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7th through 12th grade personalized private tutoring and mentoring
Malea B.

5.0 (270 ratings)

1,160 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
Hourly Rate: $45
Contact Malea
Response time: 4 hours
Malea B.'s Photo
Malea B.'s Photo Malea B.'s Photo Malea B.'s Photo

7th through 12th grade personalized private tutoring and mentoring
7th through 12th grade personalized private tutoring and mentoring
Malea B.

5.0 (270 ratings)

1,160 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
5.0 (270 ratings)

1,160 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

About Malea

Bio

All students have the ability to achieve, but it takes a special spark to get them to believe it. Often this requires building a relationship of trust by focusing on strengths and leveraging those strengths to create success in new areas. I do this through individualization of all lessons. My students are stakeholders in their own success--I am their guide, mentor, role model, coach, and teacher.

Recent students have included:
- High schooler at risk of failing who has since graduated
-...

All students have the ability to achieve, but it takes a special spark to get them to believe it. Often this requires building a relationship of trust by focusing on strengths and leveraging those strengths to create success in new areas. I do this through individualization of all lessons. My students are stakeholders in their own success--I am their guide, mentor, role model, coach, and teacher.

Recent students have included:
- High schooler at risk of failing who has since graduated
- 6th grade student failing all subjects who went from all Fs to Cs, Bs, and As.
- One-on-one and group ESL conversation
- High school siblings: all were accepted through early admission to their first choice universities
- Multiple students writing medical and PA school application essays

Over the past 20+ years, I also have volunteered in many classrooms and have tutored students of all ages. I also have ten years of experience as a homeschooling parent and in teaching homeschool co-op classes.

I hold an MFA in Writing from Sarah Lawrence College and a BS in Arts and Letters (writing, philosophy, art, humanities/classics, world religions) from Portland State University. While studying for both, I tutored fellow classmates and organized study groups.

Classroom teaching experience:
-Public Speaking at Concordia College in Bronxville, New York.
-Developmental English, Contemporary Short Story, and College English I; ESL substitute teacher at Long Island Business Institute in Queens, New York.
-Ninth grade creative writing at the Baccalaureate School for Global Education in Queens, NY, 2010-2011.

I do not currently offer standardized test prep, but I do provide exam proctoring for online, distance, homeschooled, and other student situations. I am currently only working with students in junior/middle school and high school.

Read more

Education

Portland State University
BS Arts and Letters
Sarah Lawrence College
Masters

Policies

  • Hourly Rate: $45
  • Rate details: Group lessons, homeschoolers, and classes: Please inquire.
  • Lesson cancellation: 24 hours notice required

  • Background check passed on 12/5/2013

  • Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

Schedule

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Approved Subjects

Business

Public Speaking

Public Speaking

The fear of public speaking can be paralyzing. It doesn't need to be that way! Like many things, public speaking is a skill which can be mastered, and the fear that comes with it can also be mastered. I have years of public speaking experience in front of groups ranging from five to over 100 people. My experience includes speaking at student conferences while in college at Portland State University, as a professor at Long Island Business Institute in Queens, NY, and as a professor at Concordia College in Bronxville, NY. At Concordia College, I taught a public speaking course in which every student was a in their first year of college, and all of them were terrified of taking this class. By the end of the term, each one was more confident, had mastered different aspects of public speaking, and had a guide for skills to continue working on. Two of my students gained so much confidence that they joined Toastmasters, a public speaking club. Another one told me a few weeks later that he gave a presentation at his office, and for the first time ever, he wasn't nervous in the public speaking role. I can help you with nervousness, volume projection and voice modulation, practice speeches, developing and using visuals during public speaking, and more. I offer both formal public speaking coaching and informal speaking mentoring. We can practice your speech, prepare for an interview, improve conversational skills, and more. I am especially adept at helping shy people overcome their nervousness to achieve their speaking goals.

Corporate Training

ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

While teaching at Long Island Business Institute in Queens, NY, over 80% of my students qualified as ESL/ESOL. Most spoke Mandarin or Spanish, but other languages were represented as well. I also have worked with Russian and Ukrainian students. I work with ESL students primarily in pronunciation and conversational skills. I am able to work with students one-on-one or in small groups. Past students seeking conversational tutoring have requested help with, among other things: * basic greetings * common social customs in the USA * business English * transactional skills (how to return an item at a store, how to talk a bank teller, how to request directions, etc) * job interview practice for ESL speakers My rate for conversation and pronunciation practice is significantly lower than my normal rates and sessions range from 30 minutes up to an hour.
Public Speaking

Public Speaking

The fear of public speaking can be paralyzing. It doesn't need to be that way! Like many things, public speaking is a skill which can be mastered, and the fear that comes with it can also be mastered. I have years of public speaking experience in front of groups ranging from five to over 100 people. My experience includes speaking at student conferences while in college at Portland State University, as a professor at Long Island Business Institute in Queens, NY, and as a professor at Concordia College in Bronxville, NY. At Concordia College, I taught a public speaking course in which every student was a in their first year of college, and all of them were terrified of taking this class. By the end of the term, each one was more confident, had mastered different aspects of public speaking, and had a guide for skills to continue working on. Two of my students gained so much confidence that they joined Toastmasters, a public speaking club. Another one told me a few weeks later that he gave a presentation at his office, and for the first time ever, he wasn't nervous in the public speaking role. I can help you with nervousness, volume projection and voice modulation, practice speeches, developing and using visuals during public speaking, and more. I offer both formal public speaking coaching and informal speaking mentoring. We can practice your speech, prepare for an interview, improve conversational skills, and more. I am especially adept at helping shy people overcome their nervousness to achieve their speaking goals.

Elementary Education

Homeschool,

Homeschool

I always wanted to homeschool my child and finally did when public school just wasn't working out. We homeschooled for ten years, and in that time, my child far surpassed his traditionally schooled peers in most academic. I have extensive experience crafting and selecting curriculum (including designing full term or year programs), as well as proctoring in person exams (Portland, OR metro area), teaching courses, and teaching co-op classes. I also have extensive experience as a parent mentor for families just getting started with homeschooling and the with experience but looking for guidance to make changes in their homeschool. My rate varies with the nature of your needs, so please send me a message so we can chat about what you need and what I'm able to offer!
Phonics,

Phonics

While phonics is a key element in learning to read, I first work with a student to determine if they need help with phonics, sight words or a combination. Most students learn to read using a combination of both phonics and sight words. I utilize a variety of methods in teaching phonics including a letter chart, refrigerator magnet letters, sand trays for kinesthetic learners (students who need to feel things to comprehend them), and more. My very first tutoring student, years ago, was a second grade boy that was unable to recognize most letters of the alphabet, had no knowledge of the sounds associated with the letters and could not put them together to form words. I tutored him twice weekly and by the end of the school year he was reading on grade level. Since then I have tutored students ranging from kindergarten through adulthood in phonics, sight words, and reading readiness. Most recently, I helped a 13 year old girl who had learned to read using sight words exclusively. As a result she missed many of the nuances of the English language and was often confused by what she read. After just two months of one-on-one tutoring, she has learned to not only sound out words, but to use other cues to gather word meanings. She is now confident in using phonics skills to supplement her sight word recognition and her reading has become more fluid. Currently, I work with students aged 10 and older, through adulthood. I particularly enjoy helping adults too become more confident readers.
Reading,

Reading

I have over 25 years of experience teaching all aspects of reading, including comprehension, to students of all ages and backgrounds.
Study Skills

Study Skills

Without a strong understanding of how to study many students are moved on from grade to grade and come to a point where they begin to feel lost. As subjects become more complex, it is imperative that students know how to study. This involves more than simply opening a book and reading. When I teach study skills, I first determine *how* a student learns. Some students do well with visual cues while others best retain information in other ways (auditory, kinesthetic, or a combination). Once I have determined a students learning style we can move on from there and put in place a system for studying. For some students study skills are lacking because the student does not understand the basics of organization. This may mean that we work on daily skills such as writing down assignments in a planner, or that we work on how to put together a notebook, or we may work on how to take notes in the first place. By learning how to most effectively study, a student will be more likely to have success later in their academic career, and even in the workplace.

English

English,

English

Teaching English and all that it encompasses is my passion. I work with my students to meet them where they are and to build them up or to help them get ahead. With past students this has meant focusing on literary analysis, improving basic writing skills, improving creative thought processes for creative writing, and much more. Past students have: * learned to actively engage in their English courses * become avid readers * gained several grade levels in writing ability * mastered the art of written correspondence * found connections between seemingly disparate reading materials I hold and MFA in Writing from Sarah Lawrence College in New York, as well as a Bachelor's in Arts and Letters (heavy emphasis on English, art, and philosophy) from Portland State University in Oregon. My formal English teaching experience includes teaching: * Creative Writing at Baccalaureate School for Global Studies in Queens, NY * English 101 at Long Island Business Institute in Queens, NY * Short Story (literature course) at Long Island Business Institute in Queens, NY The bulk of my tutoring hours are built around two subject or category areas: study skills and English.
ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

While teaching at Long Island Business Institute in Queens, NY, over 80% of my students qualified as ESL/ESOL. Most spoke Mandarin or Spanish, but other languages were represented as well. I also have worked with Russian and Ukrainian students. I work with ESL students primarily in pronunciation and conversational skills. I am able to work with students one-on-one or in small groups. Past students seeking conversational tutoring have requested help with, among other things: * basic greetings * common social customs in the USA * business English * transactional skills (how to return an item at a store, how to talk a bank teller, how to request directions, etc) * job interview practice for ESL speakers My rate for conversation and pronunciation practice is significantly lower than my normal rates and sessions range from 30 minutes up to an hour.
Literature,

Literature

Literature is a window into other worlds and experiences. Through a good book, a student will gain insight not only into the mindset of the author, characters, and setting, but will also be transformed as a reader. I seek to help my students understand their texts at all levels, from the most basic understanding of plot, setting, and characters to deeper aspects of symbolism, implied meanings, and more. I also specialize in textual analysis for the purposes of writing literature-based analytical essays. Even if I have read a book before, I always read it again, following my student's reading schedule in order to have the material fresh in my mind, and thus give focused attention to my student as he or she grapples with the book. I read widely, and devour books. A small sampling of the texts I tutor includes: * poetry (especially Sylvia Plath, Anne Sexton, William Carlos Williams) * The Catcher in the Rye * The Lord of the Flies * Of Mice and Men and The Grapes of Wrath * To Kill a Mockingbird * Black Boy * Shakespeare's plays * The Odyssey and The Iliad * the work of Sophocles, Aristotle, and Plato * the works of Mark Twain and Robert Louis Stevenson * the works of Amy Tan * the works of F. Scott Fitzgerald * the works of Sandra Cisneros * the works of Jack Kerouac and Allen Ginsberg * Their Eyes Were Watching God by Zora Neal Hurston * The Giver by Lois Lowry * Ethan Frome by Edith Wharton * The Yellow Wallpaper by Elizabeth Perkins Gilman * and many, many more I am able to help both with reading and understanding literally, but also with writing analytical essays about literature.
Public Speaking,

Public Speaking

The fear of public speaking can be paralyzing. It doesn't need to be that way! Like many things, public speaking is a skill which can be mastered, and the fear that comes with it can also be mastered. I have years of public speaking experience in front of groups ranging from five to over 100 people. My experience includes speaking at student conferences while in college at Portland State University, as a professor at Long Island Business Institute in Queens, NY, and as a professor at Concordia College in Bronxville, NY. At Concordia College, I taught a public speaking course in which every student was a in their first year of college, and all of them were terrified of taking this class. By the end of the term, each one was more confident, had mastered different aspects of public speaking, and had a guide for skills to continue working on. Two of my students gained so much confidence that they joined Toastmasters, a public speaking club. Another one told me a few weeks later that he gave a presentation at his office, and for the first time ever, he wasn't nervous in the public speaking role. I can help you with nervousness, volume projection and voice modulation, practice speeches, developing and using visuals during public speaking, and more. I offer both formal public speaking coaching and informal speaking mentoring. We can practice your speech, prepare for an interview, improve conversational skills, and more. I am especially adept at helping shy people overcome their nervousness to achieve their speaking goals.
Reading,

Reading

I have over 25 years of experience teaching all aspects of reading, including comprehension, to students of all ages and backgrounds.
Writing

Writing

Writing -- it's difficult to get by in life without it. With many years teaching reading and writing, both professionally as an adjunct college professor and as a tutor, I have witnessed students shift from reluctant to set pencil to page to being fully engaged with the writing process. Some students have started unable to write a complete sentence, dropping punctuation, verbs, and so on. Others have been so rules oriented that they were unable to go beyond a teacher's rubric. My goal is to help my students to not only overcome these obstacles, but to become accomplished writings in order to achieve goals that may include: - improving academic grades - writing a thank you note for a gift - writing a resume and cover letter for a job application - learning MLA, APA or another citation format - organizing thoughts into a memoir - writing a letter to hire or fire a contractor - and much more! Our writing sessions will start with an analysis of your current writing skills either through review of a recent piece you've written or via a short writing assignment during our first session together. We will assess your skill level against your goals and formulate a plan to take your writing to the next level.

History

Classics

Classics

With an undergraduate major in Arts and Letters, and a graduate degree in Writing, I am well versed in many aspects of the area called classics. I am especially well familiar in classical literature such as Homer ("The Odyssey" by Homer, translated by Robert Fagles, is a masterpiece!) and Sophocles, as well as Greek mythology. My classics background also includes ancient and modern philosophy, art history and architectural history, and archaeology. In particular, I am interested in how all of these areas intersect to create the idea of culture and society. I have taught and tutored the classics primarily to middle school, high school, and undergraduate college students. I believe in studying materials together, discussing significant ideas, and then helping my student apply their own theories and understanding. However, I also strive to support my students' individual learning styles and thus may use auditory, visual, or kinesthetic materials and methods to build understanding. I am able to tutor traditional courses in these areas, but also provide homeschooling instruction and homeschool curriculum development in the classics and humanities. Additionally, I have experience creating and administering credit recovery curriculum in these areas for private school students.

Homeschool

English,

English

Teaching English and all that it encompasses is my passion. I work with my students to meet them where they are and to build them up or to help them get ahead. With past students this has meant focusing on literary analysis, improving basic writing skills, improving creative thought processes for creative writing, and much more. Past students have: * learned to actively engage in their English courses * become avid readers * gained several grade levels in writing ability * mastered the art of written correspondence * found connections between seemingly disparate reading materials I hold and MFA in Writing from Sarah Lawrence College in New York, as well as a Bachelor's in Arts and Letters (heavy emphasis on English, art, and philosophy) from Portland State University in Oregon. My formal English teaching experience includes teaching: * Creative Writing at Baccalaureate School for Global Studies in Queens, NY * English 101 at Long Island Business Institute in Queens, NY * Short Story (literature course) at Long Island Business Institute in Queens, NY The bulk of my tutoring hours are built around two subject or category areas: study skills and English.
ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

While teaching at Long Island Business Institute in Queens, NY, over 80% of my students qualified as ESL/ESOL. Most spoke Mandarin or Spanish, but other languages were represented as well. I also have worked with Russian and Ukrainian students. I work with ESL students primarily in pronunciation and conversational skills. I am able to work with students one-on-one or in small groups. Past students seeking conversational tutoring have requested help with, among other things: * basic greetings * common social customs in the USA * business English * transactional skills (how to return an item at a store, how to talk a bank teller, how to request directions, etc) * job interview practice for ESL speakers My rate for conversation and pronunciation practice is significantly lower than my normal rates and sessions range from 30 minutes up to an hour.
Reading,

Reading

I have over 25 years of experience teaching all aspects of reading, including comprehension, to students of all ages and backgrounds.
Study Skills,

Study Skills

Without a strong understanding of how to study many students are moved on from grade to grade and come to a point where they begin to feel lost. As subjects become more complex, it is imperative that students know how to study. This involves more than simply opening a book and reading. When I teach study skills, I first determine *how* a student learns. Some students do well with visual cues while others best retain information in other ways (auditory, kinesthetic, or a combination). Once I have determined a students learning style we can move on from there and put in place a system for studying. For some students study skills are lacking because the student does not understand the basics of organization. This may mean that we work on daily skills such as writing down assignments in a planner, or that we work on how to put together a notebook, or we may work on how to take notes in the first place. By learning how to most effectively study, a student will be more likely to have success later in their academic career, and even in the workplace.
Writing

Writing

Writing -- it's difficult to get by in life without it. With many years teaching reading and writing, both professionally as an adjunct college professor and as a tutor, I have witnessed students shift from reluctant to set pencil to page to being fully engaged with the writing process. Some students have started unable to write a complete sentence, dropping punctuation, verbs, and so on. Others have been so rules oriented that they were unable to go beyond a teacher's rubric. My goal is to help my students to not only overcome these obstacles, but to become accomplished writings in order to achieve goals that may include: - improving academic grades - writing a thank you note for a gift - writing a resume and cover letter for a job application - learning MLA, APA or another citation format - organizing thoughts into a memoir - writing a letter to hire or fire a contractor - and much more! Our writing sessions will start with an analysis of your current writing skills either through review of a recent piece you've written or via a short writing assignment during our first session together. We will assess your skill level against your goals and formulate a plan to take your writing to the next level.

Language

ESL/ESOL

ESL/ESOL

While teaching at Long Island Business Institute in Queens, NY, over 80% of my students qualified as ESL/ESOL. Most spoke Mandarin or Spanish, but other languages were represented as well. I also have worked with Russian and Ukrainian students. I work with ESL students primarily in pronunciation and conversational skills. I am able to work with students one-on-one or in small groups. Past students seeking conversational tutoring have requested help with, among other things: * basic greetings * common social customs in the USA * business English * transactional skills (how to return an item at a store, how to talk a bank teller, how to request directions, etc) * job interview practice for ESL speakers My rate for conversation and pronunciation practice is significantly lower than my normal rates and sessions range from 30 minutes up to an hour.

Most Popular

English,

English

Teaching English and all that it encompasses is my passion. I work with my students to meet them where they are and to build them up or to help them get ahead. With past students this has meant focusing on literary analysis, improving basic writing skills, improving creative thought processes for creative writing, and much more. Past students have: * learned to actively engage in their English courses * become avid readers * gained several grade levels in writing ability * mastered the art of written correspondence * found connections between seemingly disparate reading materials I hold and MFA in Writing from Sarah Lawrence College in New York, as well as a Bachelor's in Arts and Letters (heavy emphasis on English, art, and philosophy) from Portland State University in Oregon. My formal English teaching experience includes teaching: * Creative Writing at Baccalaureate School for Global Studies in Queens, NY * English 101 at Long Island Business Institute in Queens, NY * Short Story (literature course) at Long Island Business Institute in Queens, NY The bulk of my tutoring hours are built around two subject or category areas: study skills and English.
ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

While teaching at Long Island Business Institute in Queens, NY, over 80% of my students qualified as ESL/ESOL. Most spoke Mandarin or Spanish, but other languages were represented as well. I also have worked with Russian and Ukrainian students. I work with ESL students primarily in pronunciation and conversational skills. I am able to work with students one-on-one or in small groups. Past students seeking conversational tutoring have requested help with, among other things: * basic greetings * common social customs in the USA * business English * transactional skills (how to return an item at a store, how to talk a bank teller, how to request directions, etc) * job interview practice for ESL speakers My rate for conversation and pronunciation practice is significantly lower than my normal rates and sessions range from 30 minutes up to an hour.
Reading,

Reading

I have over 25 years of experience teaching all aspects of reading, including comprehension, to students of all ages and backgrounds.
Study Skills,

Study Skills

Without a strong understanding of how to study many students are moved on from grade to grade and come to a point where they begin to feel lost. As subjects become more complex, it is imperative that students know how to study. This involves more than simply opening a book and reading. When I teach study skills, I first determine *how* a student learns. Some students do well with visual cues while others best retain information in other ways (auditory, kinesthetic, or a combination). Once I have determined a students learning style we can move on from there and put in place a system for studying. For some students study skills are lacking because the student does not understand the basics of organization. This may mean that we work on daily skills such as writing down assignments in a planner, or that we work on how to put together a notebook, or we may work on how to take notes in the first place. By learning how to most effectively study, a student will be more likely to have success later in their academic career, and even in the workplace.
Writing

Writing

Writing -- it's difficult to get by in life without it. With many years teaching reading and writing, both professionally as an adjunct college professor and as a tutor, I have witnessed students shift from reluctant to set pencil to page to being fully engaged with the writing process. Some students have started unable to write a complete sentence, dropping punctuation, verbs, and so on. Others have been so rules oriented that they were unable to go beyond a teacher's rubric. My goal is to help my students to not only overcome these obstacles, but to become accomplished writings in order to achieve goals that may include: - improving academic grades - writing a thank you note for a gift - writing a resume and cover letter for a job application - learning MLA, APA or another citation format - organizing thoughts into a memoir - writing a letter to hire or fire a contractor - and much more! Our writing sessions will start with an analysis of your current writing skills either through review of a recent piece you've written or via a short writing assignment during our first session together. We will assess your skill level against your goals and formulate a plan to take your writing to the next level.

Other

College Counseling,

College Counseling

Crafting a strong college application is tough and requires a careful approach to help your student stand out from the crowd. I have helped past students get into their first and second choice undergraduate and graduate schools by carefully examining their goals and interests, as well as those things that make them unique applicants. My students learn to craft admission essays that spark the reader's interest from the first few words. They also gain insight into areas of their applications which may be weak and need bolstering. We also discuss who to approach for letters of recommendation and how to ensure strong letters are received. My students typically come to me six months or more before they begin applying. Past students have gained admission to many schools, including: * Villanova (undergraduate) * NYU (undergraduate) * University of Arizona (graduate) * Midwestern (graduate) In addition, I gained admission to my first choice graduate program, Sarah Lawrence College, through careful attention to every detail of the application process. Sarah Lawrence College hosts one of the country's most rigorous graduate writing programs. My acceptance letter was a testament to the hard work I put into the application process. Additionally, I also specialize in helping students who did not get accepted and want to reapply. We will analyze your original application, assess options to strengthen your new application, and will go from there. In addition to successfully helping many students through the application process, I also recently worked on the flip side in admissions, reviewing applications. For students still a few years away from applying, we will discuss academics, extracurriculars, interests, and more to craft a plan towards successful college admissions.
ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

While teaching at Long Island Business Institute in Queens, NY, over 80% of my students qualified as ESL/ESOL. Most spoke Mandarin or Spanish, but other languages were represented as well. I also have worked with Russian and Ukrainian students. I work with ESL students primarily in pronunciation and conversational skills. I am able to work with students one-on-one or in small groups. Past students seeking conversational tutoring have requested help with, among other things: * basic greetings * common social customs in the USA * business English * transactional skills (how to return an item at a store, how to talk a bank teller, how to request directions, etc) * job interview practice for ESL speakers My rate for conversation and pronunciation practice is significantly lower than my normal rates and sessions range from 30 minutes up to an hour.
Study Skills

Study Skills

Without a strong understanding of how to study many students are moved on from grade to grade and come to a point where they begin to feel lost. As subjects become more complex, it is imperative that students know how to study. This involves more than simply opening a book and reading. When I teach study skills, I first determine *how* a student learns. Some students do well with visual cues while others best retain information in other ways (auditory, kinesthetic, or a combination). Once I have determined a students learning style we can move on from there and put in place a system for studying. For some students study skills are lacking because the student does not understand the basics of organization. This may mean that we work on daily skills such as writing down assignments in a planner, or that we work on how to put together a notebook, or we may work on how to take notes in the first place. By learning how to most effectively study, a student will be more likely to have success later in their academic career, and even in the workplace.

Special Needs

Phonics,

Phonics

While phonics is a key element in learning to read, I first work with a student to determine if they need help with phonics, sight words or a combination. Most students learn to read using a combination of both phonics and sight words. I utilize a variety of methods in teaching phonics including a letter chart, refrigerator magnet letters, sand trays for kinesthetic learners (students who need to feel things to comprehend them), and more. My very first tutoring student, years ago, was a second grade boy that was unable to recognize most letters of the alphabet, had no knowledge of the sounds associated with the letters and could not put them together to form words. I tutored him twice weekly and by the end of the school year he was reading on grade level. Since then I have tutored students ranging from kindergarten through adulthood in phonics, sight words, and reading readiness. Most recently, I helped a 13 year old girl who had learned to read using sight words exclusively. As a result she missed many of the nuances of the English language and was often confused by what she read. After just two months of one-on-one tutoring, she has learned to not only sound out words, but to use other cues to gather word meanings. She is now confident in using phonics skills to supplement her sight word recognition and her reading has become more fluid. Currently, I work with students aged 10 and older, through adulthood. I particularly enjoy helping adults too become more confident readers.
Study Skills

Study Skills

Without a strong understanding of how to study many students are moved on from grade to grade and come to a point where they begin to feel lost. As subjects become more complex, it is imperative that students know how to study. This involves more than simply opening a book and reading. When I teach study skills, I first determine *how* a student learns. Some students do well with visual cues while others best retain information in other ways (auditory, kinesthetic, or a combination). Once I have determined a students learning style we can move on from there and put in place a system for studying. For some students study skills are lacking because the student does not understand the basics of organization. This may mean that we work on daily skills such as writing down assignments in a planner, or that we work on how to put together a notebook, or we may work on how to take notes in the first place. By learning how to most effectively study, a student will be more likely to have success later in their academic career, and even in the workplace.

Summer

ESL/ESOL,

ESL/ESOL

While teaching at Long Island Business Institute in Queens, NY, over 80% of my students qualified as ESL/ESOL. Most spoke Mandarin or Spanish, but other languages were represented as well. I also have worked with Russian and Ukrainian students. I work with ESL students primarily in pronunciation and conversational skills. I am able to work with students one-on-one or in small groups. Past students seeking conversational tutoring have requested help with, among other things: * basic greetings * common social customs in the USA * business English * transactional skills (how to return an item at a store, how to talk a bank teller, how to request directions, etc) * job interview practice for ESL speakers My rate for conversation and pronunciation practice is significantly lower than my normal rates and sessions range from 30 minutes up to an hour.
Reading,

Reading

I have over 25 years of experience teaching all aspects of reading, including comprehension, to students of all ages and backgrounds.
Study Skills,

Study Skills

Without a strong understanding of how to study many students are moved on from grade to grade and come to a point where they begin to feel lost. As subjects become more complex, it is imperative that students know how to study. This involves more than simply opening a book and reading. When I teach study skills, I first determine *how* a student learns. Some students do well with visual cues while others best retain information in other ways (auditory, kinesthetic, or a combination). Once I have determined a students learning style we can move on from there and put in place a system for studying. For some students study skills are lacking because the student does not understand the basics of organization. This may mean that we work on daily skills such as writing down assignments in a planner, or that we work on how to put together a notebook, or we may work on how to take notes in the first place. By learning how to most effectively study, a student will be more likely to have success later in their academic career, and even in the workplace.
Writing

Writing

Writing -- it's difficult to get by in life without it. With many years teaching reading and writing, both professionally as an adjunct college professor and as a tutor, I have witnessed students shift from reluctant to set pencil to page to being fully engaged with the writing process. Some students have started unable to write a complete sentence, dropping punctuation, verbs, and so on. Others have been so rules oriented that they were unable to go beyond a teacher's rubric. My goal is to help my students to not only overcome these obstacles, but to become accomplished writings in order to achieve goals that may include: - improving academic grades - writing a thank you note for a gift - writing a resume and cover letter for a job application - learning MLA, APA or another citation format - organizing thoughts into a memoir - writing a letter to hire or fire a contractor - and much more! Our writing sessions will start with an analysis of your current writing skills either through review of a recent piece you've written or via a short writing assignment during our first session together. We will assess your skill level against your goals and formulate a plan to take your writing to the next level.

Test Preparation

College Counseling

College Counseling

Crafting a strong college application is tough and requires a careful approach to help your student stand out from the crowd. I have helped past students get into their first and second choice undergraduate and graduate schools by carefully examining their goals and interests, as well as those things that make them unique applicants. My students learn to craft admission essays that spark the reader's interest from the first few words. They also gain insight into areas of their applications which may be weak and need bolstering. We also discuss who to approach for letters of recommendation and how to ensure strong letters are received. My students typically come to me six months or more before they begin applying. Past students have gained admission to many schools, including: * Villanova (undergraduate) * NYU (undergraduate) * University of Arizona (graduate) * Midwestern (graduate) In addition, I gained admission to my first choice graduate program, Sarah Lawrence College, through careful attention to every detail of the application process. Sarah Lawrence College hosts one of the country's most rigorous graduate writing programs. My acceptance letter was a testament to the hard work I put into the application process. Additionally, I also specialize in helping students who did not get accepted and want to reapply. We will analyze your original application, assess options to strengthen your new application, and will go from there. In addition to successfully helping many students through the application process, I also recently worked on the flip side in admissions, reviewing applications. For students still a few years away from applying, we will discuss academics, extracurriculars, interests, and more to craft a plan towards successful college admissions.

Examples of Expertise

Malea has provided examples of their subject expertise by answering 4 questions submitted by students on Wyzant’s Ask an Expert.

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Ratings and Reviews

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Reviews

Good editor

She looked at an essay I wrote for a fellowship application and improved it greatly. She was very communicative about the whole process and very nice. Thank you Malea.

Sean, 1 lesson with Malea

Very helpful lesson in Career Development

My lesson with Malea was very helpful! Malea provided me with a lot of information and advice that I'll use for upcoming (and further) job interviews. She is very knowledgeable in term what and how preferable answer to questions during job interview, what words better describe your professionalism. Thank you once again! BR, Elena

Elena, 1 lesson with Malea

Wonderful!

Malea is working very well with our daughter. Our daughter is making wonderful progress with her. Malea is able to motivate our daughter to work hard and is finding a love for learning and reading! I am very impressed with all she has done in a short amount of time.

Laura, 20 lessons with Malea
Hourly Rate: $45
Response time: 4 hours
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