Greg: Rensselaer County tutor
Certified Tutor
I am a recent veteran of the U.S. Air Force, studying Criminal Justice at Brandman University, where I had a 4.0 GPA in my Junior Year. I exited the Air Force as a Staff Sergeant (E5) after six years of service. During my years with the Air Force I came to realize that a high school education can only take you so far in today's economy, and that to truly succeed one must attain some level of higher education.
My military experience is in aircraft maintenance, and when I help students I use that background to relate the real life applications of many subjects such as reading, writing, verbal communication, and basic math. The entire working world relies on these skills which is why I feel they are so important for our youth to excel at in school.
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Undergraduate Degree: Brandman University - Bachelor in Arts, Criminal Justice
freshwater aquariums, gardening, Star Trek/Star Wars, music (all sorts), dogs/pets, baseball, hockey, security, military, Disney/Disneyland
- 10th Grade Reading
- 10th Grade Writing
- 11th Grade Reading
- 11th Grade Writing
- 12th Grade Reading
- 12th Grade Writing
- 1st Grade Reading
- 1st Grade Writing
- 2nd Grade Reading
- 2nd Grade Writing
- 3rd Grade Reading
- 4th Grade Reading
- 4th Grade Writing
- 5th Grade Reading
- 5th Grade Writing
- 6th Grade Reading
- 6th Grade Writing
- 7th Grade Reading
- 7th Grade Writing
- 8th Grade Reading
- 8th Grade Writing
- 9th Grade Reading
- 9th Grade Writing
- Adult Literacy
- Art
- ASVAB Prep
- College English
- College Geography
- College Level American History
- Criminal Law
- Elementary School Reading
- Elementary School Writing
- English
- ESL/ELL
- Geography
- Handwriting
- High School English
- High School Geography
- High School Level American History
- High School Writing
- History
- Law
- Math
- Middle School Reading
- Middle School Writing
- Other
- Quantitative Reasoning
- Reading
- Social Sciences
- Social Studies
- Sociology
- Study Skills
- Study Skills and Organization
- Summer
- Test Prep
- Writing
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I like to get to know the student and family, while assessing the student's general knowledge. There are a few short-story games I use to get the wheels turning, regardless of subject.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I try to relate it to everyday life; math for example reaches a point where it’s less about where you'll use the Pythagorean Theorem, and more about complex problem solving skills.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I try to pain the picture of what's going on in the story; the physical surroundings. What's wafting on the breeze; what technology is available and how common (or mind boggling) is it? The significance of "Steamboat Willie," and the importance of movie theaters in the first half of the 20th century.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I break into my sessions with story cubes. Dice with pictures on them, used to form a very short story. No matter the subject of the day, they're a great way to break the ice and get the wheels turning.