Brad: Long Island City tutor

Certified Tutor

I come from a long line of teachers. My mother, four of my aunts and uncles, and two of my grandparents make or made their livings as school teachers. My sister recently graduated with a bachelors degree in early childhood education. All this is to say that teaching is in my blood. I was never drawn toward traditional education myself, realizing that every second of life is an opportunity to grow and learn; however, all through high school and through most of college I worked as a tutor both privately and with tutoring organizations. I found that while on the surface I could help these students with their homework, on a deeper level I was feeding their soul and helping them be better prepared to learn on their own outside of tutoring time. All the while, allowing me to develop a finer understanding of the content through teaching and becoming a better communicator and teacher. Though I did eventually stop scholastic tutoring to pursue my passion of healthy food and cooking, my learning and teaching has never and will never stop.

True learning happens not with specific material or method but when the conditions are right. I am a great tutor because I make my clients feel safe and comfortable while gently pushing them to make connections within their own mind, rather than just talking at them for an hour. I have developed an awareness and sensitivity to the unspoken feelings and patterns that allow me to gently guide students in the direction they want to go. I am not bringing expectations or my own desires to a session, but tuning into what the client needs in every moment. I have certain strengths in various subjects, by teaching is the same no matter what the content. Ultimately, what makes me a great tutor is that I'm not teaching my students calculus or physics, but the act of learning itself.