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Rx for Success in Math and Science
Michelle S.

4.7 (609 ratings)

3,296 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
Hourly Rate: $55
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Response time: 1 hour

About Michelle

Bio

I have become an ACT expert in math and science over the past 6 years. I have seen students bring their scores up 4-10 points, earn scholarships, and get admitted to their schools of choice. If your student needs help standing out from the crowd in my sections, I am the tutor to assist your student. (I also have someone to refer you to for help in the English and reading sections if you need it.)

I am a retired pharmacist who loves helping students with math and science! I will help...

I have become an ACT expert in math and science over the past 6 years. I have seen students bring their scores up 4-10 points, earn scholarships, and get admitted to their schools of choice. If your student needs help standing out from the crowd in my sections, I am the tutor to assist your student. (I also have someone to refer you to for help in the English and reading sections if you need it.)

I am a retired pharmacist who loves helping students with math and science! I will help middle school students all the way through Calculus students find the gaps in their knowledge and figure out the answers for themselves. Biology (see my pictured T-shirt) and chemistry are two science courses I can help high school or college students learn better. College students majoring in health professions would find me a great partner to navigate through courses like microbiology, pharmacology, or biochemistry.

My approach is generally casual. I like to assess what is trying to be taught and what the student does and does not understand about the subject matter. Then I try to have the student reason with me verbally, and I direct the thinking towards the right direction. I don't give out answers or spoon feed material because the student learns better when he/she figures it out with guidance. I will also get interactive with flash cards, quizzes, or other material if appropriate. Depending on the homework assignments the student has, I may supplement it with something I think the student will find helpful.

I look forward to working with you soon! :-)

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Education

philadelphia college of pharmacy and science
Pharmacy
University of Cincinnati
Graduate Coursework

Policies

  • Hourly Rate: $55
  • Rate details: I will meet students nearby Loveland, OH. for lessons. I am available to any students online, and I prefer to use this venue for lessons. ACT lessons are $60/hr due to my expertise.
  • Lesson cancellation: 24 hours notice required

  • Background check passed on 3/27/2015

  • Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

Schedule

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Approved Subjects

ACT Math

ACT Math

Over the years, I have learned what content and strategies are needed to improve student's scores. Some of my students have increased their scores in the math section by ten points, including someone who earned a 35 with some strategic adjustments. I cater my tutoring to what each individual needs, so there is no set curriculum or time period of packaged lessons. Students have worked with me for two days or for several months, depending on their knowledge gaps and their pace of learning. I recommend 1.5 hour lessons weekly to maximize what I can cover in a session. There is homework featuring what the student learns in each lesson.
ACT Science

ACT Science

The ACT Science test is really a reading comprehension involving science topics. I have discovered some strategies that help my students know what and where to look for the answers. Students who understand and apply these strategies are able to top out at a 29. The icing on the cake comes from learning specific science concepts that are repeated in multiple tests. Three of my students have received a 36 for the section.
Algebra 1

Algebra 1

I took Algebra 1 in Junior High and received an A. I enjoyed solving for variables because I enjoyed mysteries, and I felt I was solving some on my own. Algebra helps me determine how to correctly mix prescriptions that are not ready made. As a pharmacist, I use it often. Part of the way I teach includes finding and showing the student ways of double checking their work so they are confident they have the right answer.
Algebra 2

Algebra 2

I took Algebra 2 and Trigonometry together a year ahead of my class in high school. While I struggled with some concepts, I got help and understood everything better by the end of the semester. I was able to show my friends how to do certain problems the next year. Some equations have use in pharmacy when looking at where a patient's blood level falls on a curve and how a pharmacist would adjust the dose. Students appreciate my thorough explanations step by step through each type of problem, and they can then see how to apply those steps themselves.
Biology

Biology

I took an Honors Biology course in 9th grade and received an A. Biology was a big component of my college coursework as a pharmacist, and I graduated magna cum laude in May of 1991. I have to know biology to know how the body works and how medication acts when someone takes it, as I have been a pharmacist now for 22 years. I use it often. I also enjoy life learning with biology. I went to the Galapagos Islands as a vacation one year, and learned a great deal about Darwin, evolution, and the different species who live there. It was a fascinating trip and I would love to go back again someday!
Calculus

Calculus

When I was in high school, I took AP Calculus. I received an A in the course and a 4 on the AP Exam. When I went to college, I placed out of the first term of calculus, and the Calculus 2 I took was much like the second part of the AP course I took in high school. I found it very easy. Later in pharmacy school, I took an elective in Differential Equations because I thought I might want to go into research. It was an easy A for me. While it has been a while since I actively took this higher math, most calculus has come back to me as I reviewed it to take WyzAnt's test. There are certain types of problems that I would want to have ahead of time, in order to prepare for tutoring students in this subject. We can discuss this ahead of time.
Chemistry

Chemistry

I am the winner of Frank Gibbs Ryan Award for outstanding performance in chemical and pharmaceutical laboratory coursers at Philadelphia College of Pharmacy and Science in 1991. I graduated magna cum laude with a B.S. degree in Pharmacy in May of 1991. In high school, I took chemistry as a sophomore with a class full of juniors and was at the top of the class. It helped that I found it fun! I have used elements of chemistry in my job as a pharmacist for 23 years.
GED

GED

The GED test is based on knowledge one would learn through high school. When I attended high school, I graduated as the Salutatorian (2nd) in my High School Class. My strongest subjects are math and science, and I currently tutor middle school, high school, and college students in these areas. I am also qualified to tutor English subjects, such as grammar and writing. I also had no trouble passing WyzAnt's GED test for approval in this subject.
Geometry

Geometry

I have had about 2 years experience tutoring students in the Geometry questions of the ACT. Whether the questions are about parallel lines with a transversal cutting them into various types of angles, the Pythagorean Theorem to find the sides of triangles, the equation of a circle, or similar vs. congruent shapes and their sides or angles, I am able to guide my students to the correct answers. Geometry requires more visual skills, and I am able to tap into those strengths of most students by showing them how a concept works. However, all of these concepts are also based on logic, hence the use of proofs in many of these classes. If a student understands the logic better than the visual, I can guide them to understand the concepts that way. This subject now paves the way for me to help all of my students from Prealgebra through Calculus!
Microbiology

Microbiology

As part of pharmacy school, I took Microbiology and completed both classwork and labs. The information from this class helped to explain why antibiotics work on certain bacteria and increased my understanding of infections. I received an A in this class. In a recent job for a home infusion company, Microbiology was applied to the procedures and specifications of our clean room. We practiced to keep our IV preparations sterile and pyrogen free.
Organic Chemistry

Organic Chemistry

As part of my pharmacy college education, I took advanced organic chemistry. It was a very difficult class, but I never gave up. I received a B in the class, which would be equivalent to an A in regular organic chemistry. This course served as a strong basis for biochemistry and pharmacology, both of which I used routinely as a pharmacist. I still retain the foundational knowledge to help you understand and pass this course.
Pharmacology

Pharmacology

I was a pharmacist for 23 years. As part of pharmacy school, I had 2 years of pharmacology. I needed to apply principles from pharmacology routinely in my pharmacy practice to solve adverse event issues, choose the most optimal drug for a patient, or know why a drug-drug interaction might occur. Anyone in a healthcare field who has pharmacology questions would get the best answer coming to a pharmacist, like myself.
Physiology

Physiology

I took two Pathophysiology courses in pharmacy school. Pathophysiology I covered the nervous system, both sympathetic/parasympathetic and peripheral/autonomic. Pathophysiology II covered the remaining major organ systems of the human body, each presented by a different guest lecturer. I received an A in Pathophysiology I and a B in Pathophysiology II. Today I explain (to both patients and students) what goes wrong in an organ system, and how the body reacts to drugs that attempt to treat a patient's condition.
Prealgebra

Prealgebra

I took Gifted and Talented math (known to others as Prealgebra) in Junior High School and received an A. There are many fundamental concepts learned in this class, and I still use many of them today in pharmaceutical calculations. Proportions are especially important in pharmacy. I always teach students to double check their work, which increases their confidence when they are sure they have the right answer. The methods I show for double checking also help the students figure out where they went wrong if the answers do not match.
Precalculus

Precalculus

The Algebra 2 and Trigonometry Class I took as a Sophomore in High School was very advanced and meant to be a preparation of Calculus in my Junior year. It was difficult, but I got help from my classmates. Not only did this class prepare me for AP Calculus as a Junior, it also helped me with Physics class the same year. I learned concepts from them that have stuck with me for many years. I can help you understand both what to do and why you should do it. I am even teaching some of these concepts to students who are currently taking an advanced level of Algebra 2. They will tell you that I can break down these concepts just as well as typical Algebra topics, into smaller pieces that students can learn and apply.
Statistics

Statistics

In both undergraduate and graduate school, I had to take statistics and experimental design classes. I used the formulas and statistical tests in my research projects. Because I was so interested in applying these concepts, I earned my A's in these classes. Despite the years that have gone by since then, I still have retained enough knowledge about these statistics to interpret studies I read professionally to interpret the results and determine whether the researchers designed a good study or not. If not, their conclusions are not valid.
Study Skills

Study Skills

I was taught proper study skills as a young child, and I was successful with school and studying for tests. As a college student, I kept those skills and disciplined myself to make sure I had the proper time and environment to devote to my studies. Because I organized my life with a strong focus on studying, mixed with other pursuits, I was successful enough to graduate magna cum laude and be a leader in an intercollegiate group that was both fun and important to me. I would like to share my success with others.
Trigonometry

Trigonometry

Trigonometry was one of the hardest math topics for me in high school. I studied it as part of my Honors Algebra 2 course. I took it as a sophomore, in a class full of juniors. I had the privilege of learning from these juniors how to reason out the solutions to trigonometric identities. With practice, I got much better with these problems, and I ended up with a B in the class. This experience gave me an appreciation for all students who struggle with trigonometry. I recently reviewed these trigonometric identities for a student whom I was tutoring in precalculus. It brought back memories of high school and I was able to connect with this student better and help her understand the logic involved in these problems. I would like to share this knowledge with other students and take them from where I was to the best that they can be. It was also incredibly rewarding to take WyzAnt's test on my first try 10 years ago and receive 100% correct responses of 12 questions. I found the test quite easy, which validates that I understand the basic principles of trigonometry much better now than I did in high school.

Examples of Expertise

Michelle has provided examples of their subject expertise by answering 7 questions submitted by students on Wyzant’s Ask an Expert.

See all of Michelle ’s answers ›
Michelle S.'s Photo

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Ratings and Reviews

Rating

4.7 (609 ratings)
5 star
(488)
4 star
(87)
3 star
(19)
2 star
(2)
1 star
(13)

Reviews

Knowledgeable and patient tutor

Michelle was a fabulous tutor for the PTCB. She I very creative with her teaching style and is very determined to help her students succeed. I was very impressed by her detailed summaries post sessions. She has a wealth of experience and is very kind.

Sara, 21 lessons with Michelle

Knowledge and patient tutor

My daughter has Michelle since the beginning of the summer to close her gaps in chemistry. My daughter said she understands Michelle very well on materials that she has been struggled in class. We definitely going to stick with Michelle.

Fiona, 24 lessons with Michelle

The Support my Son Needed!

Michelle is incredibly thorough and detailed with her approach and the feedback she provides. My son has a good time working with her and we saw results after a single session.

Barb, 57 lessons with Michelle

The Support my Son Needed!

Michelle is incredibly thorough and detailed with her approach and the feedback she provides. My son has a good time working with her and we saw results after a single session.

Barb, 57 lessons with Michelle

Dedicated and professional tutor

Michelle really help my kid in his Act test. She was very dedicated and helpful. She also was very informative about the progress of my kid. She informed me about all the things that he needs to review. Michelle gave my kid tips and strategies to improve the effectiveness of his study. I will fully recommend her.

Carmen, 6 lessons with Michelle

Excelent and patient

Michelle is a true teacher. My son's session was Excellent. We will deffently be using her the remainder of the school year. She was knowledgeable of the subject and made sure my son had a full understanding of the topics reviewed.

Latoya, 8 lessons with Michelle

Patient tutor and good tutor.

Michelle is very patient with me, and I appreciate Michelle. Michelle is detail oriented. Michelle well makes sure you understand. Michelle makes sure you understand before she leaves. Michelle do give you homework.

Joanna, 100 lessons with Michelle

Michelle is very patient and able to clearly explain concepts!

Michelle is a great tutor. She was able to easily explain and demonstrate the concepts my daughter was having trouble with. Easy to work with and very accommodating.

Carmela, 1 lesson with Michelle

Pharmacology

Michelle is very caring and supportive, she walked me through the problems and had more problems for my to solve during our session. I absolutely recommend her!

Rozh, 1 lesson with Michelle

Thorough-ly A Gem!

Michelle has a genuine passion for teaching and numbers. She keeps me up to speed on my child's progress with a verbal recap after each lesson. Additonally, each lesson is followed by a comprehensive written synopsis of specific topics covered in the lesson. It's helpful feedback to share with my child's teachers.

Deborah, 57 lessons with Michelle
Hourly Rate: $55
Response time: 1 hour
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