Award-Winning Tutors from Concordia University-Portland

As a highly motivated and experienced teacher with a strong background in providing effective teaching to students with diverse backgrounds, I am confident I will exceed your expectations. I am confident that my strong desire to help students achieve their academic and career goals, will go a long way in providing high-quality tutoring services.I have been a certified urban education teacher for eleven years and developed excellent knowledge of providing customized academic plans to students as well as families. My ability to work with students, other teachers, administrators and parents to find out their weakest points, and the aspiration to work towards providing strengthening services has been commended many times. Moreover, my know-how to design and conduct workshops and develop interactive materials for students would enable me to produce excellent results. Additionally, I possess a positive attitude and a passion to assist struggling learners.

I have traveled the world and explored many countries while experiencing multiple cultures. It was a wonderful learning opportunity and I incorporate as many of the varied experiences as possible into my teaching style. I earned a Bachelor of Secondary Education from the University of Guam, a Masters of Education in SpEd, a Masters of Arts in Autism Spectrum Disorders, a Specialists degree in Curriculum and Instruction, and a Doctorate in Curriculum and Instruction. I enjoy teaching and tutoring reading and reading comprehension as well as writing! I am working on my own book now as we speak. I understand reading issues having faced and conquered them myself! I look forward to helping others conquer their reading issues!! Reading really is FUN!

I am a substitute teacher with Portland Public Schools. I got my Master of Arts in Teaching from Concordia University with a certification in advanced math in June 2018. My teaching experience is mostly in Middle School Math as well as Algebra 1-2, but I can help you with any level of High School Math. I also have a Bachelor of Arts in Economics from the University of Southern Indiana. My tutoring philosophy is that each student learns differently and has different needs so I try to adapt any tutoring to the student. The greatest thing about tutoring is how tailored the lessons can be which helps students learn more effectively. I also believe in not taking life too seriously so I like to joke around and make the learning fun whenever possible.

I have been teaching in the education field for seventeen years and I really enjoy it. I also have four children of my own whom I get a chance to really enjoy now that I work from home.

Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world. - Nelson MandelaI currently teach 8th grade math and Algebra 1. I have been teaching math at the middle school level for 4 years. At my current school I am the math department chair, which means I oversee the math department itinerary, provide information from the county to our school's math teachers, assist with curriculum professional development, keep a detail record of mathematics inventory such as calculators, manipulatives, and textbooks. I am also the soccer and softball coach for the past two years. For the past four years I tutored students after school. I have also been tutoring students for the past four years as an independent tutor. I tutored students from Kindergarten to 12th grade. These tutoring sessions varied from homework help to basic skills, one step and two step word problem decoding, one step equations to multi-step equations using manipulatives, pre-teaching skills that were soon to be introduced by the student's teacher, and many more skills that parents requested.Prior to working at the middle school level, I taught at an Elementary School for 5 years. Of those 5 years I taught 4th grade 3 years and 5th grade 2 years. 4 of the 5 years I spent tutoring after school on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Mondays and Wednesday I would spend time at the local library tutoring students in mathematics at the elementary school level.As a teacher I try to keep an equal balance of movement, peer engagement, mathematical discussion, practice, exploration of content in my lessons. I try to reach all needs of all my students and keep an open line of communication.

I was born and raised in San Jose, CA. I moved to Portland, Oregon to obtain my Bachelor's of Arts in English at Concordia University. I have always had a strong personal mission to improve the lives of others, so I went to Willamette University, College of Law to become a lawyer. I practiced family law and estate planning for the over three years. Throughout my college years, I have tutored my fellow students as well as younger grade school students in various subjects. My main passion has revolved around literature and writing. I strongly believe that education is the key to success.

Education is the key to our society's future. Excellence in this matter is imperative. I believe that we must provide our students with the opportunities to succeed so that our society will succeed.

With 25 years of experience in education, I am excited to continue my career by sharing my passion for teaching students in a new setting. Most of my positions in education have provided me with the opportunity to work with multilingual students and families, with a heavy focus on literacy. I moved to Ecuador because I enjoy the challenges of taking risks and the excitement of trying new and innovative things. I took my current position because I saw an opportunity to grow my skills to the behavior side of education at a time when students and educators need more support. As a Student Services TOSA, I have been responsible for putting systems and structures in place to support student behavior. I work with the school PBIS team to identify students in need of behavior interventions, implement and coordinate the intervention programs in place, and monitor student progress. I facilitate the process of conducting Functional Behavior Assessments and support teams with the implementation of Behavior Support Plans. In addition to teaching elementary school and middle school language arts, I have also worked as a literacy coach, an assessment specialist focusing on standards-based learning and assessment, and as a reading specialist, teaching reading interventions to middle school students. I have experience as a middle school assistant principal and I have provided staff development in the areas of reading, writing, professional learning communities, standards-based learning and assessment, differentiation, instructional coaching, and response to intervention training to elementary, middle, and high school teachers and administrators. My position as Reading Specialist at the middle school level included teaching 6th, 7th, and 8th- grade tier 3 reading students as well as coordinating the school's RTI program. I created a school-wide Google-Doc where assessment data on all students was housed and was made available to all staff members. I implemented a tier 2 reading intervention program, with core teachers teaching targeted reading interventions to tier 2 reading students. I managed all school-wide data, made placement decisions for students, and provided professional development on reading instruction and how to implement a Response to Intervention System. This position provided me with opportunities to interrupt inequitable practices, examine biases, and create an inclusive multicultural school environment for adults and students. While an Assistant Principal at the middle school level, I was in charge of the staff development, the supervision of roughly 600 students, and I was responsible for the evaluations of fifteen teachers. Our main focus was to help staff understand and move forward with a Standards-Based System. All of our professional development opportunities and classroom observations focused on the use of formative assessment and student engagement. I designed a master schedule that allowed for tier 2 interventions and extensions to be taught by core teachers, kept teams intact, and allowed students to have one elective and a PE course. As the Beaverton School District's Assessment Specialist, I was responsible for articulating state standards and district learning targets, aligning curriculum to standards, developing and facilitating the use of assessments aligned to the standards. My role allowed me to ensure equally high outcomes for all participants in our educational system; removing the predictability of success or failures that currently correlates with any social or cultural factor. I was an elementary school Literacy Coach where I was responsible for providing staff development to teachers, literacy and math coaches, administrators, and district-level administrators. I assisted in writing school improvement plans in the areas of reading and writing and I was responsible for collecting and analyzing reading assessment data for program evaluation and student placement. During my years in education, I have applied creative planning and coordinating skills as a classroom teacher. I have collaborated with colleagues to design curricula and assessments that meet state and district standards, and I have planned grade level, school, and district-wide events. My leadership experiences have given me the necessary skills to manage and work with large groups of people. All of my experiences have required extreme organization, innovative thinking, adherence to multiple deadlines, and the greatest degree of professionalism.

An enthusiastic middle school teacher who excels in creating and maintaining a positive, fun, and productive classroom environment and relationship with students, parents, and the community. Excels atinspiring students to work efficiently and effectively. Excellent at determining student strengths and weaknesses and tailoring lessons accordingly. Specializes in establishing and implementing social justicecurriculum, global curriculum, and real world application curriculum.Skilled practitioner who continues to expand knowledge of modern strategies and skills through professional development and an expansive, diverse educator network. Exceptional academic qualifications include a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from Oglethorpe University, a Master of Education in Curriculum and Instruction from Concordia University, and a Doctorate of Education in Educational Leadership from Liberty University, which is currently ongoing.

I feel I am qualified for the position of a Varsity Tutor considering my experience as a certified teacher in secondary Math education. Additionally, I have a passion and love for teaching with a belief that all students can learn when Math is made relatable to their everyday lives. One of the main focuses on Math instruction for 21st Century learners is being able to apply Mathematics using reasoning, modeling, and critical thinking. I'm currently teaching at a high school. I've had the pleasure of being an educator for over 15 years. I started out as a substitute teacher but used my math background to help classrooms that did not have certified teachers in them. In 2009, I became a certified Math teacher. I've taught Algebra 2 most of my teaching career. Also, I taught Algebra 1, Geometry, Pre-Calculus and Calculus (Only 1 year). Teaching Math to students can be quite challenging at times, but I've had great success over the years due to my ability to communicate with students in a way they can understand. I like to use real-life experiences that are relevant which students can relate to. I'm a very detailed teacher and love explaining how Math works. I teach Math through questioning and check for understanding. I believe that one skill should build on another and be applied.

I have always had a passion for literacy and multicultural education. During my tenure at DePaul University I completed an externship where I worked at a literacy center tutoring ESL student's and creating individualized education plans. I loved working with students at the literacy center and I felt a deep sense of accomplishment when I was able to help them accomplish their personal goals.I went on to obtain a Master of Education Degree and TEFL certification to help me transition into a teaching career and to prepare me to meet the educational needs of my students. While pursuing my education, I was a struggling single mother with a full-time job, and I was often stressed out and tired. However, I had a wonderful mentor who would encourage me and uplift my spirits when I felt like giving up. It is now my sincere desire to pay it forward. My personal goal is to always guide, uplift and teach my students they can accomplish anything with hard work and faith in themselves.

I am a teacher who is passionate about helping students achieve and succeed. Not all students learn the same way so I have to adapt my teaching to provide my students with learning opportunities that meets their needs. The learning should be about the students and what they need.

Everyone can learn. We all learn at different paces and through different ways and we are all inspired by different things. I hope to help students connect their passions with the skills and foundations that will help them succeed at school, careers, and in life.As a graduate of Bard College and Concordia University, I have degrees in Psychology and in Education. I have a diverse background with experience in many different educational settings from History teacher to Dean to outdoor education. I have been working with students for almost 15 years and love helping others achieve their best. I enjoy working with Social Studies and History as well as Math and Writing. I also enjoy helping students get organized and become more efficient learners. Currently, I oversee a tutoring program at a school in Albuquerque.I am passionate about learning both in school and out and love learning new things all the time. I read lots as well as spend lots of time outdoors. Whenever I have the opportunity to try something new or learn more about how something works, I jump on it!

I enjoy teaching and working with people! Being boring, is a crime. Teaching must be relevant to the student and of value to be of any use. I greatly value getting to know each of the people I teach and find meaning in all my interactions with people.

I am a graduate of Eastern Nazarene College and am currently getting my masters of education in curriculum and instructional design with a focus in STEAM education. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Theatre, Physics and Secondary Education. I have a passion for science, specifically physics and astronomy. I have taught in a variety of schools with a variety of different ages from 6th to 12th grade. I believe that my diverse experience gives me a unique perspective and helps me connect with students individually. Currently I am a teacher through an online school in which I get to spend one on one time with every student. This has really allowed me to build relationships with these students and teach them in the way that benefits them most. I am a firm believer in student centered learning and helping students gain the confidence of solving problems on their own. I use a lot of growth mindset language in my teaching and tutoring and encourage students that they just don't understand it quite yet. I believe that all students can succeed if they are given the right tools to do so. In my spare time I enjoy hiking, spending time with family and performing in local theatre productions.

I am a mother, an educator, an artist who loves working with children. I am native to Dallas, TX yet, have had many opportunities to travel the world. One stop was Miami Beach, FL where I attended undergrad school in 2001 at Johnson & Wales University receiving a B.S. in Criminal Justice and worked as a Social Worker for two years. After relocating back to Dallas in 2008, I continued my work with children as a Pre-K teacher. Walking through this door of opportunity opened up a new path that I was destined to take. Since then, I have birthed a son, started a homeschool co-op, obtained a M.Ed in Curriculum & Instruction, as well as, worked in local elementary schools as a Campus Director and Instructor for their in-school tutoring program for reading literacy. As you can see, I wear many hats within my career and continue to expand my mission work with children.I currently work as a 1st grade teacher for the 2017-2018 school year.

I taught mathematics in public schools for 13 years and am always excited to help students discover the patterns seemingly hidden within. I listen carefully, ask questions using words students already know, and use stories and humor to help them feel comfortable so new learning can really sink in. I also provide memory tricks to help students get what they've learned front and center when they need it!

I am passionate about tutoring because I love facilitating the love of academic success. School was always fun for me; unfortunately I know that is not the case for everyone and tutoring gives me the platform to share my love for learning. My experience tutoring involves mostly writing, I enjoy assisting with improving student's writing skills and proofreading papers before they are turned in to improve students' scores. I received my Bachelors of Arts from Oregon State University and my Masters of Education from Concordia University. It was during my time at Concordia as a graduate student that I discovered my love for tutoring! I currently tutor in the subjects of reading, writing, and English ACT test taking. My favorite subject to tutor is APA writing assistance; writing in the APA format can be challenging! I enjoy the challenge and especially helping students to improve their writing skills in this format. In my spare time I enjoy reading, drinking strong coffee, traveling, playing with my children, and anything outdoors here in the beautiful Pacific Northwest!

I'm currently a first grade teacher at KIPP Academy Charter school. I graduated from Mercy College in 2006 with a degree in Psychology, and am currently in graduate school pursuing a masters in Early Childhood Education. I have been teaching for over five years. I have a passion for teaching. I love to see students accomplish their academic goals to become successful in life. I'm also bilingual speaking Spanish/English. My teaching philosophy is every child has a strengths, every child can reach their potential and every child can learn.

I became a teacher because being a student was challenging. I felt like I could never do the work and I believed my teachers just couldn't understand. Mathematics was a language that made little sense to me. When it finally began to click and it was time for me to decide what career I wanted to enter, it was an easy decision.My passion is not only teaching math in a way that enables all students to learn and comprehend, but also demonstrating that understanding will come. My students love my classes because we make it fun! Math is meant to be learned while smiling, laughing, finding the connections to prior learning and everyday life!

In 2012 I graduated from University of Oregon with a major in finance and a minor in economics. While in college I was a business tutor in the Integrated Communications Program in which I helped upper division business students with formal writing and public speaking. I also spent my sophomore year as the Vice President of Finance of my sorority. I am currently attending Concordia University to obtain my Masters of Arts in Teaching; when I graduate I will be licensed to teach middle and high school mathematics.As my background suggests, I love math! In high school I created my own tutoring business in which I tutored all levels of math ranging from elementary math, trigonometry, statistics, and algebra to test prep. When I was in college, I continued my passion and tutored freshman level mathematics and accounting. During my first year in Portland I was part of a tutoring company in which I tutored several students. Needless to say, math is my passion. As a student who has taken loads of math classes, I have watched my friends struggle through not only the subject but the teaching methods. My experiences as a tutor have allowed me to branch out and use a variety of teaching techniques in order to fit each student's needs. It enabled me to create fun ideas on how to teach math in hopes that my students will not only understand but like the subject.I am a firm believer at creating a trusting relationship with my students. I work with students to create a safe and trusting environments, ones in which students are not afraid to ask questions and raise challenges. I believe that building confidence and self esteem is large factor in the success rates of students. As a tutor, it is my belief that my job is not only to teach the subject matter but to create confident, successful students.Of course I like other activities besides studying math. I ran cross country for two years in high school and have played softball for 15 years. I love photography--landscapes are my specialty. Along with spending time with my family, friends, and dogs I love to scrapbook to capture all the memories.

I graduated with a BA in English and Sociology with a minor in Anthropology from the University of Washington in 2010. I then went on to work in Early Childhood Education before seeking a Master of Education in Instruction and Curriculum Design from Concordia University in Portland, which I completed in September of 2016.I have taught all ages, from 3 to adult. I find most the most joy in teaching English and Reading, as I feel there is so much to discover in the grand world of books.I believe that learning should be fun, and that everyone is a capable individual. Sometimes the traditional route of learning isn't the best way, and that's okay. People see and understand things differently, and we may need to take a different approach. To me, understanding has more power than rote memorization.

I believe that responsive tutoring means finding the best way a client learns and facilitate learning based on their strengths. I celebrate wins and learning gains until mastery is normal and claims of a weakness in a subject that is in past tense. Learning to win means a growth mindset where impossible becomes I'm possible.

Dusty is my real name. Outside of learning I love to make things from yarn and sewing. More than that, I love to be outside in my garden and have as many adventures as possible. I am also a mom to a little boy who also loves to be outside. Together, we watch movies and TV. In everything I do, no matter how fun or not, I try to learn something. When helping someone else learn, I learn too. The spark in a student's eyes when they understand the problem they are working on bring such joy to my life it is hard to describe. I have been teaching English online to students from Spanish speaking countries, Chinese speaking places, and students from South Korea. These students have been 3 to 83 years old. I love teaching students from other countries, I learn so much while helping students learn. It is like traveling from the comfort of home.

To me teaching is all about getting the light bulb to go on. People have different learning styles; the tutor's job is to determine the most effective learning style for each student.

As I reflect on my beliefs regarding teaching and learning, I find that my mission as a teacher is threefold: to promote positive learning; to spark learner enthusiasm for learning; and to provide a strong foundation for lifelong learning. To accomplish this, I enjoy applying a wide variety of strategies based on essential educational principles encompassing cognitive functioning, learning theory, diversity issues, instructional planning and assessment. Besides teaching, I enjoy spending time with my family, bike riding, playing tennis and traveling and making memories with my family.

I am very driven and passionate about supporting students and families in education. I aim to measure, monitor, and share progress about learning with students and their parents. I hope to provide adequate and appropriate support for students to gain confidence and knowledge in their subjects by providing learning strategies and systems for studying.

My passion for teaching has been strong since the 5th grade. The inspiration of my 5th grade teacher and my 9th grade math teacher are the reason I enjoy watching the light click when the student understands the concept that you are teaching them. I believe that every child is capable of many things given the opportunity.

I received a Bachelor of Arts degree with a double major in Linguistics and Spanish from the University of Oregon in Eugene, Oregon. I studied three languages - Spanish, Chinese, and Japanese, - and am fluent in Spanish. More recently, I returned to school to work on a graduate degree in Elementary Education and TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) at Concordia University in Portland, Oregon, which is still in progress.As an undergraduate, I tutored English to college students from Asia and the Middle East. For the last several years I have continued to privately tutor adults, primarily in English as a Second Language (ESL), but I have also taught Spanish literacy to native Spanish-speakers. I taught ESL to immigrant adults for six months at a local community college, and spent a year teaching Spanish-speaking adults at a private language school in Vancouver, Washington, where classes were conducted in Spanish. Most recently I worked for a company that provided tutoring to public school elementary children in reading, phonics and math. I taught children from kindergarten through grade 8.I'm so excited to be working for Varsity Tutors because it allows me to put so many of my interests and skills together into one job working with children and adults, teaching languages and math, and relating to cultures and life stories other than my own. I believe that everyone can learn, no matter their age, background, or learning disabilities. I try to approach each student as an individual and adjust learning tasks to fit a student's learning style. My goal is to present learning material in a logical and orderly fashion and to explain concepts in a way that can be easily understood. Students should have concrete examples and practice using the concepts in relevant contexts in order to make learning memorable and permanent. I am dedicated to building my students' confidence and success.Some of my personal interests and hobbies include gardening, hiking, international cooking, and making craft projects with paper and rubbers stamps. I also enjoy identifying and protecting native plants and animals in my region of the U.S., learning and supporting ways of protecting the environment, and developing sustainable business and home-life practices. When I can find appropriate ways to incorporate these interests into my lessons, I try to do so in order to make lessons more interesting and educational for my students.

Being educated isn't easy and neither is life without an education. It is my hope that you realize that you can do anything that you put your mind to with a little bit of help and a whole lot of practice. My goal is to help you meet success and to help you understand that you can have fun while learning new and frustrating material. I am Christyl Powell Braxton, I have been employed in the public school system for 18 years. I currently teach high school Special Education students grades 9-12. I have a Bachelor' s Degree in English, a Master's in Reading Development & Instruction and Curriculum. I am now enrolled in a P.H.D. program focusing on Special Education Administration. The subjects I have taught as a Special Educator include English (6-12), Algebra 1 & 2, Probability & Statistics, Geography, U.S. History, and World History. I also am a case manager, which means I have years of experience providing individualized education assessments, instruction, and support. My goal is to make learning an enjoyable experience for everyone...we can do anything together!!!

I am a graduate of Concordia University-Portland, and a student at Regent University. I earned a master's degree in special education in 2016 and am pursuing a PhD in Special Education currently. Since earning my degree, I have spent the last 2 years working with children with Autism on academic and life skills. I also took the opportunity to earn a certification in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL). I work in a variety of subjects as a tutor but my passion is working with students with disabilities and learning challenges. I especially enjoy working on reading and grammar building blocks such as phonics and sentence construction. I am passionate about the benefits of education and making those benefits available to all students regardless of challenges and I try to make learning as engaging and entertaining as possible while still reaching goals. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time with my husband and children in nature, photography, watching sports, and crafts like sewing and knitting.

I love teaching and I love watching students learn. There are many different ways students learn and I like to engage the students using videos, art, readings, simulations and writing. Watching students finally grasp a concept is a joy like any other. I graduated from Brigham Young University-Idaho with a degree in History and a minor in Art. I recently just finished a Master's degree in Curriculum & Instruction through Concordia University. I have been teaching High School US History Regular/Honors for 3 years. This year I will be teaching AP US History. I have attended two week long conferences to better assist my AP Students. I have various AP Study materials, such as "5 Steps to a 5" flashcards, skillbooks and other tools to assist in writing and content knowledge.

My experiences as a Teacher and Teacher leader have built my ability to be reflective on my practice and adapt everything I do to data driven and research based methods. These methods create a more student-centered environment.My current position is a teaching American History and AP United States history at a high school in the Columbus area. I previously was a Instructional Coach and head of a Social Studies department in Chicago.My work in underserved communities has been an important part of my growth as a teacher leader. I want to tutor and continue my work and impact learning outside of schools focusing on students and growth.As a Social Studies teacher I have adapted my practice to balance history content and reading skills based on the needs of my students. Using Common Core standards, the new SAT standards, and now Ohio History standards I have aligned my curriculum to help all students grow their textual analysis to foster their development as critical thinkers. I emphasize content skills like sourcing, corroboration, and contextualization support student's textual analysis. Alignment with assessments can come from this skills based teaching. I use data collection to target high leverage interventions and promote student reading growth.I strive to build my classroom on high expectations and high support. My tutoring is no different. I operate with the belief that all students can learn. Genuine differentiation starts with strong relationships, student centered instruction, and standards aligned curriculum. Using engagement strategies and varying instruction are key ways I differentiate for my students.I have collaborated with members of our student support team to enrich student's individualized educations. All individual students with varying abilities, backgrounds, and motivations benefit when the rigor level of assignments and assessments is appropriate for them.

With over a decade of experience in classroom and educational settings plus six years as a dedicated virtual tutor, I bring a well-rounded, student-centered approach to every session. I specialize in creating personalized, engaging lessons that help learners gain confidence, fill in gaps, and move ahead with clarity and purpose. Whether working with students who need extra support or those ready for enrichment, I tailor instruction to fit each individual's learning style and goals. My goal is always to make learning approachable, effective, and empowering.

Hi, I'm Ms. Locke! I'm a dedicated + passionate educator; I've worked in this field for more than two decades with experiences across grade levels + content areas. I help others experience the joy of learning through fun, engaging, developmentally appropriate, and rigorous activities. My area of expertise is early literacy and English Language Development. I prefer working with students in grades K-2, and particularly with students who are behind and need reading intervention.