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Nathaniel

Certified Tutor

I enjoy tutoring because I love the chance to adapt to individual students' goals and learning styles. I have a B.A with concentrations in history and political science and an MA in political science from Brandeis. I have also been a teaching assistant at Binghamton University in philosophy, where I gave one-on-one tips in both writing style and content area.

My favorite subjects to tutor are history, English, literature, writing, philosophy, and SAT prep. I've always had a passion for narrative and communication, where these subjects in the humanities meet and form a core source of critical thinking skills that fuel inquiry and success in both higher education and life.

In addition to teaching at Binghamton and taking on a number of private clients, I designed and taught college-level courses to high school students as part of MIT's Educational Studies Program. This program places undergraduate and post-college instructors with small classes of highly motivated students to tackle advanced subject matter. This gave me excellent experience in pedagogy and adaptive teaching.

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Nathaniel’s Qualifications
Education & Certification

Undergraduate Degree: Brandeis University - Bachelors, History, Political Science

Graduate Degree: Brandeis University - Masters, Political Science and Government

Hobbies

I am a sci-fi and fantasy geek. I also love hiking, bike riding, the beach, and martial arts..

What is your teaching philosophy?

My teaching philosophy focuses on using questions to gain insight into exactly what a student needs to work on, and what strengths they can leverage to reach their goals. Questions continue during lessons in the form of Socratic dialogue to suggest approaches to solving problems and digesting material, as well as build critical thinking skills. However, I always emphasize adapting my teaching style to whatever works best for the student, and builds on the approaches and mental models they are most comfortable with.

What might you do in a typical first session with a student?

First sessions with a student are dedicated to discussing goals and examining both formal and informal assessments. I also begin drilling and examining subject material in different ways to get a sense of the student's needs and skills. We then set measurable, achievable goals to work through in later sessions, and use the remaining time to start practicing!

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

My whole approach to tutoring is to walk students through the process of problem-solving. Socratic questioning builds students' mental muscles to approach academic material and reinforces confidence, since they get the experience of solving problems semi-independently as I facilitate. I also give tips on budgeting time for study and organizing a productive study space.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Setting short and intermediate goals is key to staying motivated. Tracking progress, even if it seems small, helps show students their hard work is paying off.