Hi I'm Sheila! I graduated cum laude from University of Connecticut with a dual bachelors degree in Mathematics and Fine Arts. I have always been passionate about education, so after college I joined Teach for America, completed their summer training, and worked briefly at a high school before leaving. The fast paced nature of the school system was disheartening for me, as I was not able to spend enough time with each student to really help them understand mathematical concepts in a long...
Hi I'm Sheila! I graduated cum laude from University of Connecticut with a dual bachelors degree in Mathematics and Fine Arts. I have always been passionate about education, so after college I joined Teach for America, completed their summer training, and worked briefly at a high school before leaving. The fast paced nature of the school system was disheartening for me, as I was not able to spend enough time with each student to really help them understand mathematical concepts in a long lasting way. I do not want to have my students memorize surface level theory, I want them to understand foundations so that they can use that knowledge to succeed throughout their education.
I have been working with tweens and teens since I was a teenager myself, working at a summer camp for four years. As a college student, I taught for Sportsometry, a non-profit organization dedicated to helping students with STEM subjects through physical games. As part of my training with Teach for America, I taught math(mainly pre-algebra) to small groups of 6th, 7th, and 8th graders who were enrolled in summer school. I also attended seminars focused culturally relevant pedagogy and student based learning approaches. Currently I am working as a climbing coach for children aged 6 through 14 at City Climb Gym. In total I have 7 years of experience engaging children and teenagers in a variety of activities, helping them face their fears and work through their challenges, and 1 year of experience teaching math.
As a tutor, I like to start with a free 15 minute phone consultation with the parent, preferably with the student present, so that I can understand exactly what kind of help is needed. I generally begin a lesson by having the student explain to me what they already know about a topic. We then will work through the topic together, taking the time to relearn gaps in prerequisite content when necessary. At the end of the session I want the student to explain to me what they learned, so I know they feel confident in their knowledge.
