Mark: Waterloo tutor

Certified Tutor

I love learning. For me, it is a never-ending adventure. It gives me great joy when I have motivated students to love learning too.

I started working with K-7th students in the summer after I graduated from high school. I went on to teach middle school and high school students as a substitute teacher, something that I continue to do to this day. I also taught applied computing and Hebrew to college students as an adjunct professor and went on to teach military science to African Union officers and soldiers in military colleges across Africa for nearly a decade.

I studied at Mesa College and Platt College in San Diego, California State University, Fresno, the Defense Language Institute Foreign Language Center in Monterey, California, Excelsior College in Albany, New York, and The Project Management Institute.

I earned an Associate of Arts, a Bachelor of Science degree, diplomas in Modern Standard Arabic, Egyptian Arabic, Production Art, and Project Management Professional certification.

I tutor in Arabic, English, Spanish, French, Graphic Design, and Social Studies. I love tutoring in Arabic because the Arabic language is so rich and once one learns the rules of Arabic and how to use the Arabic dictionary, one can teach himself and even create new words that are perfectly understood by other Arabic speakers.

My teaching philosophy is rooted in clarity, consistency, and compassion. I believe students learn best when they know what to expect, feel supported, and have opportunities to apply what they've learned. I begin each lesson by clearly outlining what we will study, then present the material in an organized and accessible way. I always review the key points with students and provide practical exercises to reinforce their understanding.

My tutoring style is calm, patient, and encouraging. I see myself as a mentor who guides students at their own pace, building their confidence through structure and repetition. Over the years, I've had the privilege of training tens of thousands of learnersfrom soldiers to middle schoolers, high school and college studentsacross a wide variety of settings, including as a volunteer teacher in Kenya and as a homeschooling parent. I treat every student with respect and believe that with the right support, they can exceed even their own expectations.

I love to travel, and I cook Middle Eastern delicacies and traditional Latin cuisine. I also enjoy sailing, kayaking, surfing, fishing, hunting for shark teeth on the beach, and long hikes and bike rides