...in (PHD) in the school of humanities. Denisha completed her undergraduate studies as Magna Cum Laude from a highly prestigious and private university of Nobel Laureates (as Albert Michelson for Physics and Paul Berg for Chemistry), Case Western Reserve University, graduating with High Honors in Psychology (BA) and double minors in Chemistry and Theater. Denisha's teaching and training passion includes holistic science, humanities, arts, and social sciences, including the fields of psychology, sociology, cultural and...
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...have taught first- and second-semester French to Boston University undergraduate students. I was the instructor of record for the class, and my students referred to me as either "Monsieur," or, inaccurately, "Professor." For two summers, I tutored Reading Comprehension. What makes me a great tutor is my passion for student success and my love for the subjects I want to teach. The diversity of my students has taught me to adopt a new persona to...
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...tools necessary to achieve that goal. I strive to have my students 'stretch their minds' so that they will succeed in the classroom, on standardized tests and enjoy the process along the way. Most importantly I try to make a connection with my students by listening to them carefully so that I can fully address their specific needs and devise an individualized program of study for them. I find that humor is often a great...
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...my passion for learning with others. I find that any student can succeed when they feel valued by an attentive, enthusiastic, and patient teacher. I am creative and enjoy thinking from several viewpoints, which allows me to engage students of all learning styles. Although I tutor a variety of subjects, I especially love English, Literature, and Shakespeare because those subjects allow me to engage students in discussions where I learn just as much from their...
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...focus on teaching every student the most effective, step-by-step way to approach each question on each section of the test. Beyond test prep, I've taught/tutored just about every academic subject through the undergraduate level. Outside the classroom, I enjoy reading about history, going to church, coaching sports (track & tennis), and spending time with my family. I really enjoy getting to know each student I teach as we work toward our goals.
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...Honors in Neuroscience, and now plan to attend medical school. I am a diligent worker and consistently ensure that I am prepared to meet the student's needs. I am exceptionally patient and excellent at developing creative ways for learning when I see a student needs a new approach. Further, from years of experience taking standardized tests (including the SAT and MCAT), AP classes, college courses, and pre-medical prerequisites, I have a thorough understanding of the...
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...and reflective analysis. Additionally, having just gone through the college admissions process, I am privy to its length and complexity so can lend advice on anything, namely essays. I have plenty of experience writing and have been published in a local newspaper. While I think math is the easiest subject for me to teach, writing and writing skills are my favorite to teach because to see a writers progress is an extraordinary sight and, further,...
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Innovative and resourceful engineer with experience in industrial, mechanical, manufacturing, production, process engineering and project management; and proven ability to create cost-effective, cutting-edge designs that meet project and product specification.
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...recently graduated from Johns Hopkins University with a degree in Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering with a minor in Entrepeneurship and Management and I'm currently working towards a masters. I tutor Math (Pre-algebra, Algebra, Pre-calculus, Geometry, and Trigonometry), SAT prep, ISEE prep and Financial Accounting. I am passionate about helping students to achieve their goals of success in academics or their goal of getting into a great college. I tutor by understanding the needs of each...
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...at making the process of learning as enjoyable and fun as possible. As the oldest of four boys, I relate easily to students, and my tutoring sessions can feel like studying with a friend, albeit a friend who is helping them improve their scores. By making the material relatable and communicating it in simple terms, I get many students to understand seemingly difficult-to-grasp subject matter. I take great joy in seeing the moment a concept...
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I have been tutoring for over 12 years. I have worked with many different students in many different subjects. I've worked as a classroom teacher and instructional content creator, as well. My favorite part of tutoring is knowing that I am making a real difference for my students. I am looking forward to helping more students achieve their academic goals!
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...you are looking for help in History, Social Studies, Test Prep, or Writing, look no further. I am a Certified History and Social Studies Teacher, a Teacher Consultant with the National Writing Project, and Have a long history of high achievement on several standardized tests. I am an expert in European History, especially Eastern Europe. No one knows or can better teach you European History than me. Most of all though, no one is going...
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I'm a certified teacher with an M.Ed in Literacy Development who has had great success in helping students to improve their ability in reading, writing, and comprehension over my four years of experience in education.
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...the patient isn’t familiar with sophisticated medical terminology. This is where, I, as the pharmacist, come in by translating complicated terminology into simple language that’s easy for the patient to understand. I have been tutoring ever since I was in the 5th grade, and it has become a major part of my life because I enjoy helping others understand difficult concepts. I think tutoring goes far beyond simply teaching someone how to solve a question;...
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...all of these skills will help them reach their academic goals. As a teacher, I believe that it is critical to help students develop the ability to regulate their own learning, and implement meta-cognitive strategies that will serve them in college and beyond. When I'm not teaching, I am a mom to a high school sophomore, a long-distance mom to two college students, a gardener who grows lots of organic vegetables, and an avid reader...
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...and skill one can be better able to understand it. I know this because I also grew up not liking Math but ironically ended up teaching it. I believe you need to be patient and understand the student's strengths and weakness in order to effectively teach Math to students. Relating Math to real life examples can make it more interesting and fun for students. I believe my tutoring/teaching experience and desire in teaching math would...
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...I have worked with students in a variety of academic and mentorship roles. I have experience in supporting middle school students transitioning to independent academic living as a Residential Prefect for Lawrenceville Summer Scholars, helping students improve their analytical and creative writing, and encouraging students to work hard with positive reinforcement. These experiences have contributed to my ethos of tailoring my approach to meet each learner's needs, while fostering confidence and curiosity. While I tutor...
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...broad range of subjects, I am most passionate about History, Government, and college prep. I thoroughly enjoy working with students and feel that good learning only happens through a solid foundation of understanding if you don't understand Algebra 2, then you can't learn Calculus. Similarly, if you never learned about the Revolutionary War and the creation of the Constitution, then you can't properly learn about US Politics and Government. Additionally, I believe that a quality...
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...supportive environment where questions are encouraged, concepts are broken down clearly, and learning feels both engaging and relevant through interactive methods and real-world applications. Having attended The Hotchkiss School, one of the nation's premier boarding schools, I bring a strong academic background and proven study strategies to my tutoring. I believe every student has the potential to excel, and I am committed to guiding them toward their goals with patience, clarity, and enthusiasm.
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Receive personally tailored ISEE- Upper Level 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.
ISEE- Upper Level Tutoring FAQ
The Independent School Entrance Exam, or ISEE, is leveraged by independent and private schools for admissions and placement. It is offered for three different levels: Upper, Middle, and Lower. Each test includes questions in multiple-choice format, as well as an essay question. The amount of time given, the difficulty of the questions, and the number of questions is dependent upon the level taken. Varsity Tutors can help you find a skilled tutor who can help your child study for the ISEE Upper Level exam.
The Upper Level is for students who are entering grades 9-12. The test consists of five sections: Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics Achievement, and the essay. Your student will have 2 hours and 40 minutes to complete the entire exam.
The Verbal Reasoning section consists of sentence completion and synonym items. They assess your child's vocabulary knowledge, and his or her ability to reason. Children have 20 minutes to complete the 40 questions on this portion of the exam. Your child's ISEE Upper level tutor may work with your child to increase his or her vocabulary by utilizing flashcards with grade-level appropriate words, or they may use other techniques based on your child's current level of mastery.
The Quantitative Reasoning section of the exam uses multiple-choice questions to determine your child's ability to problem-solve and to think mathematically. It does not assess specific math skills. Your child will have 35 minutes to complete 37 items. The ability to think critically is a key factor in answering these questions correctly. Your child's tutor may work with your student on identifying what the question is asking, as well as time management techniques.
Both the Reading Comprehension and Mathematics Achievement portions of the exam are designed to measure your child's ability to answer grade-level questions in math and reading. Your child will be given 35 minutes to answer the 36 questions in the Reading Comprehension section, and 40 minutes to answer the 47 questions in the Mathematics Achievement section. These sections are skill-based, and your child's tutor will spend time determining which skills your student needs to focus on in order to pursue the highest score possible.
The final section of the exam is a single essay question, which is not graded by the ISEE. Instead, it is sent to the school or schools identified on the registration form. While it will not be part of the ISEE grade, it is an important factor in admissions for many schools and should be given the same care and attention as the other sections. Your child's tutor may work with him or her on creating a clear and concise outline to answer writing prompts in preparation for this portion of the exam.
It is important to note that the ISEE only looks for the number of correct answers and does not impose a penalty for those items that are answered incorrectly. Because of this, your child's tutor may also work on making educated guesses, as there is no benefit to leaving a question blank.
The Varsity Tutors live learning platform allows you to schedule your child's private ISEE Upper Level tutoring session at a time and location that is most convenient for your schedule. Private tutoring sessions can be scheduled in a virtual setting or in person. To connect with a tutor who is eager to work with your child, contact Varsity Tutors today.
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Recent ISEE- Upper Level Tutoring Session Notes
I first went over some practice tests the student did in the prep book. He did rather well on them. We then worked on an essay the student had started previously, so he finished writing it. After that, we worked on some more complicated square root problems, and finally finished with some synonyms practice.
We started to look the math section and began with geometry. We went through questions on squares, rectangles, parallelograms, rhombi, other quadrilaterals, kites, and hexagons. I had the student find the measure of angles, length of sides, area, perimeter, and diagonals. Some of the questions included other material such as finding the mean or a percentage. She needs to break the problems down into smaller parts and diagrams are very helpful. She is used to working with the metric system but the ISEE includes questions in both English and metric; she's going to need to learn how to convert between the two systems and within the English system. She also needs to make sure to read questions carefully so that she answers the question being asked. We will work together to make her proficient in all these areas.
We made some great progress with math. We're going through each concept covered on the test and reviewing things he forgot. We also did an overview of reading comp strategy and how to look at the questions given. Great work!
It was great meeting this student today! She's a very bright, very friendly student, and I appreciate the amount of hard work that she puts into our sessions. We began by reviewing the way that the ISEE is structured and basic math vocabulary. When it was clear that she could jump into more advanced topics, we immediately started working on percentages and word problems associated with algebra and percentages. She did a great job with translating those word problems into equations.
The student finished the lessons for all sections on the ISEE today. She feels confident about her progress thus far and is using the notes we took as a guide.
