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Tutor -- Writing, SAT Test Prep, History, French, Latin, German
Richard M.

5.0 (495 ratings)

2,012 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
Hourly Rate: $125
Contact Richard
Richard M.'s Photo

Tutor -- Writing, SAT Test Prep, History, French, Latin, German
Tutor -- Writing, SAT Test Prep, History, French, Latin, German
Richard M.

5.0 (495 ratings)

2,012 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
5.0 (495 ratings)

2,012 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

Qualifications for “GRE”

I have helped numerous students prepare for the GRE (as well as many other admissions, achievement, and aptitude tests). I can help most effectively in preparing students for the Critical Writing (issue and argument essays) and Verbal (text completion, sentence equivalence, and reading comprehension) sections.

Related subjects
Richard has also tutored
ISEE,
I currently am helping students prepare for the ISEE and the SSAT. The focus of our work is on vocabulary, sentence completion questions, analogies, reading comprehension strategies, and...
CBEST
I've taken the CBEST twice and am very familiar with its sections. I have helped students prepare for standardized and essay testing in the ISEE, HSPT, SSAT, SAT, SCAT, AP History, AP English, and...
and 11 more subjects.

About Richard

Bio

I greatly enjoy working with students, having tutored, taught, and coached students for the past thirty years. My degrees are from Harvard College (B.A.) and the University of Chicago (M.A., Ph.D.). During the past ten years I have tutored for Wyzant, and several other tutoring services. I have taught at elementary, middle, high school, and college levels. When I begin a new tutorial, I take a few minutes to become familiar with the student and her/his interests. After asking...

I greatly enjoy working with students, having tutored, taught, and coached students for the past thirty years. My degrees are from Harvard College (B.A.) and the University of Chicago (M.A., Ph.D.). During the past ten years I have tutored for Wyzant, and several other tutoring services. I have taught at elementary, middle, high school, and college levels.

When I begin a new tutorial, I take a few minutes to become familiar with the student and her/his interests. After asking about things the student likes to do for fun, I let the student do most of the talking -- usually about non-academic topics, such as sports, games, movies, crafts, etc. -- unless the student prefers to discuss academic interests.

After learning about the student's interests in doing well elsewhere, I ask the student to discuss the courses s/he is currently taking and tell how s/he approaches various courses (or homework problems). I ask about assignments and for the student to describe and evaluate how s/he has been doing. When it becomes clear where the student needs assistance, we get down to work in a spirit of collaboration.

While working together, I usually learn much more about the student's aptitudes, including level of knowledge and ability to learn. I take mental notes about how to improve subsequent sessions, often by finding helpful resources.

I have always marveled at how the love of learning emerges when students and teachers work together and find fun and fulfillment in their teamwork.

Read more

Education

Harvard College, Cambridge, MA
B.A.
The University of Chicago, Chicago IL
Masters
The University of Chicago, Chicago IL
PhD

Policies

  • Tutor’s lessons: In-person
  • Hourly Rate: $125
  • Rate details: -discounts available to clients living nearby or reserving meetings lasting two hours or more
  • Travel policy: Within 40 miles of San Mateo, CA 94402
  • Lesson cancellation: 24 hours notice required

  • Background check passed on 6/7/2018

  • Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

Schedule

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Sat

Approved Subjects

Business

Criminal Justice,

Criminal Justice

My degrees are in U.S. History, and I am a first year law student who has taken criminal law. In college, I researched and wrote about the prisoner furlough system in Massachusetts for James Q. Wilson.
GRE,

GRE

I have helped numerous students prepare for the GRE (as well as many other admissions, achievement, and aptitude tests). I can help most effectively in preparing students for the Critical Writing (issue and argument essays) and Verbal (text completion, sentence equivalence, and reading comprehension) sections.
Law

Corporate Training

ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

I have helped numerous foreign students learn to pronounce English more effectively. I also have helped them with other English language arts and skills, such as vocabulary, grammar, syntax, public speaking and writing styles.
French,

French

I took French every year in grade school and high school, receiving honors in French upon graduation. I have taught beginning French, in which I emphasize vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, inflection, and sentence formation. I enjoy showing students how their knowledge of English vocabulary and grammar readily grows as they learn French.
German,

German

Although raised in America, I learned German in order to remain in contact with my father's family in Germany and the Tyrol. As a graduate student in history, I studied seven months at the Goethe Institut and a semester at the University of Innsbruck. I very much enjoy teaching German because of the many ways in which it is like -- and unlike -- English, a ("Germanic") language I also teach. In Frankfurt, in August 2019, I attended the most advanced class (C2) the Goethe Institut offers, and I received the Sprachdiplom in German Speaking.
Grammar,

Grammar

I have taught grammar to elementary, middle, high school, and college students. As a college professor, I required essay tests in all of my courses -- in order to ensure that my students would learn more about writing. Students should not learn grammar and syntax rules just to learn rules; they should learn them in order to become aware of the functions and relations of words within sentences. A knowledge of grammar makes writing much easier, as this foundation allows students to write with confidence.
Latin,

Latin

Over half of all words in English derive from Latin, one of the most logical and widely-spoken languages ever created. Study of Latin will help English-speaking students understand their own language much better and provide them with a window into French, Spanish, Italian, and other languages. I enjoy teaching students this Mother Language by using the Seventh Edition of 'Wheelock's Latin' and its accompanying workbook.
Proofreading,

Proofreading

My experience publishing in several journals, reviewing other writers' submissions, and editing newsletters allows me to help with proofreading quite effectively.
Law

Elementary Education

Elementary (K-6th),

Elementary (K-6th)

My K-6th experience includes teaching 4th and 5th grade English and Social Studies at Merryhill School in San Jose, CA; substitute teaching in various (preschool and) Kindergarten through 6th grade classrooms for Teachers on Reserve; and teaching English language arts to various grade levels at Enopi Learning Center in San Mateo, CA).
Grammar,

Grammar

I have taught grammar to elementary, middle, high school, and college students. As a college professor, I required essay tests in all of my courses -- in order to ensure that my students would learn more about writing. Students should not learn grammar and syntax rules just to learn rules; they should learn them in order to become aware of the functions and relations of words within sentences. A knowledge of grammar makes writing much easier, as this foundation allows students to write with confidence.
Handwriting,

Handwriting

I have helped a number of youngsters -- from early grades through middle school -- improve their handwriting. Use of model-tracing sheets and a molded "grip" on the end of the pencil can be helpful devices for many, but not all, students. It's exciting to help young writers learn cursive, as the process is much more efficient and the product much more aesthetically appealing than mere printing. If an articulate person is one who easily connects words in complete sentences, it seems obvious that skill in cursive writing, which connects letters so readily, would be very helpful for the development of articulation.
Reading,

Reading

The individualized teaching context of tutoring is very helpful for building student confidence in reading. I give students brief passages that contain interesting stories and ample specific detail (who did what when, where, how, and why?). After they have completed the passage, I have them turn it over, and I ask questions on the overall story and its particular facts. I've had great success with this method. It trains students to be active "hunters and gatherers" of facts and events, and it builds their confidence for reading they do on their own.
Study Skills,

Study Skills

I have taught and tutored for over 30 years, during which time I have excelled as a student advisor and received outstanding service awards. I enjoy helping students identify and focus on the practical steps they need to take in order to excel in their schoolwork. A fulfilling education requires the development of reflection in the individual student, and there is no better place for reflection to start than in the conscientious keeping of an assignment book and organized class and reading notebooks. The reflective student will also keep a journal for entering new vocabulary and accounts of new experiences.
Elementary Math, Elementary Science, Spelling, Vocabulary

English

English,

English

I have taught English language skills to elementary, middle, high school, and college students. As a college professor, I required essay tests in all of my courses -- in order to ensure that my students would practice and learn more about writing. Students should not learn grammar, syntax, and punctuation rules just to learn rules; they should learn them in order to become aware of the functions and relations of words within sentences. Development of foundational language skills makes writing much easier, as this basis allows students to write with confidence.
ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

I have helped numerous foreign students learn to pronounce English more effectively. I also have helped them with other English language arts and skills, such as vocabulary, grammar, syntax, public speaking and writing styles.
Grammar,

Grammar

I have taught grammar to elementary, middle, high school, and college students. As a college professor, I required essay tests in all of my courses -- in order to ensure that my students would learn more about writing. Students should not learn grammar and syntax rules just to learn rules; they should learn them in order to become aware of the functions and relations of words within sentences. A knowledge of grammar makes writing much easier, as this foundation allows students to write with confidence.
Proofreading,

Proofreading

My experience publishing in several journals, reviewing other writers' submissions, and editing newsletters allows me to help with proofreading quite effectively.
Reading,

Reading

The individualized teaching context of tutoring is very helpful for building student confidence in reading. I give students brief passages that contain interesting stories and ample specific detail (who did what when, where, how, and why?). After they have completed the passage, I have them turn it over, and I ask questions on the overall story and its particular facts. I've had great success with this method. It trains students to be active "hunters and gatherers" of facts and events, and it builds their confidence for reading they do on their own.
SAT Reading,

SAT Reading

I have helped students prepare for the SAT for the past seven years. As a former college professor and high school teacher, I am very knowledgeable of the verbal and writing skills expected of SAT takers. I also have published articles on the history of standardized testing.
SAT Writing,

SAT Writing

My degrees are in history, but I have always required and evaluated student writing in every course I have given. I have helped scores of students improve their writing skills in order to prepare for the SAT essay section. After reviewing grammar, syntax, and word choice, the skills I emphasize are, first, demonstrating one's thesis or argument with specific detail, and second, developing one's thesis from introduction to conclusion.
Writing,

Writing

I've helped numerous people improve their writing, such as when they need to craft their personal (application) essays; it's a delight to interview clients, discover the experiences that define them, and help them organize and express these experiences.
ACT English, Literature, Spelling, Vocabulary

History

American History,

American History

I'm very enthusiastic about tutoring history. My degrees are all in this area, and I have taught this subject at all levels, from fourth-graders to graduate students, for thirty years.
Classics,

Classics

I have helped numerous students read, critique, and express their views on a broad range of classic works. My degrees are in History, and I have specialized in intellectual currents, including the original meaning and enduring significance of the greatest literature. Classic epics, mythology, history, philosophy, poetry, plays, and novels are both timeless and time-bound, meaning across time and meaning in times: in the times they first appeared and in later times when they are read and discussed anew.
Government & Politics,

Government & Politics

During my college years, I worked in state government and politics. I was a paid assistant to the Lieutenant Governor of Missouri, and I was a paid researcher in the first successful Senate campaign of John C. Danforth. I also interned in the office of the Massachusetts House Minority Leader. More recently I have participated in local city council campaigns.
Social Studies,

Social Studies

My undergraduate major was in History; my graduate degrees are in History. I have taught a course on the history of social and behavioral sciences at Slippery Rock University. I have published in the history of psychology. I have taught elementary, middle school, high school, college, and graduate history courses.
Sociology,

Sociology

My graduate degrees are in history, where my training included a seminar in social (and quantitative) history. I have taught courses on the history of social thought and pioneering sociologists. For several years I served as an officer of Cheiron, the International Society for the History of the Behavioral and Social Sciences, and the Forum for the History of Human Science.
World History,

World History

I became interested in World History at an early age, as both my parents and (one set of) grandparents grew up on separate continents. My degrees are in History, and I enjoy helping students understand their culture better by encouraging them to take greater interest in their own roots. I have always promoted writing as a key historical skill, as I believe it is essential that students become their own historians, actively writing their own histories.
European History, Geography, Philosophy

Homeschool

Elementary (K-6th),

Elementary (K-6th)

My K-6th experience includes teaching 4th and 5th grade English and Social Studies at Merryhill School in San Jose, CA; substitute teaching in various (preschool and) Kindergarten through 6th grade classrooms for Teachers on Reserve; and teaching English language arts to various grade levels at Enopi Learning Center in San Mateo, CA).
English,

English

I have taught English language skills to elementary, middle, high school, and college students. As a college professor, I required essay tests in all of my courses -- in order to ensure that my students would practice and learn more about writing. Students should not learn grammar, syntax, and punctuation rules just to learn rules; they should learn them in order to become aware of the functions and relations of words within sentences. Development of foundational language skills makes writing much easier, as this basis allows students to write with confidence.
ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

I have helped numerous foreign students learn to pronounce English more effectively. I also have helped them with other English language arts and skills, such as vocabulary, grammar, syntax, public speaking and writing styles.
French,

French

I took French every year in grade school and high school, receiving honors in French upon graduation. I have taught beginning French, in which I emphasize vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, inflection, and sentence formation. I enjoy showing students how their knowledge of English vocabulary and grammar readily grows as they learn French.
Handwriting,

Handwriting

I have helped a number of youngsters -- from early grades through middle school -- improve their handwriting. Use of model-tracing sheets and a molded "grip" on the end of the pencil can be helpful devices for many, but not all, students. It's exciting to help young writers learn cursive, as the process is much more efficient and the product much more aesthetically appealing than mere printing. If an articulate person is one who easily connects words in complete sentences, it seems obvious that skill in cursive writing, which connects letters so readily, would be very helpful for the development of articulation.
Reading,

Reading

The individualized teaching context of tutoring is very helpful for building student confidence in reading. I give students brief passages that contain interesting stories and ample specific detail (who did what when, where, how, and why?). After they have completed the passage, I have them turn it over, and I ask questions on the overall story and its particular facts. I've had great success with this method. It trains students to be active "hunters and gatherers" of facts and events, and it builds their confidence for reading they do on their own.
SAT Reading,

SAT Reading

I have helped students prepare for the SAT for the past seven years. As a former college professor and high school teacher, I am very knowledgeable of the verbal and writing skills expected of SAT takers. I also have published articles on the history of standardized testing.
Study Skills,

Study Skills

I have taught and tutored for over 30 years, during which time I have excelled as a student advisor and received outstanding service awards. I enjoy helping students identify and focus on the practical steps they need to take in order to excel in their schoolwork. A fulfilling education requires the development of reflection in the individual student, and there is no better place for reflection to start than in the conscientious keeping of an assignment book and organized class and reading notebooks. The reflective student will also keep a journal for entering new vocabulary and accounts of new experiences.
Writing,

Writing

I've helped numerous people improve their writing, such as when they need to craft their personal (application) essays; it's a delight to interview clients, discover the experiences that define them, and help them organize and express these experiences.
Algebra 1, Prealgebra, SAT Math, Spelling

Language

ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

I have helped numerous foreign students learn to pronounce English more effectively. I also have helped them with other English language arts and skills, such as vocabulary, grammar, syntax, public speaking and writing styles.
French,

French

I took French every year in grade school and high school, receiving honors in French upon graduation. I have taught beginning French, in which I emphasize vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, inflection, and sentence formation. I enjoy showing students how their knowledge of English vocabulary and grammar readily grows as they learn French.
German,

German

Although raised in America, I learned German in order to remain in contact with my father's family in Germany and the Tyrol. As a graduate student in history, I studied seven months at the Goethe Institut and a semester at the University of Innsbruck. I very much enjoy teaching German because of the many ways in which it is like -- and unlike -- English, a ("Germanic") language I also teach. In Frankfurt, in August 2019, I attended the most advanced class (C2) the Goethe Institut offers, and I received the Sprachdiplom in German Speaking.
Latin

Latin

Over half of all words in English derive from Latin, one of the most logical and widely-spoken languages ever created. Study of Latin will help English-speaking students understand their own language much better and provide them with a window into French, Spanish, Italian, and other languages. I enjoy teaching students this Mother Language by using the Seventh Edition of 'Wheelock's Latin' and its accompanying workbook.

Math

Algebra 1, Prealgebra, SAT Math

Most Popular

Elementary (K-6th),

Elementary (K-6th)

My K-6th experience includes teaching 4th and 5th grade English and Social Studies at Merryhill School in San Jose, CA; substitute teaching in various (preschool and) Kindergarten through 6th grade classrooms for Teachers on Reserve; and teaching English language arts to various grade levels at Enopi Learning Center in San Mateo, CA).
English,

English

I have taught English language skills to elementary, middle, high school, and college students. As a college professor, I required essay tests in all of my courses -- in order to ensure that my students would practice and learn more about writing. Students should not learn grammar, syntax, and punctuation rules just to learn rules; they should learn them in order to become aware of the functions and relations of words within sentences. Development of foundational language skills makes writing much easier, as this basis allows students to write with confidence.
ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

I have helped numerous foreign students learn to pronounce English more effectively. I also have helped them with other English language arts and skills, such as vocabulary, grammar, syntax, public speaking and writing styles.
French,

French

I took French every year in grade school and high school, receiving honors in French upon graduation. I have taught beginning French, in which I emphasize vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, inflection, and sentence formation. I enjoy showing students how their knowledge of English vocabulary and grammar readily grows as they learn French.
Reading,

Reading

The individualized teaching context of tutoring is very helpful for building student confidence in reading. I give students brief passages that contain interesting stories and ample specific detail (who did what when, where, how, and why?). After they have completed the passage, I have them turn it over, and I ask questions on the overall story and its particular facts. I've had great success with this method. It trains students to be active "hunters and gatherers" of facts and events, and it builds their confidence for reading they do on their own.
Study Skills,

Study Skills

I have taught and tutored for over 30 years, during which time I have excelled as a student advisor and received outstanding service awards. I enjoy helping students identify and focus on the practical steps they need to take in order to excel in their schoolwork. A fulfilling education requires the development of reflection in the individual student, and there is no better place for reflection to start than in the conscientious keeping of an assignment book and organized class and reading notebooks. The reflective student will also keep a journal for entering new vocabulary and accounts of new experiences.
Writing,

Writing

I've helped numerous people improve their writing, such as when they need to craft their personal (application) essays; it's a delight to interview clients, discover the experiences that define them, and help them organize and express these experiences.
Algebra 1, Prealgebra

Other

College Counseling,

College Counseling

As a college professor, I took special care to instruct my students in writing essays. I published an essay in the freshman orientation handbook on the topic of writing essays for college essay tests. As a published biographer, I am very interested in personal narratives, and I counsel students by encouraging students to express and present their individual strengths.
ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

I have helped numerous foreign students learn to pronounce English more effectively. I also have helped them with other English language arts and skills, such as vocabulary, grammar, syntax, public speaking and writing styles.
Government & Politics,

Government & Politics

During my college years, I worked in state government and politics. I was a paid assistant to the Lieutenant Governor of Missouri, and I was a paid researcher in the first successful Senate campaign of John C. Danforth. I also interned in the office of the Massachusetts House Minority Leader. More recently I have participated in local city council campaigns.
Sociology,

Sociology

My graduate degrees are in history, where my training included a seminar in social (and quantitative) history. I have taught courses on the history of social thought and pioneering sociologists. For several years I served as an officer of Cheiron, the International Society for the History of the Behavioral and Social Sciences, and the Forum for the History of Human Science.
Study Skills,

Study Skills

I have taught and tutored for over 30 years, during which time I have excelled as a student advisor and received outstanding service awards. I enjoy helping students identify and focus on the practical steps they need to take in order to excel in their schoolwork. A fulfilling education requires the development of reflection in the individual student, and there is no better place for reflection to start than in the conscientious keeping of an assignment book and organized class and reading notebooks. The reflective student will also keep a journal for entering new vocabulary and accounts of new experiences.
Geography, Law, Philosophy

Science

Psychology,

Psychology

Trained in history, I've taught the history of psychology and published in several psychology journals and encyclopedias, including American Psychologist, Applied Psychology: An International Review, and the Journal of the History of the Behavioral Sciences, Encyclopedia of Psychology, and the Encyclopedia of Human Intelligence.
Sociology,

Sociology

My graduate degrees are in history, where my training included a seminar in social (and quantitative) history. I have taught courses on the history of social thought and pioneering sociologists. For several years I served as an officer of Cheiron, the International Society for the History of the Behavioral and Social Sciences, and the Forum for the History of Human Science.
Philosophy

Special Needs

Study Skills

Study Skills

I have taught and tutored for over 30 years, during which time I have excelled as a student advisor and received outstanding service awards. I enjoy helping students identify and focus on the practical steps they need to take in order to excel in their schoolwork. A fulfilling education requires the development of reflection in the individual student, and there is no better place for reflection to start than in the conscientious keeping of an assignment book and organized class and reading notebooks. The reflective student will also keep a journal for entering new vocabulary and accounts of new experiences.

Sports/Recreation

Baseball

Baseball

I've coached younger Little League teams in San Francisco, Burlingame, San Mateo, and Hillsborough. My coaching philosophy is to show how much fun baseball activities can be. Throwing and fielding come first -- as parallels to communication, helpfulness, and thoughtfulness. Learning proper arm motions and "getting in front of the ball" are necessary basics. Batting comes next as a combination of seeing, arm movement, and weight-shifting. The separate motions all need to work together -- as if in teamwork -- to have fun while improving and excelling.

Summer

Elementary (K-6th),

Elementary (K-6th)

My K-6th experience includes teaching 4th and 5th grade English and Social Studies at Merryhill School in San Jose, CA; substitute teaching in various (preschool and) Kindergarten through 6th grade classrooms for Teachers on Reserve; and teaching English language arts to various grade levels at Enopi Learning Center in San Mateo, CA).
ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

I have helped numerous foreign students learn to pronounce English more effectively. I also have helped them with other English language arts and skills, such as vocabulary, grammar, syntax, public speaking and writing styles.
French,

French

I took French every year in grade school and high school, receiving honors in French upon graduation. I have taught beginning French, in which I emphasize vocabulary, pronunciation, spelling, inflection, and sentence formation. I enjoy showing students how their knowledge of English vocabulary and grammar readily grows as they learn French.
German,

German

Although raised in America, I learned German in order to remain in contact with my father's family in Germany and the Tyrol. As a graduate student in history, I studied seven months at the Goethe Institut and a semester at the University of Innsbruck. I very much enjoy teaching German because of the many ways in which it is like -- and unlike -- English, a ("Germanic") language I also teach. In Frankfurt, in August 2019, I attended the most advanced class (C2) the Goethe Institut offers, and I received the Sprachdiplom in German Speaking.
Reading,

Reading

The individualized teaching context of tutoring is very helpful for building student confidence in reading. I give students brief passages that contain interesting stories and ample specific detail (who did what when, where, how, and why?). After they have completed the passage, I have them turn it over, and I ask questions on the overall story and its particular facts. I've had great success with this method. It trains students to be active "hunters and gatherers" of facts and events, and it builds their confidence for reading they do on their own.
Study Skills,

Study Skills

I have taught and tutored for over 30 years, during which time I have excelled as a student advisor and received outstanding service awards. I enjoy helping students identify and focus on the practical steps they need to take in order to excel in their schoolwork. A fulfilling education requires the development of reflection in the individual student, and there is no better place for reflection to start than in the conscientious keeping of an assignment book and organized class and reading notebooks. The reflective student will also keep a journal for entering new vocabulary and accounts of new experiences.
Writing,

Writing

I've helped numerous people improve their writing, such as when they need to craft their personal (application) essays; it's a delight to interview clients, discover the experiences that define them, and help them organize and express these experiences.
Algebra 1, GED, SAT Math

Test Preparation

CBEST,

CBEST

I've taken the CBEST twice and am very familiar with its sections. I have helped students prepare for standardized and essay testing in the ISEE, HSPT, SSAT, SAT, SCAT, AP History, AP English, and GRE. I've taught elementary and secondary education students who would have had to take the CBEST. I have advanced degrees in History and have been tutoring in History and English for seven years. I have published articles on the history of standardized testing.
College Counseling,

College Counseling

As a college professor, I took special care to instruct my students in writing essays. I published an essay in the freshman orientation handbook on the topic of writing essays for college essay tests. As a published biographer, I am very interested in personal narratives, and I counsel students by encouraging students to express and present their individual strengths.
GRE,

GRE

I have helped numerous students prepare for the GRE (as well as many other admissions, achievement, and aptitude tests). I can help most effectively in preparing students for the Critical Writing (issue and argument essays) and Verbal (text completion, sentence equivalence, and reading comprehension) sections.
ISEE,

ISEE

I currently am helping students prepare for the ISEE and the SSAT. The focus of our work is on vocabulary, sentence completion questions, analogies, reading comprehension strategies, and preparation for the essay component.
SAT Reading,

SAT Reading

I have helped students prepare for the SAT for the past seven years. As a former college professor and high school teacher, I am very knowledgeable of the verbal and writing skills expected of SAT takers. I also have published articles on the history of standardized testing.
SAT Writing,

SAT Writing

My degrees are in history, but I have always required and evaluated student writing in every course I have given. I have helped scores of students improve their writing skills in order to prepare for the SAT essay section. After reviewing grammar, syntax, and word choice, the skills I emphasize are, first, demonstrating one's thesis or argument with specific detail, and second, developing one's thesis from introduction to conclusion.
ACT English, ASVAB, GED, PSAT, SAT Math, SSAT

Ratings and Reviews

Rating

5.0 (495 ratings)
5 star
(484)
4 star
(11)
3 star
(0)
2 star
(0)
1 star
(0)

Reviews

Professional, Kind, Enthusiastic, Knowledgeable

After several lessons, we have found Richard to be the consummate professional – always communicative, organized and punctual. He is respectful and kind to both parent and student and has developed good rapport with our child. He is teaching classic grammar, vocabulary and writing technique to our 8th grader and doing a wonderful job of explaining topics and giving concrete examples.

Anne, 20 lessons with Richard

Super helpful

My son had three lessons with him for his private high school application. Each session was super helpful for him. Richard has a very gentle and respectful manner towards his students. Each lesson, he provided guidance on how to better organize his writing and really supported my son's ideas/writing. His instructions were clear and each to follow and my son was able to organize his thoughts better. Overall, we were very happy Richard was there to help with my son's writing and would recommend Richard to anyone who wants to improve their writing/essay skills.

Jackie , 3 lessons with Richard

Very nice, patient and knowledgeable teacher

Mr. Richard is a very nice, patient and knowledgeable teacher! Our kid pretty loves to study with him! We appreciate his great help on our kids' reading skill!

Susie, 11 lessons with Richard

Great session!

I had the first session for my son. Richard was very easy to communicate and we figured out what would be the efficient approach for my son to study English. Looking forward to the future sessions.

Tatsuro, 3 lessons with Richard

Awesome Tutor

We have a writing lesson with Richard. Richard is very knowledgable and also he is very patient. His instruction is very clear and easy to follow. We strongly recommend Richard.

Bin, 2 lessons with Richard

Inspirational! Able to bring the best out of his students.

Richard was one of the few people I’ve met who could truly appreciate and bring out the intellectual side out of a student. He is brilliant at grasping meaning behind emotion and thought, and passionate about understanding the life stories of his students. In just a few classes, he was able to understand my intellectual and personal background, and point me in the right direction in terms of not only my studies but also my career and life. His advice was extremely important to me as a high school student. With his generous encouragements, I’ve learned to believe in my talents and potential even more. Richard is one of the best tutors I’ve ever had, because he inspires students to be confident and see the power of their own intellectual curiosity. Furthermore, Richard is meticulous when analyzing essays, eloquent and knowledgeable when having philosophical conversations, and attentive as a teacher and person. Overall, it was a great choice choosing him to be my tutor. He brought the best out of me.

Michelle, 9 lessons with Richard

Brilliance and Kindness meet in one.

Richard patiently conversed with my children in German. They each had time to learn with him. He focused on grammar and enhanced their understanding of language learning. He quizzed my daughter on verb conjugation and helped my younger son with noun articles and general conversation. He gave me several great tips as a parent to develop their German on our own. He was very kind, patient and considerate. Worth every star!

Brittany, 1 lesson with Richard

Inspire and prepare my children for future success

Richard is very professional and passionate in teaching. He has been tutoring my girls (fifth and second grade) reading and writing for one year. Not only have the girls shown a lot of improvement in reading and writing, but also they have become more enthusiastic about reading and writing. Richard is very knowledgeable about literature that is suitable, useful, and interesting for students at different levels, which is very helpful for parents who are not native English speakers. My girls have been reading all the books he recommended and are looking forward to reading the books he recommends at the next level. Richard encourages the girls to think during the reading by asking relevant questions about the book, and he encourages the girls to write about the story and their thoughts about the story after they finish reading it. With Richard’s help, the girls not only learn how to read but also learn about life, about how to be a good person from these books. He helps the girls in grammar, vocabulary, sentence structure, and logical thinking while reviewing their writings, so the girls learn this fundamental knowledge in an interactive and fun way. Whenever possible, Richard supplies the girls with historical knowledge that gives context to their reading and writing. Even though my girls are still very young, Richard has been providing us with useful information about future school (scholarship) applications and test preparation, which is very helpful to know ahead of time. Richard introduced a few SAT critical reading questions to my fifth grader, and taught her tricks for solving the problems from time to time during the lessons. I could not believe that my fifth grader could already do (and guess) pretty well when I gave her a SAT critical reading example recently! Richard is very reliable and flexible as well for the lessons. He is intelligent, knowledgeable, experienced and patient. My girls look forward eagerly to their sessions with Richard every week. As parents, we feel Richard genuinely cares about our children and wants to help them succeed not only now but also in the future.

Jiameng, 68 lessons with Richard

Very engaging

Richard has been tutoring my two sons for several months. He is a good communicator and very articulate. He makes every lesson interesting for my sons. He helped with homework assignments when we asked. He brought relevant material to the lessons if we had no particular request. I am very pleased with the tutoring so far.

Tracy, 31 lessons with Richard

The Best Tutor!

Richard is by far the best tutor that we had for either my son or my daughter! My son absolutely loves him and can't wait to meet him the next time. Very professional, he really helps my son to develop appropriate writing techniques and the correct approach to writing essays. He is extremely knowledgeable in not only language arts, but in many other subjects as well!

Maria, 15 lessons with Richard
Hourly Rate: $125
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