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Barrie John M.

4.9 (1,770 ratings)

6,073 hours tutoring

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About Barrie John

Bio

Want to boost your scores to get into the college of your choice? Need a professional writer who can improve your essays and reports? I have been a test preparation and general English tutor for 16 years, teaching SAT, ACT, SHSAT, ISEE, GMAT, SSAT, CLT, FAST, Catholic school admissions tests, Journalism, and AP Language and Literature. I've ranked in the Top 10 percent of tutors here because I not only explain incorrect answers but also teach students how to really make sense of a passage and...

Want to boost your scores to get into the college of your choice? Need a professional writer who can improve your essays and reports? I have been a test preparation and general English tutor for 16 years, teaching SAT, ACT, SHSAT, ISEE, GMAT, SSAT, CLT, FAST, Catholic school admissions tests, Journalism, and AP Language and Literature. I've ranked in the Top 10 percent of tutors here because I not only explain incorrect answers but also teach students how to really make sense of a passage and grasp those tricky, nitpicky writing section questions. I provide tips, effective answer elimination strategies, and general passage-specific strategies to save time and have a proven record of getting that top score, that scholarship.
Like most good teachers, I get results. A recent student got a 1580 on the November SAT and credited my strategies. Here is a quote from a parent: "For Reading/writing he got 750 which is 100 points more than his September score. We are sure you coaching played a major part in his improvement." Another student not only scored above average but also got his coveted college scholarship. One of my writing students, Emily, got second place in the 2020 Duke University TIP writing contest.
I will show you not only what key areas to focus on but also how to manage time effectively in a timed test, and how to eliminate answers in a short amount of time using my proven, effective strategies.

Writing
Unlike most teachers, I'm a published writer and an expert at spotting grammatical mistakes and ensuring clarity, flow and cohesion, all key parts of effective writing.
I have tutored numerous students on college application essays as well as AP and general essays. I do not write the essay for your child; rather, I provide the tools to write a successful, meaningful essay.

Background
State licensed teacher in English, ESL and Social Studies.
Professional writer and editor.

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Education

Maynooth University
English
Delaware Valley University
EdD
  • Licensed teacher

Policies

  • Hourly Rate: $59
  • Rate details: There is a 10 percent discount if I tutor two or more students in a session.
  • Lesson cancellation: 2 hours notice required

  • Background check passed on 12/23/2016

  • Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

Schedule

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Approved Subjects

ACT English

ACT English

I have taught the English Section for 12 years, teaching what appears on the test and offering tips, strategies to score well.
ACT Reading

ACT Reading

I have taught the Reading Section for 12 years, offering tips, strategies to save time and score well.
College Counseling

College Counseling

I have helped dozens of students with college application essays. I help them generate ideas and ensure that the application is tailored to the college of their choosing. As a freelance writer, I teach creative ways to introduce a topic and tell a compelling story. I know how to make sentences sing, I will point out sentences that don't work.
English

English

Effective readers make effective writers. I provide students with the tools, texts and strategies to improve their reading comprehension on a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts. I use my decades of writing and editing experience to show students and adults how to recognize grammar mistakes, improve their sentences and paragraphs, and ultimately produce a cohesive, organized and engaging essay or report.
ESL/ESOL

ESL/ESOL

English can be a complex language. I will break it down for you in simple terms with easy-to-follow rules and strategies based on my years of teaching. I provide all the materials , and I will get to you that next level where you feel comfortable reading and writing. Qualifications: State certified ESOL teacher. I have been a long-term ESOL teacher at the high school and elementary level.
High School Placement Test

High School Placement Test

I am a highly experienced teacher who teaches passage and answer elimination strategies gleaned from other tests that are effective for exams, such as the CLT, ShSAT, Hunter, the ISEE, and TACHS, the admission test for Catholic schools. I use a wide range of medium-level and advanced material to make the student comfortable with a wide range of passages from nonfiction to poetry and literature and meet the challenge of these rigorous tests. Additionally, I bring the skills of a professional writer and editor to the grammar sections.
Reading

Reading

I am a certified English teacher and writer who provides late elementary, middle and high-school students with the tools, texts and strategies to improve their comprehension on a variety of fiction and nonfiction texts based on their reading level. My techniques will enable them to understand key ideas and better prepare them for the SAT and college-level courses. Materials: I provide all the reading materials. I use skill-specific passages as well as passages that test students on a wide range of reading skills from vocabulary-in- context to inferences to purpose. Qualifications: Certified Teacher in English Language Arts and ESL.
SAT Reading

SAT Reading

I have taught SAT Reading and Writing for 16 years, showing students the key areas to focus on in passage and providing answer elimination strategies and additional tips based on my expertise. For digital SAT, I have created rigorous mini modules and 9 original full practice tests that mimic the format and get progressively harder. My material covers all the questions tested and follows two tracks based on a student's ability: medium-level questions and challenging advanced questions.
SAT Writing

SAT Writing

I am a published writer, editor and certified teacher helping people of all ages become more confident writers. I have assisted students with school and college application essays, and adults with anything from advertising copy to workplace reports. I don't write the essay but instead give students the tools to become better writers by teaching what I have learned my 25 years as a writer and editor. You can count on this writer for effective writing!
SHSAT (NY HS admissions)

SHSAT (NY HS admissions)

I have more than five years' experience teaching this specialized test. I teach students where to focus in reading passages, particularly fiction and poetry. I also teach answer elimination strategies, and I use my knowledge of other standardized tests to effectively teach grammar, punctuation and rhetorical strategies.
Social Studies

Social Studies

I am certified to teach social studies grades 7-12 in Pennsylsvania. I taught both 7th grade (world cultures) and 8th grade (American history) for a year in the Philadelphia School District, developing plans for both subjects and assessing students on topics covered. I believe students should be able to accurately interpret maps as well as graphics. My other goal for students is to be able to think critically about current events and draw parallels with past historical periods.
STAAR

STAAR

I have taught strategies for the STAAR test for the past four years. I primarily teach students where to focus on in reading passages and provide strategies to help them eliminate answer choices. To main proficiency in text-dependent analysis, students are expected to cite evidence for their answer choices.
Study Skills

Study Skills

I am an experienced certified English and Social Studies teacher. I have taught students how to take effective notes, differentiating between essential and nonessential information. I have also given lessons on how to mentally prepare for a quiz or test. In addition, I teach test prep, which covers reading strategies, effective writing, and dealing with deadlines.
Writing

Writing

I am a professional writer and teacher who helps people of all ages become better writers. I have assisted students with school and college application essays, and adults with anything from advertising copy to workplace reports. I don't write the essay but instead give my students the tools to become better writers by teaching what I have learned my 25 years as a writer and editor. You can count on this writer for effective writing!
European History
GMAT
Grammar
GRE
Literature
Proofreading
SSAT
Vocabulary

Examples of Expertise

Barrie John has provided examples of their subject expertise by answering 17 questions submitted by students on Wyzant’s Ask an Expert.

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Barrie John M.'s Photo

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Ratings and Reviews

Rating

4.9 (1,770 ratings)
5 star
(1,704)
4 star
(44)
3 star
(13)
2 star
(3)
1 star
(6)

Reviews

Very Knowledgeable and thorough in his teaching.

I’m writing this to highly recommend Barrie-John for any parent looking for serious SAT Reading and Writing prep. He is incredibly patient and have a way of breaking down complex concepts so they’re easy to understand. He prepares material and shares with my son. He evaluates the student, identify the areas that have opportunities for increasing the score and helps the student gain expertise in those areas. he did a deep dive into my son's specific error patterns. He taught him a logical, step-by-step system for analyzing the digital passages that actually clicked. My son went from 'guessing what sounded right' on the grammar and transition questions to actually understanding the formal Standard English Conventions.

Gandhi, 6 lessons with Barrie John

This tutor helped my son got into his dream school.

We are so grateful to Barrie-John for helping our son get into his dream high school Stuyvesant. My son has always been stronger in math, so we were especially concerned about his ELA performance on the SHSAT. After working with Barrie-John, his ELA improved tremendously. We were actually surprised that his ELA score ended up being even higher than his math score. He was patient, encouraging, and very effective at teaching strategies that really worked for him. Thank you for the dedication and support. We truly appreciate the guidance that helped our son achieve this important goal.

Irene, 27 lessons with Barrie John

Highly Recommend for SAT English Prep

“My child had an excellent experience with Mr. Barrie-John for SAT English. The lessons were clear, engaging, and tailored to my child’s needs. Thanks to his guidance, my child has gained confidence, improved test-taking skills.

K, 7 lessons with Barrie John

Great teacher, great tips for the SAT!

5-star feedback for Barrie-John! I would have given him 6 stars if I can to show that he’s beyond 100%! He helped my son get a 780 in the Reading and Writing section for SAT (he’s a sophomore)! My son said he might have gotten a perfect score if not because of the vocabulary question he knew he got wrong (for those who know about SAT R&W scaled scores, one wrong question can get you a 20-point deduction in some tests. For vocabulary questions, the words can be so random or that you would never use in real life and it’s also impossible to know all the words in the universe! Hence, missing a question on vocabulary is a matter of luck, too!). In other words, Barrie-John helped my son get all reading and grammar questions right! Highly recommended if you need help on SAT!

Carmen, 13 lessons with Barrie John

Helpful and knowledgeable tutor

Barrie-John helped my daughter prepare for her SAT Reading exam. Barrie taught her the subject well and also explained her strategies that are needed to get a good SAT score. Barrie provided detailed weekly feedback to me about my daughter's progress, things that she is doing well and areas where she need to work more. I am very pleased with my daughter's performance under Barrie's coaching. Thanks for your help, Barrie-John.

Nitin, 9 lessons with Barrie John

Wonderful Tutor

Barrie-John helped my son with writing for his upcoming AP Language exam. Barrie-John did exactly what my son needed, he helped him to structure his essay. He was patient, understood my son's needs, and delivered exactly what we'd asked for. I thoroughly recommend Barrie-John.

Kate, 1 lesson with Barrie John

Very knowledgeable and patient

He is really awesome and very patient, waiting enough for my daughter to completely understand. In addition, he teaches all subjects in a very systematic way. He is the best of the best teacher that I had never met before.

Myoung, 19 lessons with Barrie John

Pretty Much the best Essay tutor I've seen

College Apps are hard enough but, Barrie makes it more seamless! He's, in short, amazing! He reviewed and offered suggestions to many of my son's essays. If you are looking for someone to help take the stress out of applications, he's your guy!

Jessica, 1 lesson with Barrie John

Knowledgeable Tutor

Barrie-John provided my 16 year old son with some good tools and skills to help him with his CLT exam. My son told me that he realizes where he is going wrong and now has a better understanding on how to approach reading passages. He felt a lot more confident taking the exam.

Sabrina, 2 lessons with Barrie John

Very detailed tutor

Barrie-John is an excellent tutor. He has helped a lot with the SAT English and has broken things down with effective strategies and patterns to recognize. I feel much more prepared after just a few sessions.

Shozo, 4 lessons with Barrie John