Parker: Libertyville tutor

Certified Tutor

I graduated Brandeis University in the spring of 2019, receiving a Bachelor of Arts with Honors in Economics, Art History, and Psychology with an emphasis on neuroscience. Immediately after graduation I worked alongside a friend in Los Angeles as the Creative Director and Lead Editor at a startup, Schoolbell LLC, where we aimed to connect K-12 certified instructors with local parents and students looking for a little extra help outside of the classroom. Together, we managed to grow the company from a core team of friends into an organization with several dozen teachers nationwide; although I had to return to work on the East Coast, the funding we secured is enough to drive the project forward several more months. Since relocating to New York, I've been working as a copywriter for a marketing firm, while finding time for research necessary for an independent journalism project.
I've tutored for many years: in the latter half of high school I coached middle schoolers, along with several freshmen, through standardized test prep, working from the PSAT to the SAT. In college I worked as a teaching assistant in the Economics department, a role which saw me leading the class in guided recitations, as well as organizing, distributing, and reviewing the assignments for some 100 students.
I tutor across a broad range of subjects, but have always been the most passionate about helping students with Math and Writing. The times that I've been able to help students reach Eureka! moment in a math problem or learn to express themselves through their language have been the most rewarding, because those are the times the students have really learned something about thinking critically. An increase in test scores or a plus on a report card (as important as those are) isn't enough: it's just as important that students develop strong critical thinking skills to carry them forward. A love for education, an inquisitive mindset, and critical thinking are all foundational elements to a successful, fulfilled life. I do my best to share those values with my students and prepare them not just for a single class or test, but for the hurdles they'll face going forward as well.
When not tutoring, writing, or working on my research, I juggle the rest of my free time between rock climbing, skiing, exploring used bookstores, writing code, DJing with my friends, and going to film festivals.