Search
Michael B.'s Photo

Licensed English teacher; copy editor; tutor at top VT high school
Michael B.

5.0 (30 ratings)

252 hours tutoring

Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee
Hourly Rate: $72
Contact Michael

About Michael

Bio

Thank you for your interest in my tutoring services. I am a licensed teacher and formerly worked as a certified English Language Arts teacher for grades 7–12 in Vermont. I double-majored in English Literature and Fine Arts—Music at St. Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont.

For the last few years, I have tutored mostly college students. My support has been for various courses, centered on reading, writing, and executive functioning / organization / study skills.

I also freelance as a...

Thank you for your interest in my tutoring services. I am a licensed teacher and formerly worked as a certified English Language Arts teacher for grades 7–12 in Vermont. I double-majored in English Literature and Fine Arts—Music at St. Michael's College in Colchester, Vermont.

For the last few years, I have tutored mostly college students. My support has been for various courses, centered on reading, writing, and executive functioning / organization / study skills.

I also freelance as a copy editor with Wiley on a medical science journal.

Previously, I worked at a top Vermont high school as a tutor in its Learning Center—a place where students would come for assistance in any subject. I have helped many students on topics in English, including giving grammar help for SAT testing; doing literary analysis and proofreading essays in Advanced Placement Language and Literature; editing short stories in Creative Writing; and helping students write essays—from five-paragraph essays to college and medical school admission essays.

I am educated in the Orton-Gillingham instructional approach, which is "intended primarily for use with individuals who have difficulty with reading, spelling, and writing of the sort associated with dyslexia," and "has been rightfully described as language-based, multi-sensory, structured, sequential, cumulative, cognitive, and flexible" (Academy of Orton-Gillingham Practitioners and Educators). (Note: I am not certified in OG as I did not go through a practicum.)

I love literature and language. I've taken classes in St. Michael's College's Master's degree program of Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL). I come from a family with bilingual heritage—I have a deep appreciation of multiculturalism. I worked frequently with English language learners (ELLs) in my former high school position.

I'm here to help students to succeed, and, I hope, to enjoy the reading and writing journey.

Sincerely,
Michael

Read more

Education

Saint Michael's College
English Literature
Saint Michael's College
Graduate Coursework
  • Licensed teacher

Policies

  • Hourly Rate: $72
  • Rate details: My regular rate is $72/hour, but I’ll apply a sliding scale if that is a need. I will consider case-by-base scheduling sessions outside of my regular hours. Min. 1-hr. sessions.
  • Lesson cancellation: 24 hours notice required

  • Background check passed on 1/18/2018

  • Your first lesson is backed by our Good Fit Guarantee

Schedule

Loading...

Sun

Mon

Tue

Wed

Thu

Fri

Sat

Approved Subjects

ADHD

ADHD

Greetings. I have extensive experience supporting students with ADHD or executive functioning challenges, especially in my current private tutoring role. Also, I taught in a middle school and worked with a special educator to help strategize in helping learners with ADHD. My teaching certification program extensively covered special needs. I worked as a Mainstream Teaching Assistant in a high school with students with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), and I worked as a job coach with a young man with ASD. I'm intimately familiar with ADHD due to family experience. In addition, a family member is a psychologist and I have learned as much from consulting with her as from any training program concerning ADHD and special needs. I'm familiar with the various strategies of minimizing distraction, for instance, in such ways as using sensory devices for some students who are impelled to move a lot or by reducing the number of sources that can cause distraction. There are also techniques that I use to assist executive functioning.
English

English

The English language is my strongest suit. I've loved reading, writing, and yes, grammar, since a young age. I have a diverse background as I was in business for fourteen years before becoming a classroom English teacher and then a private tutor and freelance copy editor. I've worked with students in general and special education (as teacher, tutor, and paraeducator) and truly enjoy helping them to improve their reading and writing skills in the English language, through a highly positive, patient, and supportive approach.
Grammar

Grammar

The English language is my strongest suit. I've loved reading, writing, and yes, grammar, since a young age. I have a diverse background as I was in business for fourteen years before becoming a classroom English teacher and then a tutor. And I’ve continued to immerse myself in grammar in my freelance copyediting profession, in which I currently work on a medical science journal. I've worked with students in general and special education (as teacher, tutor, and paraeducator) and truly enjoy helping them to improve their reading, writing, and grammar skills in the English language, through a highly positive, patient, and supportive approach.
Literature

Literature

Having graduated with a BA in English Literature with honors (magna cum laude; dean's list; Delta Epsilon Sigma honor society) from Saint Michael's College qualifies me to tutor in English literature. In addition, I have been a certified classroom English teacher; and in the process of becoming a licensed English teacher (grades 7–12) in 2011, I passed the teachers' Praxis II exam, "English Language, Literature, and Composition: Content Knowledge" with honors. Beyond these verifiable qualifications, please know that I have continued to immerse myself in literature, and I read not only for my own enjoyment and edification but also actively from the point of view of a teacher and a student. I am intrigued by all types of literature and poetry. I also have proficiency in tutoring in poetry. In my free time, I enjoy writing my own poems and fiction. In my tutoring approach, I show students literacy strategies (i.e., practical methods for comprehension and analyzing texts for meaning), often using graphic organizers and teaching note-taking and study skills. I highlight some of the most important reasons for reading literature: for learning to think critically, for learning about humanity and the world, and for gaining wisdom. And I do this with clarity, enthusiasm, respect, and humor.
Proofreading

Proofreading

I have been copyediting (what most people probably think of as proofreading) professionally since 2018. I am currently a copy editor for a medical science journal. In recent tutoring, I worked extensively with a college student who was on the autism spectrum and struggled with learning, and together we worked on many writing assignments, for which naturally I performed copyediting/proofreading in addition to supporting the entire writing process. I have a lot of experience as a former English teacher and a former tutor in a top high school in my area with giving feedback through copyediting/proofreading. And I have a lot of experience receiving feedback, as a college student in English Literature. Most recently, I supported a college graduate in improving essays for 26 secondary applications to medical school.
Reading

Reading

The English language is my strongest suit. I've loved reading, writing, and yes, grammar, since a young age. I have a diverse background as I was in business for fourteen years before becoming a classroom English teacher and then a tutor. I am also a copy editor for a medical science journal. My teacher licensing program was a great source for learning reading pedagogy, and my bachelor’s in English Literature greatly informs my instruction in close reading. I've worked with students in general and special education (as teacher, tutor, and paraeducator) and truly enjoy helping people improve their reading and writing skills in the English language through a highly positive, patient, and supportive approach.
Study Skills

Study Skills

For years I worked extensively with a student who was on the autism spectrum and struggled with learning, particularly a reading comprehension disability. Supporting his study skills was a big part of our work. A clear sign of his success: He graduated college. I also worked in a top public school in my state as a tutor with several students to help them with executive functioning strategies. Further evidence of my having good study skills myself: dean's list, magna cum laude for Bachelor of Arts degree; A's in graduate courses; and passing with honors the teachers' Praxis II exam on English Content Knowledge. I've also studied the pedagogy of teaching study skills and have attended professional training on helping students with executive functioning challenges to use strategies to help them stay organized and focused in order to do well in class and with study skills.
Vocabulary

Vocabulary

The English language is my strongest suit. I think of words as metaphors for or symbols of human thought. And communicating begins with a thought; therefore, we must know many meaningful words in order to effectively communicate. Since taking a Creative Writing class in high school, I have often cracked open a dictionary to read straight down the pages. As my teacher had said, "From what better place can you learn words"? Having graduated with a BA in English Literature with honors qualifies me to tutor in vocabulary in that English Literature majors are constantly exposed to and must learn meaningful and consequential vocabulary words that are contained in high-quality texts. In addition, I have been a certified classroom English teacher; and in the process of becoming a licensed English teacher (grades 7-12) in 2011, I passed the teachers' Praxis II exam, "English Language, Literature, and Composition: Content Knowledge" with honors. As one would expect, there are many important vocabulary words included in the Praxis II exam and in texts used in the teacher certification process that a person must know in order to be successful. In my classroom teaching, I spent time teaching key words in context in lessons, such as teaching literary terms when we discussed literature and literacy strategies. I also taught from Elizabeth Osbourne's "Vocabulary from Latin and Greek Roots" book series to focus on important words (and their roots) that students should know to be literate. Beyond the above verifiable qualifications, please know that I have continued to immerse myself in literature and poetry. In this pursuit, I continually am exposed to important words, representing the best of human expression.
Writing

Writing

The English language is my strongest suit. I've loved reading, writing, and yes, grammar, since a young age. I have a diverse background as I was in business for fourteen years before becoming a classroom English teacher and then a tutor. I am also a copy editor for a medical science journal. I've worked with students in general and special education (as teacher, tutor, and paraeducator) and truly enjoy helping people improve their reading and writing skills in the English language through a highly positive, patient, and supportive approach.
Michael B.'s Photo

Questions? Contact Michael before you book.

Still have questions?

Contact Michael

Ratings and Reviews

Rating

5.0 (30 ratings)
5 star
(29)
4 star
(1)
3 star
(0)
2 star
(0)
1 star
(0)

Reviews

Knowledgable patient tutor

Michael is a skilled professional tutor who successfully adapts his teaching methodology to the needs of his student. His strengths are in teaching reading, writing and study skills. He is patience, persistence, and caring. He successfully develops trust and confidence in his student while helping him/her to achieve optimum results. Michael is reliable and communicates well with teachers, parents, and students. I highly recommend Michael as tutor.

Kelly, 84 lessons with Michael

Excellent support for a college student on academic coaching

Michael is patient and thorough, important and essential skills for success at college. My son is definitely benefiting from his tutoring, especially given learning differences.

Sam , 55 lessons with Michael
Hourly Rate: $72
Contact Michael