I was employed in teaching for about 30 years. The last 10 years I did special education at Carrington Middle School in Durham. About the same time I changed to special ed, I started my own tutoring service called Academic Coaching Inc. I have continued it on and off ever since. My approach to tutoring is to coach the student the same way a coach interacts with an athlete: to encourage, to empower, to teach him how to learn, to help him to organize his work, and to instill in him the...
I was employed in teaching for about 30 years. The last 10 years I did special education at Carrington Middle School in Durham. About the same time I changed to special ed, I started my own tutoring service called Academic Coaching Inc. I have continued it on and off ever since. My approach to tutoring is to coach the student the same way a coach interacts with an athlete: to encourage, to empower, to teach him how to learn, to help him to organize his work, and to instill in him the delight in learning which I feel. I have worked with students ranging in age from 2nd grade to graduate school and have taught a variety of topics English, literature and writing, vocabulary, American History , world history, and civics. In math I am most comfortable with pre-algebra, Algebra I, and geometry and in science, biology, physical science and ecology. Many, perhaps most of my students had ADD or ADHD, a number had behavioral issues. They are for me a special challenge and delight.
Math was never my favorite subject but I find the logic and certainty of math quite compelling. Although I took some math in college; I am mostly self taught. Students may begin working in another subject but generally they also have problems with math. I have tutored everything from second grade math to Algebra II. Before retired I taught math (pre-algebra) to 7th and 8th grade special ed and behaviorally handicapped students.