...in Geography from Penn State University. I've also served as a fellow at Harvard and George Washington University. While I tutor a broad range of subjects, I am most passionate about writing, reading, verbal and critical thinking skills. I love mentoring and coaching to help people achieve their dreams! My parents were both the first in their families to graduate from college, so I understand that education is a powerful game changer. I am also...
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...of strategies for delivering differentiated instruction that meets the individual needs of my students. A student-centered approach is imperative when working one-on-one with individuals. English, literature, and writing are the three areas that I have the most experience and fun teaching. When I am not in the classroom or tutoring, I am hiking in the bluffs of Wisconsin or chasing after my young son. I also enjoy reading historical fiction novels and traveling to historical...
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...type of standardized testing: specifically, SAT, SAT II on Math 1 and 2, and HSPT. I genuinely love tutoring these subjects as well as math and writing. I believe strongly that my role as a tutor is to help my students approach the material with an anxiety-free, systematic approach. I know just how to make the testing environment one where a student feels both perfectly at ease and well equipped to succeed. I know first...
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...clearly and as simply as possible. If the student doesn't "get" the explanation the first time, I am willing to spend as much time on the concept as the student needs. In my spare time, I enjoy playing the piano, making and playing video games, and spending time with my friends (often to discuss geeky subjects). If I sound like a good fit for you, or if you want to know more, I encourage you...
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...social studies teacher. I tutored peers in college in subjects like US History and political science, and I have worked with basic reading and math skills with New American elementary students in Vermont. During my junior year of college, I spent several months in Cuba, where I tutored both elementary school students and adults in English. Helping students understand new concepts is one of the great pleasures in life. I am committed to seeing all...
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I am enthusiastic about helping others reach their educational goals. Whatever the task, no matter how long it takes, I will make sure you get the most out of your sessions and will tailor my personal approach to whatever you need. I have been tutoring middle school, high school, and college students for five years. As an Ivy League graduate, I know what it takes to succeed in a highly competitive academic environment and can...
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...reading fluency, morphology, prewriting, public speaking, theater, music, sentence, paragraph, and essay structure with creative writing, too. * Literacy Sessions focused on foundational literacy skills through the lens of imaginative storytelling. Student explore vocabulary development using a diamante poem structure, then expand into a narrative fairy tale poem. We began with brainstorming and prewriting, designing a magical character and setting, and reading comprehension work through guided modeling, followed by writing development using rhyme, sensory details,...
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My goal is to help all students achieve to the best of their abilities. I believe in using creative and interesting methods and strategies to keep students interested and engaged.
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...working world. During my academic career I was recognized with several awards, fellowships, and scholarships that acknowledged my achievement and dedication. But it was not always so. Truth be told, I struggled greatly through high school. This path taught me, on a personal level, that not every student learns the same way. Therefore, my approach to teaching and tutoring is centered around uncovering the unique challenges each student faces, and then helping them build a...
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...in English, and will move on to an M.F.A in creative writing after graduation. My great love is reading and writing, and I'm looking forward to working with others and helping them develop their own appreciation for the joy that can be found in the written word, both in consumption and in creation. I'm also enthusiastic about history and science, and of course, if you're hoping for a career in IT I'm happy to get...
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...a non-profit organization; I am a very active teacher and I enjoy helping my students learn. I have also taught during the summer at students' houses when we couldn't use a classroom at the organization. I currently teach some of my students individually now and as much fun as we have; I also challenge them intellectually so that they learn the most from our sessions. By studying languages myself, that helps me teach them to...
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...others essential career and life skills. I had the unrivaled opportunity to work this amazing job while earning my degree in hospitality. I hold certifications in TESOL and TEFL in addition to my experience in teaching English as a second language to students abroad. A pivot in career and personal growth opportunities has brought my global classroom and family to Las Vegas, Nevada. I look forward to instructing your student to succeed in areas of...
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...here to listen and help you learn. I get a lot of joy out of helping people improve their skills and confidence in a subject. When I am teaching children how to read, it is always such a rewarding experience when they start reading more difficult words without my help to sound it out. I can also see the excitement in their eyes when something like math or reading really starts to click for them....
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Thank you for considering me for your tutoring needs. My professional life has been dedicated to helping young people reach their full potential as a classroom teacher, personal tutor, and coach. Of one thing I am convinced, ALL students have the capacity to learn...the trick is in finding the process by which that learning is accepted and able to be utilized by the student when needed. Kindest regards, Scott Colvin
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...be fun and I love to use music and art as tools to make any lesson more engaging. I am patient and understanding and will always make sure to listen to every question asked. My goal is to ensure that you feel confident and comfortable with the material at hand and will not continue on with any instruction until we are on the same page. I truly believe that all questions are great questions and...
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...the theme of "The Ugly Duckling," where each child grows to discover their own qualities and identity, and using it to achieve success. Reflecting on my diverse teaching experiences, I acknowledge a sobering truth: the high turnover rate among teachers in our education system. For years, I struggled to secure tenure, a plight shared by many educators across the United States. The bureaucratic red tape and political agendas that dominate our schools hinder the formation...
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...math minor. I have been tutoring for more than 6 years. For 2.5 years, I taught math to Cornell Engineering undergraduates, and I looked forward to it every week! On Varsity Tutors, I tutor up to college level mathematics and physics, test prep (including AP courses, and SAT reading/writing). Explaining difficult math and science concepts in plain English is my forte. I love teaching and will be glad to help anyone become an independent learner.
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...build success. I have a BA in English and an MS in 5-12 Education. I attended Niagara University for both degrees. I tutor Language Arts/English/Reading for grades 5-12. I can also tutor History/Social Studies/World History Grades 5-12. I currently teach Middle School Language Arts, and work with Middle Schoolers on passing the Language/Reading/Vocabulary portion of the HSPT. I truly enjoy tutoring any subject. I enjoy making connections with my students and make learning interesting!! Before...
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...including reading, writing, test prep, literature, grammar, and essay editing. I also tutor any level of Spanish, including test prep for SAT subject tests or Spanish Language AP tests. I also tutor Japanese, clarinet, and public speaking. My favorite subjects to tutor are any involving ESL or foreign language as I have a passion for language learning and teaching. I speak English, Spanish, and Portuguese, and have also studied Japanese, German, Brazilian Sign Language, and...
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Receive personally tailored HSPT Reading lessons from exceptional tutors in a one-on-one setting. We help you connect with the best tutor for your particular needs while offering flexible scheduling to fit your busy life.
Hamilton HSPT Reading Tutoring FAQ
The High School Placement Test's reading section contains 62 multiple-choice questions given over a short 25 minutes. The test provides passages that students must read before answering groups of questions related to each passage. These questions examine whether or not students have mastered a wide variety of academic skills and language arts concepts, from identifying the central theme of the passage and making inferences to picking up on key details, imagery, and aspects of authorial style. Because of the broad range of skills required for success on the HSPT reading section, some test-takers may have trouble demonstrating their full academic potential on this portion of the test. The vast amount of material that must be reviewed and question styles that must be practiced can leave students feeling lost and bewildered before ever entering the testing room, even if their grades have been high in academic coursework.
If your child is preparing for the HSPT and would like more assistance in learning how to approach and conquer the Reading section of the test, look no further than Varsity Tutors. Varsity Tutors can help you connect with a tutor suited to working with your child based on his or her unique concerns and current set of reading skills. After evaluating where your child's HSPT reading strengths and weaknesses lie, your tutor can craft a tailored teaching plan to fit your child's individual needs and goals. HSPT reading tutoring can help your child build upon the foundational skills necessary for success on this important test. From defining words based on their contexts to identifying the parts of a passage's argument, an experienced HSPT reading tutor can help guide your child through practice problems and in-session work geared toward cultivating his or her most essential reading abilities.
HSPT reading tutoring can focus on much more than helping your child improve his or her academic skills for the test. It can also help introduce test-taking strategies that can benefit him or her on test day. Being able to read each question with a critical eye and to identify how the reading passage relates to the question is often a critical ' but frequently missed ' step in getting an answer right. For questions that are more difficult for your child, it can be helpful to have a battery of strategies when approaching these problems. Private tutoring can help your child practice and gain confidence with these testing techniques, acquiring a skill set that is specifically adapted to the HSPT reading section format and tested material. By combining a sharpened repertoire of academic talents with these unique test-taking skills, your child can maximize his or her performance on the HSPT reading section. Private tutoring offers your child the opportunity to ask questions when needed, ensuring that he or she understands each concept or skill before moving on to something new. This ability to ask questions and receive immediate feedback is often not available in traditional classroom environments. Working one-on-one with a private HSPT reading tutor will ensure that your child is learning in the best environment to master the HSPT reading section.
HSPT reading tutoring should be a convenient and positive experience for your child and family. Tutors can work around your scheduling preferences in an attempt to accommodate HSPT reading tutoring at a time and place most convenient to you. They are able to meet with your child for one-on-one, in-person sessions, or you can schedule face-to-face online meetings. As your child prepares for the HSPT, consider consulting Varsity Tutors today, and let us help you connect with an HSPT reading tutor who can help him or her excel.
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Recent Hamilton HSPT Reading Tutoring Session Notes
Today we focused primarily on the writing section. We went over some ways to approach the essay, and worked through some writing exercises to help him with his sentence structure and descriptive language. We also did some exercises on the correcting sentences parts, reviewing grammar and punctuation rules along the way.
Student 1, 2, and I started studying the ACT Science section in greater detail today. We discussed the different types of passages and some similarities and differences between them, then ran part of a practice test while cleaving to the first-pass/second-pass system.
We spent 30 minutes reviewing vocabulary strategies; I gave the student a packet of SAT words to study and ideas for how to set up flash cards. We then spent 30 minutes on a second critical reading test, going over the 5-step method for the vocabulary fill in the blanks. We spent 30 additional minutes going over the student's practice essay with the idea that he will re-write it with the same prompt for next week, with a strong thesis, topic sentences, and focus on specifics rather than broad ideas. We had 30 minutes left after that so we returned to the reading practice and finished that section of the practice test.
The student practiced with some of the natural science reading passages, and did about average for her. We then utilized a few strategies, such as answering passage questions directly from memory, and these seemed to help her tremendously. We did some basic graph reading skill review and the student was scoring 100% on each science passage after this review. We will focus on reading skills as they relate to both the natural science reading passages and the dueling scientists science passage
Introduced the student to the SAT and worked on a few problems from verbal and math to get a baseline for his strengths and weaknesses. He is going to need a lot of practice with the critical reading passages. His math intuition is generally quite good, but he will need to practice SAT style questions so he gets accustomed to word problems and answering the question posed, rather than simply solving for "x." I will also help him review examples from history and literature to incorporate into the essay.
During this session, I reviewed the math and English passages I had assigned the student last week. We went over questions that she found difficult and I noted subjects I would review with her in the future. I then went over basic grammar rules on commas, independent and dependent clauses, and run on sentences. I assigned the student more sections to complete.
