John D.
North Miami Beach, FL
Independent school elementary teacher (math, science, language arts)
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Univ. of Massachusetts
PsychologyBoston College Law
J.D.Boston College
Master'sAbout John
I will be more than happy to help your child/ren understand the work s/he is being asked to do in school, whether reading, writing, spelling,
Policies
Cancellation
24 hours notice requiredMy posted rate is for one hour of tutoring, in your home. This rate is negotiable for multiple consecutive hours and/or two or more students being tutored concurrently.
Travel Radius
Travels within 20 miles of North Miami Beach, FL 33160"John is awesome!"
- Michelle, Fort Lauderdale, FL on 1/24/13I was immediately impressed with John’s ability to clearly explain principles and concepts with enthusiasm and patience. John reaches a child on their individual level enabling the child to trust and embrace the skills John teaches them. John's focus is not solely on increasing grade point average but strives for the child’s broadened success in all aspects of their lives. Perseverance, hard work, dedication and seeking assistance when necessary are life lessons which once learned and applied result in personal growth and success across the board!
"Great tutor! Very friendly!"
- Damian, Miami, FL on 1/17/13John has been helping my son since August 2012. He always comes well prepared to do something new with vocabulary, reading, and science. Brings his own books and materials, suggests strategies and proposals. My son is excited and as parents we see progress and motivation.
John esta ayudando a mi hijo desde Agosto 2012. El siempre viene bien preparado para hacer cosa nuevas como vocabulario, reading, y ciencias. Trae sus propios libros y materiales, sugiere estrategias y propuestas. Mi hijo esta entusiasmado y como padres vemos progreso y motivacion.
"Amazing tutor!!!"
- FADIA, Miami Beach, FL on 1/17/13John tutored my son for his ISEE test. He was incredibly patient with him, who tends to space off and was able to get him to concentrate on the material that was being explained. John was also very fair when it came to scheduling tutoring sessions. He was very truthful in the amount of hours that my child needed and did not try to "sell" me more hours. I would definitely seek John's services, should the need arise! Thank you, John. You were great!!!
John ayudo a mi hijo a prepararse par el examen de ISEE. Fue increiblemente paciente con el, siendo mi hijo uno de esos ninos que se desconcentra muy rápido y logro ensenarle todas las materias necesarias. También me gusto mucho el hecho que no trato de venderme mas horas de las que mi hijo necesitaba. Si necesitásemos mas ayuda tutorial, definitivamente contactaría a John de nuevo. Mil gracias, John!
"Great tutor"
- Maria, Miami, FL on 1/9/13I hired John to tutor my 10 year old son for his upcoming standardized tests. From the first meeting, he was able to connect with my son and help him grasp concepts he didn't understand before. He does it in a manner that's relaxed but focused. After each session, my son feels he "learned a lot", comes out feeling upbeat and looks forward to the next session with him. I think we've found the right tutor.
UPDATE: My son took his standardized test and did significantly better than in his practice tests in most areas. John was not just instrumental in getting him ready for it, but he went above and beyond by offering to write a letter of recommendation for one of the schools we are applying to, where he is an instructor. He also offered to introduce him to other kids that play chess at the school, this being one of my son’s interests. In addition, he was flexible in arranging times to meet with us and was a pleasure to work with. John really cares about his students. He will do whatever is in his power to make sure kids learn and succeed. He is a true teacher and I recommend him without reservation.
Approved subjects are in bold.
Approved subjects
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Bar Exam
I received my J.D. degree from Boston College Law School in 1990. I passed the Pennsylvania Bar Exam in 1991.
Elementary (K-6th)
FL & MA state certified in grades K-6; FL state certified in science grades 5-9.
Elementary Math
I have a FL subject area endorsement in middle grades math, grades 5-9. I also have extensive experience in the classroom and as a tutor working with Everyday Math, Singapore math, and middle school math through Algebra. I want my students to "really get math" in the way that a serious student of a foreign language really needs to "get it" in order to be fluent. Just like learning to speak a foreign language fluently is not merely about memorizing vocabulary and learning to conjugate (I should know; I've studied several foreign languages but only one---Portuguese---to real fluency), learning math is not about memorizing algorithms and mnemonics ("Keep/Switch/Flip" is my "favorite") or moving numbers around on a page. Math is a language of symbols and patterns that can be understood and appreciated by even very young students. I achieve this lofty goal by clear explanations, hands on math, use of manipulatives, drawing pictures, playing games---whatever will work for this particular student on this particular day.
Elementary Science
I have a FL subject area endorsement in middle grades science grades 5-9. More important, I know that science is much more than facts and figures (How fast does light travel in a vacuum? How many electrons in the outermost shell of an atom of helium?). Science is all about developing a working model, a good understanding, of the world around us, from the quantum to the microscopic to the galactic and "beyond." I want my students' experiences with science to include: tapping into their inner "font of curiosity" about the world in which they live, asking questions, wondering, marveling, reacting with awe and excitement, and enjoying. Science should not deaden the senses (in the way that a purely textbook version of science surely will); it should awaken children to the incredible world in which they live. Also, every good scientist has to come to the realization that s/he is ignorant about more things than s/he knows and be excited by that ignorance. "Knowledge is a big subject," says Stuart Firestein of Columbia University, "but ignorance is a bigger one. And it is ignorance--not knowledge--that is the true engine of science." Finally, I want my science students to develop a healthy skepticism about, well, everything. If you really want to know something, you have to figure it out, investigate, experiment, read, question, form hypotheses, test them, find the similarities and differences, connect the dots, notice patterns, and then take your acquired knowledge with a grain of salt. Be humble, especially when you're sure you've discovered the truth!
Portuguese
For four years I lived in Brazil and taught 4th/5th grades at an American School in Sao Paulo. Since I returned to the US to teach, I've been back to Brazil as a tourist at least a dozen times. I speak (eles dizem) fluent Portuguese.
Study Skills
Over the past decade, I've worked with several dozen students as a private tutor, mentor, and learning coach. While much to most of the work I do with my students is substantive and academic (test prep, homework, re-teaching and clarifying concepts, academic content skill-building), at least some of the work I do with some of my private students is in the areas of organization, attention, and motivation. Come to think of it, I do all of this in my position as a classroom teacher. The two, obviously, go hand in hand.
Other North Miami Beach, FL Tutors
John D.
North Miami Beach, FL
Independent school elementary teacher (math, science, language arts)