning, such as the study of unintended consequences relative to current public policy situations.
COOP/HSPT

COOP/HSPT

In preparing to tutor in COOP/HSPT, I investigated the academic literature and located a scant 2 entries on the subject that were readily available and the studies I identified were from the '80s and '90s, indicating a dearth of research on this test. I wanted to offer to future students that the Fernandez work from 1987 (https://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/ED297011.pdf) studied 1,628 mobile students in urban New Jersey and their performance on statewide tests and found that their results were unchanged if they had constant school and home situations, but that their results were more affected by language proficiency, behavior and attendance. I also wanted to offer that in July 2024, I passed a rigorous Alison course with a score of 96% in tutoring phonics, which is a key requirement for HSPT and also in July, I became a tutor in the Los Angeles Unified School District and the County Library system through the StudentNest organization, which provides an excellent foundation for working with young people; previously, I passed the CBEST test in California, where it qualified me to be a substitute teacher in the San Francisco Unified School District, which is how I got my start in academic instruction and further, that as the product of Marianist Brothers' instruction at Archbishop Riordan High School in San Francisco, that community saw leadership qualities in me and I completed the Living in Faith Experiences program.
Criminal Justice

Criminal Justice

For two years as a Management Consultant for the San Francisco Bay Area firm, I conducted management audits of public safety organizations. Such audits focused on the staffing, organization and effectiveness of police and sheriff's departments in California. In addition, I reported on criminal justice issues for public sector clients as a legislative analyst in Washington, D.C. and Sacramento for 6 years. My BA in Political Science and Master's degree in Public Administration provided the foundation to succeed in the social science arena, including criminal justice.
Debate

Debate

Most of my experience in debate has been in the public sector and this country has three levels of government (federal, state and local), all of which I have been involved in. Most of my tenure has been in local government, where I approached the dais many times to defend my position, mostly in the realm of policy and budget. I gained significant exposure in California's state capitol, where a junior analyst such as myself found his way into the corners of power, which were surprisingly accessible and how I actually turned an idea into approved legislation in the realm of criminal justice. Finally, in the corridors of Washington, D.C., as a legislative analyst, I deployed the methods of the famous scholar and journalist I.F. Stone, who emphasized that regular people could seize publicly available information to make their cause known in the arena of public debate.
Dyslexia

Dyslexia

In preparing to qualify for tutoring those with dyslexia, I researched the literature and found a study by Peterson and Pennington from 2015 that crystallizes much that is known about this condition: that the various levels developmental dyslexia (symptoms, neuropsychology, pathophysiology, etiology and social context) are co-equal in their importance and that the various risk factors can not replace the simple act of reading aloud. Students and teachers involved with dyslexia will benefit from the study's findings that dyslexia is moderately heritable, influenced by environmental factors and is rooted in the aberrant structure of the left hemisphere of the brain. Further, practitioners in this field will be interested to know that dyslexia has multiple causes, is tied in with comorbidities such as ADHD and is closely linked to evidence-based treatment such as learning phonics.
Elementary (K-6th)

Elementary (K-6th)

Recently acquired experience includes tutoring K-6 students through an in-person program serving Los Angeles County children in the library system. The program, offered via the firm StudentNest, involves a variety of student levels, from high functioning to non-English Speakers. Also, as a Wyzant tutor of elementary school students for several years, I have successfully tutored hundreds, if not thousands of hours, including almost 3,000 five star ratings. In this capacity, I have deployed the Socratic teaching method, which is a technique that involves a dialog with the student, as well as to elicit knowledge that exists within the student. I am also pleased to note that I am a certified user of the IXL teaching tool, which can easily be accessed to fit individual student needs and even nudge students to higher academic levels than they envisioned.
English

English

I possess a Master's degree in Public Administration from the U. of So. CA and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from San Francisco State U. These degrees provided me with the analytical tools I needed to succeed for a career in government and consulting, including a mentoring role for numerous staff whom I have managed. A significant part of my career has involved writing and communication, the foundation of which involves skills in English, grammar, proofreading, spelling and vocabulary.
Essay Writing

Essay Writing

I have written or assisted with the writing of hundreds of essays and I have developed a technique called VETS that assists students as follows: V - Vocabulary must be enhanced in 2nd draft to add color. E - Elaboration on statements overcomes writer's block. T - Transition is essential for smooth navigation of ideas. S - "So what?" is the question I ask students to explain our points. In addition, I have received recent refresher seminar on this subject from my mentor Jason Morphew, who earned his Ph.D. in Educational Psychology from the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, I learned a couple of techniques that will benefit Wyzant students, which include the concept of not overloading the thesis with too many ideas; this will result in an unfocused essay if not streamlined. In addition, Morphew also posited that a way to avoid an overly obvious thesis statement is to flip it on its head - e.g., the banal "Artificial Intelligence is the wave of the future" becomes the much more interesting "Artificial Intelligence is fraught with many minefields"...
European History

European History

My approach is to recognize patterns throughout history so that events make sense even if you do not know a lot about European History.
Executive Functioning

Executive Functioning

Since 2024, I have learned techniques about Executive Functioning through in-person tutoring in Los Angeles County schools and libraries and have referred to these concepts to build skills in what I call "FOCUS" as follows: F - Focusing our thoughts is the key to EF. O - Obsessing is counterproductive. C - Considering the consequence of our actions. U - Undoing mistakes is vital to learning. S - Sorting through what is important and what is not remains paramount. In the course of conducting a literature review on the subject of Executive Functioning, there is important work by Diamond of the University of British Columbia entitled "Executive Functions" and in reviewing this study for purposes of becoming up to date in the field, it became clear as to certain conditions that must be evaluated to enhance executive functioning: loneliness, exercise, stress and sleep.
GED

GED

Have used IXL GED tool compliments of Wyzant...
Geography

Geography

My concentration in geography is not just about memorizing place names, it is about understanding human and other connections in the world!
Government & Politics

Government & Politics

I am retired from a career in large City government, rising near the top of the management chain. I rounded out my career in Washington, D.C. and a major State capital to provide a breadth of experience that is hard to duplicate!
Grammar

Grammar

I currently tutor several students in grammar. We use a method whereby the student reads aloud and I follow along on my copy of study material and we discuss different grammar matters. My approach is to impart guidance on the rules of grammar and just as important, the exceptions to the rules. In general, I will attempt to simplify the process of understanding grammar so that it is accessible and understandable to the student.
High School Placement Test

High School Placement Test

If there is a jurisdiction that is more test driven than Los Angeles, I don't know about it, but being an in-person tutor In LA schools and libraries through StudentNest has certainly provided me with the experience needed to prepare students for high school placement via the testing process. In addition, I have been utilizing IXL as a means to help students improve and assess their abilities for high school test placement and here's the thing: I do the exercises right along with the student without having the answers, so it is a real collaborative effort. Among the test prep I have worked on include: CAASPP, ELPA 21, ELPAC, Fastbridge, HiSET, i-Ready, NWEA, Renaissance Star, WIDA
IELTS

IELTS

In preparing to tutor IELTS, I surveyed the academic literature and unearthed a study that is hot off the presses from July 2024 by Chanratana et al that focused on the subject of listening relative to IELTS. Students in this area will be heartened to know that the study acknowledged the difficulty of developing listening skills and noted there are 5 types of listening. They are selective, intensive, comprehension, critical, interactive and discriminative and the research found that the most relevant is critical listening, followed by selective and intensive listening - all of which will be deployed in my sessions.
Interview Prep

Interview Prep

In my career as a director in municipal government, I mentored many candidates with interview prep and this has provided me with a solid foundation to assist others. Serving as an Operations Officer with Youth Mentoring Connection in Los Angeles since 2017, it is part of my job and expertise to provide this service to our youth population. In addition, I have developed an interview prep technique called HIRE that consists of the following themes: Honesty Investigate (employer) Repeat (key skills) Emphasize (strengths)
MTLE

MTLE

In my preparation for tutoring MTLE, I conducted a review of the academic literature and found the offerings to be quite sparse, but consulting the 2016 study by Nolan, which was focused on recruiting and training teachers in Minnesota, some interesting nuggets were found that help put the testing process in perspective. Specifically, the test has been mandated since 2010 and has resulted in a rate of partial licensure for 12% of the takers, which is similar to a failure rate. I can share with prospective MTLE takers that there is an initial pass rate of 72% and this goes up to 90% when up to 3 retakes are done. Other information that I found compelling for test takers is that the findings indicate non-whites' results were not as good as whites, which has caused discussion of a new skills test that would have a legislatively mandated cut-off point for passage. I should add that I have taught for 8 years, including a substitute teaching stint in California after passing the CBEST exam.
Nutrition

Nutrition

In my effort to become qualified to tutor in the field of Nutrition, I surveyed the academic literature and located a study from 2024 by Ali et al that explored the impact of customer nutrition awareness on food habits, behaviors and choices relative to fast food restaurants and unsurprisingly to practitioners in the field, it concluded that awareness contributed to dietary behaviors, which should be of interest to students. However, the researchers posited that fast food managers should make more of an effort to convey nutritional information, but my analysis is that this is more in the realm of corporate responsibility and is food for thought for nutrition students. To also bolster credentials in the field of nutrition, on August 9, 2024, I passed the Alison course "Intro to Human Nutrition" with a score of 92% on the first attempt. The course provided me with a solid foundation on this subject, including nutrition basics such as the importance of protein to grow and repair the human body, but also key insight into how studies are conducted - that is, open source, single blind and double blind research. In addition, I was part of a 2024 seminar hosted by Los Angeles restaurateur Arnon Raphael, who spoke about the dearth of concern for nutritional aspects of our diets relative to the dining out experience, which demonstrates how far we have to go towards healthy eating from a practical standpoint. As another demonstration of my nutritional literacy, I would like to highlight my participation in seminars with registered dieticians at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, the respected institution in Los Angeles, where I learned about and can now share information on such specifics as the Healthy Plate model (filling half the plate or more with non-starchy vegetables) and nutrition education promoting the Mediterranean Diet, which consists of non-processed foods and heart healthy fats over a diet heavy on meat and dairy and has the effect of preventing chronic kidney and heart disease.
Personal Statements

Personal Statements

I have assisted many students with their personal statements over the years, from high schoolers to medical students. In doing so, I have developed a system, based on my experience as an Operations Officer with Youth Mentoring Connection in Los Angeles, called TALL that emphasizes personal statements as follows: T - Telling one's story, EVERYONE has one. A - Anecdotes are a powerful tool for driving home our points. L - Lessons learned is a concept that speaks volumes to admissions officers. L - Lasting impression helps distinguish us from others. In addition, I am actively serving as an in-person tutor in the Los Angeles Unified School District and LA County Libraries to work with students to hone their writing skills and tell their stories through an agency called StudentNest.
Phonics

Phonics

I recently passed the Alison course in phonics, which is designed for teachers and tutors, at a score of 96%. The course is quite rigorous and I passed after a second attempt. In the course, there is significant emphasis on the 5 basic phonetic skills: letter sounds, letter formation, blending, segmenting and tricky words. In addition, I have applied another unique method in tutoring phonics that involves explanation of how to sound out words by breaking down syllables by starting from the last syllable and working backward. The technique was developed by the Marianist order of instruction.
Political Science

Political Science

I have a BA in Political Science from San Fran. State U. ('83) & a Master's degree in Public Admin, concentration in Intergovernmental Management from the U. of So. Ca ('85). I worked as Governmental Relations Analyst for 2 yrs. in Sacramento, 4 yrs. as a Legislative Analyst in Wash., D.C. & was a management consultant for 2 yrs. doing management audits of public sector agencies. I was a Management Analyst for a small city for 2 yrs. & recently retired at the 2nd highest level of civil service from the City of LA after a career of 24 yrs. I avidly read current & historical affairs and want to share my knowledge with students.
Praxis

Praxis

To be more conversant with Praxis, I reviewed the academic literature and found an interesting study entitled "The Effect of Tutoring on Math scores for the Praxis I Exam" by Longwell et al that I believe would be helpful for students, which found that there were variations in the exam that made it difficult to study for, but that this could be mitigated if tutoring could be availed during the pre-education curriculum phase. I would also like to share findings from the study indicating that those who scored in the mid range of the pre-test are most likely to benefit from tutoring, as opposed to others, who will either likely do well without tutoring or those that would not benefit from tutoring. In addition to the aforementioned findings, I have taught for 8 years, including a stint as a substitute teacher in the San Francisco Unified School District after passing the CBEST test and my specific strategies consist of close reading of questions and process of elimination to increase the likelihood of success.
Project Management

Project Management

I see myself as having three phases of PM experience: 1. Many years of managing the budget process in a municipal government setting (City of Los Angeles), where budgeting is a year round project. 2. A concentrated period of time near the end of my municipal experience where I coordinated the PM training for scores of staff in the Commercial Development Group of the Los Angeles World Airports Department. 3. As a special projects manager for Youth Mentoring Connection in Los Angeles, I have overseen complex projects such as the purchase of real estate.
Proofreading

Proofreading

My experience in proofreading has been gained through my 15 years as a director for the City of Los Angeles in multiple depts. My expertise is in administration and budgetary support documents, but due to my attention to detail, I have been frequently called upon to proofread documents outside of my subject area mastery, such as public relations-related material. I possess a Master's degree in Public Administration from the U. of So. Cal. and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from San Francisco State U.
Public Speaking

Public Speaking

In my career in City government, I addressed elected governing bodies such as the Los Angeles City Council. In addition, I have assisted numerous students in public speaking as a Wyzant tutor. In this capacity, I emphasized clarity, energy, humor and brevity! As further tools in improving public speaking, I have extensively worked with students on improving their PowerPoint presentations, as well as to attend Toastmaster sessions with them as a support mechanism and I also use of technique of critiquing student presentations with constructive feedback, including timing actual speeches.
Reading

Reading

I have a lifelong love affair with reading and I am happy to share that with others. I read at least two hours every day and my mind is wide open to various forms of literature. I believe reading is enhanced by discussion with others and hence, the popularity of book clubs. One of the things I think will keep students interested in reading is finding intersections with their lives. This is something I can facilitate as I have a knack for making these connections. Isn't it interesting how one can read something one day and the next day find a compelling connection with something that relates to what you just read? I possess a Master's degree in Public Administration from the U. of So. CA and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from San Francisco State U. These degrees provided me with the analytical tools I needed to succeed for a career in government and consulting, including a mentoring role for numerous staff whom I have managed.
Regents

Regents

Regarding the government portion of the Regents exam, I should note that I have a Master's degree in Public Administration and spent 30 years working in the realms of federal, state and local government, attaining the second highest level in municipal civil service. My research into the New York State Regents exam reveals there are hidden gem resources provided by the state that prepare tutors to assist students. For example, a review of a webinar entitled "EngageNY" fully informs as to the six shifts involved with the ELA exam to include Common Core standards. These are: balanced information of literary texts, knowledge in various disciplines, staircase of complexity (tutoring at appropriate levels), text-based answers, writing from sources and academic vocabulary.
SHSAT (NY HS admissions)

SHSAT (NY HS admissions)

In my review of the scholarly literature on SHSAT, I unearthed a hot off the press (Dec. '24) study by Mandel of the University of Buffalo entitled "Inequality and Segregation in NYC Specialized High School Admissions" that I think Wyzant students will find compelling based on this quote: "admissions criteria frequently favor students with access to resources and preparation, undermining low-income and minority students" - hence the need for tutors like me to level the playing field! In an effort to do more in-person tutoring after the pandemic, I signed up in 2024 with StudentNest, an agency that does in-person tutoring in the Los Angeles Unified School District and Los Angeles County Libraries and it has provided me with specialized skills and experience that help with the SHSAT. Of course, the academic subjects are essentially the same across various testing platforms, but I think New York students will appreciate a tutor with experience in large academic institutions, which rely heavily on standardized testing.
Social Studies

Social Studies

Before I entered the Wyzant program, I successfully tutored two students in social studies, using memory techniques that personalize subject matter. My BA in Political Science and Master's degree in Public Administration are closely related to the field of Social Studies. I have held numerous positions in the public and private sector that interacted with the discipline of social studies. These jobs have been analytical and managerial at all levels of government: federal, state and local. I have capped my career at the 2nd highest level of civil service with the City of Los Angeles. In serving the public, I've drawn on social studies concepts such as diversity and urbanization to better implement program goals.
Social Work

Social Work

As an Operations Officer at the nonprofit Youth Mentoring Connection since 2017, I've been engaged in Social Work in South Los Angeles, performing duties addressing counseling, abuse, gangs, drugs and immigration. In my career related to the public sector, I was responsible for many social work projects, including community development, jobs programs and anti-poverty efforts. This included work at all levels of government - federal, state and local and was enhanced by my master's degree in public administration.
Sociology

Sociology

As an Operations Officer for Youth Mentoring Connection since 2017, a nonprofit in South Los Angeles, I have had the unique experience of applying Sociological theory into practice via the application of Maslow's hierarchy of needs in serving disadvantaged youth. Going back further in my practicum, I was a director in the Los Angeles Dept. of Cultural Affairs, where I worked in the cultural laboratory for 11 years; culture being a key building block of the sociological experiment. Another example of Sociology in daily life (and thus fodder for intellectual curiosity) is through my business experience as the Managing Director of 217 Amherst LLC, which has provided a prism from which to view sociological behavior/relationships in a business environment, offering insight on intergenerational interaction and family dynamics; lessons learned include managing personal expectations and satisfying the desire for financial remuneration.
SOL

SOL

In July 2024, I passed a rigorous Alison course with a score of 96% in tutoring phonics, which is a key requirement in the Virginia SOL system. Also in July, I became a tutor in the Los Angeles Unified School District and the County Library system through the StudentNest organization, which provides an excellent foundation for working with young people. Previously, I passed the CBEST test in California, where it qualified me to be a substitute teacher in the San Francisco Unified School District, which is how I got my start in academic instruction.
Special Needs

Special Needs

In preparing to tutor in Special Needs, I found it beneficial to conduct a literature review in the field and I located a gem by Vehmas from 2010 entitled, "Special Needs: A Philosophical Analysis, in which the individually centered approach is highlighted. I think that those studying or having special needs will appreciate the author's straightforward approach to nomenclature, by contending the field is rife with euphemisms for being disabled. In addition, any student of/with Special Needs will appreciate Vehmas' explanation of a model of social life inclusion that discusses basic needs, such as the provision of facilities for teaching special needs, a clear statement of inclusion (rights) and the interpersonal aspect, which includes friends and the like.
Speech

Speech

As a Toastmaster's participant, I gleaned an important technique to be shared with students, which is to monitor and specifically count the number of filler words in remarks, so as to minimize this bad habit which gets in the way of an effective speech. Secondly, after consulting with Dr. Jason Morphew, I have a speech toolkit read to go which involves the Ciceronian Rhetorical Strategy in speechmaking and this entails A. Recognition of the Problem to be Addressed, B. Application of the Speaker's Personal Credibility, C. Offering of a Solution to the Problem. In addition, I learned much during my 4 year experience as a budget analyst for the City of Los Angeles while speaking before the City Council: the specific skill of listening and answering council members questions exactly on complex issues, how to maintain poise during tense exchanges.
Spelling

Spelling

Learning how to spell is a function of understanding phonics (sounding out words) and reading. My mastery of spelling comes about by virtue of paying close attention to these two functions. Yes, memorization is involved with learning how to spell. In addition, a good tutor imparts how to employ phonics and reading to make sense of English spelling. We will get comfortable with the many exceptions to spelling rules. It will be frustrating at first, but then patterns will begin to emerge. We will be further challenged by new usages that come about through email/texting and other modern communication modes. I know this sounds crazy, but spelling can actually be fun! I possess a Master's degree in Public Administration from the U. of So. CA and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from San Francisco State U. These degrees provided me with the analytical tools I needed to succeed for a career in government and consulting, including a mentoring role for numerous staff whom I have managed.
STAAR

STAAR

In July 2024, I passed a rigorous Alison course with a score of 96% in tutoring phonics, which is a key requirement for K-3 in the Texas STAAR system. Also in July, I became a tutor in the Los Angeles Unified School District and the County Library system through the StudentNest organization, which provides an excellent foundation for working with young people. Previously, I passed the CBEST test in California, where it qualified me to be a substitute teacher in the San Francisco Unified School District, which is how I got my start in academic instruction.
TEAS

TEAS

As a tutor, I have helped numerous nurses and nursing students advance their careers and in pondering the issue of whether success on TEAS correlates with success in the nursing career, I surveyed the academic literature and came upon a study by Pennington from 2017 that provides insight for nursing students entitled "THE CORRELATION OF THE TEST OF ESSENTIAL ACADEMIC SKILLS (TEAS) EXAM SCORES WITH SUCCESS IN A SECOND-DEGREE ACCELERATED-BACCALAUREATE OF NURSING PROGRAM". Among the findings that I identified are the importance of passing the first time (perceived bragging rights), the higher rates of success of females and younger persons and the low rate of passage in Florida. The study essentially questioned the relevance of the test but noted that 2,100 institutions still use it, but the big takeaway was that nursing programs have an interest in showing success in their academic offerings since the country as a whole needs to address the nursing shortage.
Tennis

Tennis

I am rated by the U.S. Tennis Association at the level of 3.5 and have been playing for over 20 years, including league play. This means that I can generally keep the ball in play. I also have access to private courts.
Thesis Writing

Thesis Writing

I have worked with many people on their theses and have identified 2 roadblocks over the course of time and have developed strategies to overcome these impediments. First, I have been successful in combatting the phenomenon of "paralysis by analysis", where the student is overwhelmed by Google Scholar searches that reveal thousands of hits and the answer is to start with one relevant citation and create a daisy chain of reference to propel the thesis forward. Secondly, I have found that once the thesis writer presents the summary of the research in the lit review, they are frequently at a loss as to what to do next and my formula for success is to identify examples of the findings that can be discussed at length in the body of the thesis.
United States History

United States History

My Master's degree in Public Administration from the U. of So. CA is closely related to U.S. History, so much so that extensive study of the Federalist Papers is required for both - these are the writings that form the foundation of our Constitution. But in addition to studying it, I have lived it in my professional life as a Legislative Analyst in the state capital of Sacramento, where I lobbied for legislation for nonprofit organizations in the historically significant 1980's and did the same later that decade in Washington, D.C., where I actively pursued Congressional earmarks for county government flood control projects. In the equally historically significant 1990's, I was an administrator with the City of Los Angeles, dealing with events related to the 1992 Civil Disturbance (Rodney King) and recovery efforts to rebuild after the 1994 Northridge Earthquake.
USCIS

USCIS

If shepherding 6 people from Guatemala through the immigration process is proof that I can be of assistance, then I have that real world experience. Also, it is part of my duties as Operations Officer at Youth Mentoring Connection in Los Angeles to assist disadvantaged youth through the immigration maze. My toughest case involved a DACA youth whose last resort was to join the French Foreign Legion. Through my expertise navigating the bureaucracy and the legal system, I am able to provide other options. I have decades of experience in civics given that my entire career was in government. I had positions in all levels of government - federal, state and local. In addition, I have a Master's degree in Public Administration with concentration in Intergovernmental Management and a BA in Poli Sci.
Vocabulary

Vocabulary

I possess a Master's degree in Public Administration from the U. of So. CA and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from San Francisco State U. These degrees provided me with the analytical tools I needed to succeed for a career in government and consulting, including a mentoring role for numerous staff whom I have managed. A significant part of my career has involved writing and communication, the foundation of which involves skills in English, grammar, proofreading, spelling and vocabulary.
World History

World History

My approach to World History is practical, in that I will show how to make sense of the world by understanding the motivations behind human interactions; then it all comes together.
Writing

Writing

Writing is my strongest area of expertise. I have honed these skills through the creation of legislative reports during my time in government in Sacramento and Washington, D.C. I have written highly technical reports as a management consultant for local governments while working in Bay Area. Continuing this experience, I have written and edited all kids of reports, memos and correspondence during my 22 years in as an analyst and director in Southern California municipal government. I will use this experience to guide students in their writing endeavors. I possess a Master's degree in Public Administration from the U. of So. Cal. and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Political Science from San Francisco State U.
Art History
Ecology
Elementary Science
GRE
Literature
Philosophy
Psychology
SSAT
TOEFL
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Ratings and Reviews

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5.0 (3,794 ratings)
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Reviews

Ray is a great tutor

"Ray provided me with exceptional guidance and simplified every obstacle I encountered during my assignments. He was extremely supportive and instilled a great sense of accomplishment in my work. I highly recommend his services to anyone who wants to achieve their goals. and needs a great tutor.

Lina , 8 lessons with Ray

Ray is the best tutor

Mr. Ray is truly the best tutor we have ever had. He is funny, friendly, and incredibly encouraging. He has a wonderful ability to recognize each student’s strengths and inspire them to think more deeply and confidently. My son used to struggle with grammar and was never very enthusiastic about writing essays. Since working with Mr. Ray, that has completely changed—he now actually looks forward to his lessons! We are so grateful to have found such a wonderful teacher and highly recommend him.

Kevin, 35 lessons with Ray

Ray is very helpful

My son enjoys Ray’s lesson and thinks it’s fun and helpful. His writing skills have improved a lot with his guidance. Ray also encourages my son to participate in writing contest.

Kevin, 35 lessons with Ray

Very patient and encouraging

I truly appreciate Ray’s sincerity and dedication! It's clear that he prioritizes the student's perspective and their ability to absorb information when considering lesson duration. It's wonderful to work with a teacher who genuinely wants his students to learn effectively without wasting time. Highly recommended!

Fonnie , 22 lessons with Ray

Very patient and encouraging

I truly appreciate Ray’s sincerity and dedication! It's clear that he prioritizes the student's perspective and their ability to absorb information when considering lesson duration. It's wonderful to work with a teacher who genuinely wants his students to learn effectively without wasting time. Highly recommended!

Fonnie , 22 lessons with Ray

Excellent English Tutor

I’ve really enjoyed working with Ray. He’s patient, easy to talk to, and knows how to explain things in a simple, practical way. My goal is to improve my spoken English for work, especially for conversations with investors, and every lesson gives me more confidence. I highly recommend him to anyone looking to become more fluent and sound more natural in English.

Refael, 3 lessons with Ray

Ray is very helpful

My son enjoys Ray’s lesson and thinks it’s fun and helpful. His writing skills have improved a lot with his guidance. Ray also encourages my son to participate in writing contest.

Kevin, 35 lessons with Ray

Very patient and encouraging

I truly appreciate Ray’s sincerity and dedication! It's clear that he prioritizes the student's perspective and their ability to absorb information when considering lesson duration. It's wonderful to work with a teacher who genuinely wants his students to learn effectively without wasting time. Highly recommended!

Fonnie , 22 lessons with Ray

Very patient and encouraging

I truly appreciate Ray’s sincerity and dedication! It's clear that he prioritizes the student's perspective and their ability to absorb information when considering lesson duration. It's wonderful to work with a teacher who genuinely wants his students to learn effectively without wasting time. Highly recommended!

Fonnie , 22 lessons with Ray

Expertise Meets Insight

Ray has been extremely helpful in guiding me through interview preparation, MBA course projects, and refining a graduate-level research survey. He brings a depth of perspective and thoughtfulness to our work together. His diverse professional background, keen observational skills, and rich worldview make him a great collaborator for open-ended projects where there's no single "right" answer.

Sheryl, 3 lessons with Ray
Hourly Rate: $20
Response time: 47 minutes
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