Nissa: Wokingham tutor

Certified Tutor

I graduated from the University of California, Davis in June of 2016 with a Bachelor of Science degree in Psychology. I currently serve as a academic coach and tutor through AmeriCorps in the Federal Way Public School District. I work within AVID and core classes at the middle school level to strengthen key reading, math, and science skills.

I believe in student-centered learning methodologies and the AVID way. I know that learning begins with relationships so I work hard to establish trust to begin building the foundation of that relationship to pave the way for productive tutoring sessions. I am naturally high-energy and cultivate an optimistic learning environment by using positive reinforcement and celebrating every single accomplishment (no matter how small). I believe the key to developing independent learners is by utilizing the inquiry process to instigate and strengthen higher-level cognitive processes and problem-solving skills.

I thoroughly enjoy working with students and am constantly amazed by the creativity and imagination of youth today. I believe that much of youth's creativity is smashed in education as a fear of being wrong evolves with age. In working with students, I aspire to embrace students' creativity and tie it to their education and academic goals.

Prior to my time at UC Davis, I grew up in the Silicon Valley and went through the Santa Clara Unified School District. I was on honor roll every year, I was in the school band in both middle and high school, held a part-time job at a Baskin-Robbins my senior year of high school, graduated with 215 hours of community service at Kaiser Permanente Hospital, and was chosen as the student speaker for my high school's graduation. I worked hard in high school to be accepted to and succeed in a four-year university. In college, I held part-time jobs both on and off campus and had the opportunity to study microbiology abroad in Thailand in July of 2015. After college, I worked as a jury clerk in a superior courthouse before accepting my current position with AmeriCorps. In the next few years, I plan on applying to and serving in the education sector of the Peace Corps. After completing a few years of service, I would like to go back to school to become a public school educator.