
Christina
Certified Tutor
I first began teaching during graduate school, when I took on a small group of piano students in my parents' living room. Over the course of four-and-and-half years, my voice and piano studio grew from three to forty students as young as five and as old as seventy. I also had the opportunity to teach Literature and Drama at a private elementary/middle school for one year. While worthwhile and fun, my experience in the classroom helped me realize that I prefer working with students in a private lesson setting, as it allows me to understand their personalities and preferred learning methods. One-on-one, I am also able to get to know the students in such a way that they feel comfortable asking questions and being themselves throughout the learning process.
My formal education and training are in music, specifically classical singing, and I hold a B.A. in Music from Gettysburg College, and an M.M. in Vocal Performance from University of Wisconsin-Madison. While at Gettysburg College, I acted as a tutor for Music Theory I and II students. I also took a number of literature and creative writing courses, along with seven semesters of German and a semester studying Music and German in Vienna, Austria. My love of reading, writing, and languages stays with me, and I still enjoy writing short stories and blogs, reading fictional novels, and brushing up on my German and French skills via Duolingo.
While my career is mainly focused in music and private teaching, I have a strong background in administrative and publicity work. As an organization nerd, I revel in arranging paperwork, color-coding calendars, and creating spreadsheets. In my free time, I enjoy cooking healthy meals, baking not so healthy treats, and spending time with friends and family.
Connect with a tutor like Christina
Undergraduate Degree: Gettysburg College - Bachelors, Music
Graduate Degree: University of Wisconsin-Madison - Masters, Vocal Performance
Singing, Piano, Reading, Writing, Health and Fitness, Cooking and Baking, Languages
- Adult Literacy
- AP Music Theory
- Audition Prep
- Elementary School Reading
- Elementary School Writing
- English
- English Grammar and Syntax
- Essay Editing
- German
- German 1
- High School Writing
- Languages
- Middle School Reading
- Middle School Reading Comprehension
- Middle School Writing
- Other
- Study Skills
- Study Skills and Organization
- Vocal Training
- Writing
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
During our first session, I will sit down with the student (and parent, if applicable) and get to know his goals and needs. What is he working on? Is there a specific project, or is he wishing to gain help with a general class or subject? Our first session is also a time to get to know each other so that the student feels comfortable in the tutoring setting. Additionally, we will look at the subject materials and begin coming up with strategies and/or working through trouble spots.