Rachel
Certified Tutor
I have been tutoring since I was a college student. At that point, I taught high school students and helped them to excel on the SAT/ACT as well as in the various Regents exams. I graduated summa cum laude from Touro College, and now I am a graduate student working towards my PhD in history and teaching college part-time.
I have had the opportunity to teach hundreds of students in a college classroom. I have really enjoyed this experience, but I have found that many smart, motivated students lack the skills they need to maintain a strong GPA in college. To address this problem, I began to focus my high school tutoring on writing and critical analysis skills, and I worked one-on-one with some of my college students. I developed a system that focuses on developing reading comprehension, organized writing, and analytical thinking.
These skills enable you to succeed on standardized tests like the SAT, but also in English and humanities classes. This is also what I use to prepare students for the PSAT. Trust me, it works! Not only did I score 2220 on the SAT, but my PSAT score helped me to become a National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist.
I care deeply about what I do, but I think what really distinguishes me from many other tutors is my flexibility and commitment to the individual. I work around my students' individual needs and learning styles so that hardworking students can achieve the academic success they deserve!
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Undergraduate Degree: Touro College - Bachelors, History
Graduate Degree: Fordham University - Master of Arts, History
- SAT Verbal: 800
- SAT Writing: 760
- LSAT: 171
I like to read, bike, and explore the great outdoors!
- 10th Grade Reading
- 10th Grade Writing
- 11th Grade Reading
- 11th Grade Writing
- 12th Grade Reading
- 12th Grade Writing
- 9th Grade Reading
- 9th Grade Writing
- ACCUPLACER Reading Comprehension
- ACT English
- ACT Reading
- ACT Writing
- Adult Literacy
- AP U.S. Government & Politics
- AP United States History
- AP US History
- AP World History
- CLEP History of the United States I
- CLEP History of the United States II: 1865 to the Present
- CLEP Social Sciences and History
- College English
- College Essays
- College Level American History
- College World History
- COMPASS Writing Skills
- Elementary School Math
- English
- English Grammar and Syntax
- Essay Editing
- European History
- Graduate Test Prep
- GRE Analytical Writing
- GRE Verbal
- High School English
- High School Level American History
- High School World History
- High School Writing
- History
- Math
- Middle School Reading
- PSAT Critical Reading
- PSAT Writing Skills
- Reading
- REGENTS Prep
- SAT Reading
- SAT Subject Test in United States History
- SAT Subject Tests Prep
- SAT Writing and Language
- Social Studies
- Study Skills and Organization
- Technical Writing
- Test Prep
- US History
- Vocabulary
- World Civilization
- World History
- World Literature
- Writing
How would you help a student stay motivated?
My students stay motivated because I deliberately infuse our lessons with energy and excitement, and because I understand where they are coming from. As full time students, they are all busy and overwhelmed, but by scaffolding their tasks and providing guidance, I help them to approach their work and achieve much-deserved success.
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe that teaching is an art that needs to be heavily individualized. I endeavor to craft lessons which are directed at my students' personal needs and abilities. Through Socratic questioning, I endeavor to build on their skills and knowledge while keeping in mind their starting points.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
In a first session, I would work on completing an assessment of the student's skills and acquired knowledge. Then I would plan how to go forward, together with the student.