Hello! My name is Marisa, and I graduated from UCLA with a double major in International Development Studies and Sociology and a minor in Professional Writing. I also hold a TEFL certification and have experience teaching English as a second language to high school students. My experience with younger students has primarily been one-on-one or in small groups of two to three, allowing me to tailor sessions to each student's needs.
My tutoring approach is positive, encouraging, and...
Hello! My name is Marisa, and I graduated from UCLA with a double major in International Development Studies and Sociology and a minor in Professional Writing. I also hold a TEFL certification and have experience teaching English as a second language to high school students. My experience with younger students has primarily been one-on-one or in small groups of two to three, allowing me to tailor sessions to each student's needs.
My tutoring approach is positive, encouraging, and individualized. I use scaffolding to break challenging concepts into manageable steps and gradually build students' confidence working independently. I also incorporate error analysis, helping students understand why they missed a question rather than simply giving them the correct answer. I prefer receiving students' materials ahead of time so I can prepare for each lesson, and I often begin sessions with a short quiz reviewing previous material to ensure knowledge is sticking. I am also collaborative with parents and value their feedback to ensure my approach is working effectively.
English, reading, and writing are particular areas of expertise for me. In addition to completing UCLA's Professional Writing minor, I scored a 5 on both the AP English Literature and AP English Language exams and earned a perfect score on the ACT Reading section. For high school students, I particularly specialize in ACT English, ACT Reading, ACT Writing, and SAT Reading preparation. I use practice questions, error analysis, and targeted review to identify patterns in missed questions and strengthen the underlying reading, grammar, and writing skills students need to improve their performance. I know college applications can be a stressful time, so I am here to provide any guidance on application strategy and structure as well.
