Award-Winning Tutors from Portland State University

I have been a teacher all my life whether in the classroom or just in life. I love learning, and I am constantly seeking out new areas of interest, whether it's online courses or working on a new degree or taking up a new hobby. Interacting with students of all ages, backgrounds and nationalities always leads to that rewarding experience of helping someone learn something new. I'm always up for the challenges of teaching -- as a wise man once said, "There are as many kinds of intelligence as there are individuals"! Understanding each individual's unique learning process is the key that helps any student learn any subject.

Hi, my name is Ben. I've been math tutoring for 6 years now. I have experience working with age groups from elementary age students to college students. I try to make math comprehensive to everyone I teach by demonstrating solutions to problems as best I can and also working with what they know. I believe that asking questions and making as few assumptions as possible is to solve any problem, no matter how complex.

I love to serve as a tutor to students of all ages. There is nothing more satisfying to me than to engage a student’s intellectual curiosity and help guide them to successfully mastering a content concept. Effective teacher-to-student and student-to-content engagement is critical to the learning process. I have a BA in Business Administration, a M.Ed. in Special Education, and an Ed.D. in Organizational Leadership. Additionally, I have an endorsement in ESOL. I serve as a University Site Supervisor, mentoring Student Teachers in their Student Teaching Practicums. I have taught k-12, as well as Student Teachers. I can successfully assist students in basic concepts of math, k-8; the writing process, k-12 and university students. I also have the expertise to carefully craft content knowledge for students with special needs or in need of language supports.

Hi all! I'm a fiction writer and movie nerd here to help with any form of writing and/or editing. I have an MFA in creative writing from Portland State University and a BA in English from Seattle Pacific University. I recently taught composition (levels 1 and 2) at Northwest Kansas Technical College. The part of teaching I enjoyed the most was working with students one-on-one to give them tips that were specific to their writing voices. If that sounds like the kind of help you need, I'd love to try and give you a hand.

Greetings. My name is Dr. Rich Rice. I'm a professor of English where I focus on composition, professional communication, and how to write effectively in intercultural contexts. I enjoy working with students in high school, college, and high school students heading to college. I have a BA in English and History, an MA in English, and MEd (Masters in Education), and a PhD in English. I look forward to working with you! Dr. Rice

I am a computer scientist and mathematician with a passion for STEM disciplines. Sharing my passion and knowledge with others brings me great joy and a sense of purpose and community. Teaching is both a science and an art form, and catering to different learning styles is a strength of mine.

I graduated from Portland State University with a B.S in Physics and Mathematics. I often ended up helping my friends with math or physics problems, and during my last year of school, I led a tutoring class for general physics with calculus. My friends and the student I tutor have mentioned that I do a good job of explaining topics in different ways than the instructor did in their classes. I also try my best to let students solve problems on their own, only asking leading questions to make sure they are on the right path.

I am an open and friendly person with a passion for the Spanish language and Hispanic cultures. I enjoy sharing my enthusiasm for Spanish with my students through immersion teaching. I would come to each tutoring session prepared, so I would ask my students ahead of time what they want to get out of their session, whether it be a lesson in Spanish or help with a specific aspect of Spanish. I look forward to speaking Spanish with you!

Hi - I'm Carrie Steltz, and I've been teaching all levels of English language and communication classes for over 21 years, 15 of them at Clark College in Vancouver. I have earned three degrees from Pacific NW colleges, including a Certificate in Professional and Technical Writing and Editing from PCC, and a Master's in Education: Policies, Foundations, and Administration, Specializing in Leadership in Ecology, Culture, and Learning from PSU. I'm a firm believer in exciting learning, for all ages, both for myself and my students, and my experience and enthusiasm sure help us stay motivated!I have completed ten additonal professional development courses at Clark for instructors, and my proudest moment was excelling in and obtaining my 2019 Certification of Completion in eLearning/Teaching Online with Hybrid and Online Formats.

I am passionate about making math fun and easy for all students.

I am a filmmaker and actress with a passion for the written word. I studied a Film major in college with a Spanish minor. However, I also am experienced in writing screenplays, prose, essays, and scholarly articles. I am very much looking forward to tutoring students in essay writing.I am a people person, who has ten years of experience working in customer service. I am very socially adept at working one on one with individuals in helping meet their particular needs. I am passionate about developing relationships with clients and encouraging them to succeed.

I have been tutoring for five years now. I started tutoring near the end of high school, and I have since then used tutoring to help me get by in my college years. I have tutored all kinds of different students, ranging from kindergarten through seniors in high school. I have also tutored a diverse number of subjects, but most of my hours have gone into reading, writing, math and test prep.I love meeting new students and working with them to aid in a better learning experience. Making sessions fun is important (whether we are in person or online), and it will make our time working together more enjoyable. I'm looking forward to working with all of you.I have a degree in English, and I have started a career in the field of journalism.

I currently work at a PreK-8th grade school in inner NE Portland. I taught 5th grade my first seven years here, 1st grade for half a year and then was given the privilege to take on the role of Behavior Coach during the last half of teaching 1st grade. I am still in this position. In this position I work with all students, staff and many families to cultivate a positive community within the school. Although I am not currently teaching, I take every opportunity I can get to interact with students academically. I am often asked to fill in for teachers instead of using a guest teacher. I love these opportunities.As a general education teacher I have taught all subjects at the K-5 level but math is my favorite. I enjoy taking a subject that many students struggle with and making it fun and understandable instead of difficult. I like seeing the joy in students' faces when they have solved a problem or grasped a new concept. Although math is my favorite subject I enjoy and am well versed in all other subjects as well.

I am a highly skilled tutor with a great deal of experience in Social Studies, History, and English. I teach by, most of all, making the subject appealing and exciting to learn about. We learn things so much faster when we are actually intrigued about the subject. I think encouraging that first step is crucial, and it helps these lessons become ones that we remember years after their first introduction.Alongside the motivational factor, it helps to know that, if you are terrible at taking tests, that is totally okay! Not every personality type connects with tests well, and I try to explain to my students some tricks they can use to make tests or assessments less intimidating. Reading a test can sometimes feel like learning a second language, and I emphasize that, not only is understanding it doable, but it IS possible to own it and make it approachable in a way that works personally with you. This makes every test afterward much less psychologically taxing and, oftentimes, that is the biggest hurdle students face in this day and age.

I'm a graduate of Portland State University with a Bachelor of Arts in Japanese Language. After graduating in 2012, I moved to Japan to further study Japanese and teach English to children and adults for three years. I love getting students excited about Japan and helping them untangle the challenging Japanese language. Students and I tend to have a lot of fun practicing pronunciation and studying kanji together. When I'm not tutoring, I like to read Japanese novels and comics, listen to music, cook, play video games and walk my dog.

Hi! I am a certified elementary teacher available for online and local in person tutoring. I hold a master's degree in teaching and a bachelor's degree in Public Health Education. I currently teach English Language Arts in an International IB school.

I don't believe that there is such a thing as a bad student. I am very aware of the existence of bad teachers. These teachers often end up teaching English or Foreign Languages. The thing that often differentiates a good from a bad teacher is the ability to empathize. Bad teachers will have little patience for the student who is struggling to learn the things that the teacher has had years to internalize. A good teacher on the other hand should never forget what it was like to look at the material back when it made no sense. They should further be able to remember how they came to understand it, and be able to communicate this to the student. If the student still does not understand, a great teacher will find a way to communicate it in a way that the student will.I became a language teacher, not because I have any prodigious talent for learning foreign languages, but because of the satisfaction that I have found in seeing my students come to a realization when they had previously had no hope. I have designed my own curricula around empowering my students, and liberating them from the need for pedantic gate-keepers.It would be my pleasure to work for you and assist you in reaching your goals!

Hello! My name is Trinity. I am a Portland State University Honors graduate with a degree in biology and a minor in community health science. With my degree, I aspire to work in healthcare as a physician assistant. I have a large background in teaching, tutoring and mentoring. I look forward to helping others using the knowledge I have learned in my undergrad! I hope to make the complex world of biology seem a little less complicated and encourage students to explore the beauty of it!

My love for the English language began at an early age. As a child, I learned to read by age five and voraciously devoured Greek and Roman mythology, and European history. When I entered college, I had the tremendous privilege of studying Literature and Creative Writing at University of Montana, via their English program with so many talented writers and poets that it was known as "Paris of the West." My background in Creative Writing has stood me in excellent stead throughout my career, and assisted me with reports, presentations, editing, and projects of many kinds. I love the color and nuances of English and delight in bringing this to my students.

I am a licensed Oregon teacher with an endorsement to teach secondary social studies, and an M.Ed from Portland State University. For the past 6 years I have worked as a substitute teacher in a variety of classrooms, and have also taught social studies with Portland Public Schools' Evening and Summer Scholars Program. I have taught U.S. History 1 and 2, Government, (and Global Perspectives as a student teacher).In addition, I am highly proficient in Spanish, and I often substitute in elementary and middle school Spanish and Spanish immersion classes, as well as high school Spanish 1-4. I studied Spanish in high school and college and also spent a year in Madrid where I taught English as a foreign language, (both in secondary and business settings).I have over 10 years of education related experience. Much of it has been centered around language and literacy, whether it is Spanish, ESL, helping secondary students write research papers and access academic content and vocabulary, or doing direct instruction and remedial reading intervention with elementary students. Finally I also have some experience teaching basic math, and beginning algebra.I hope I can help you in achieving your educational goals and aspirations!

Hi! I'm a recent PSU dual master's graduate, now a new tutor here looking to help you learn the tricky bits of math as well as computer science. I specialize in discrete math, as that was what I tutored while I was at PSU, but can teach pretty much all levels. Looking forward to guiding you towards that "Aha!" moment where things click in your head.

Although I love travel and have lived both overseas and across the country, I always come back to my hometown, Portland, Oregon. After earning a partial International Baccalaureate degree, I moved to England to pursue a science degree when I was eighteen. While I was there, however, I realized that I needed to focus on my true passion, writing.I came home and earned my BA in English with a minor in writing at Portland State University. Then, I took a few years off from school and traveled all over the United States. Two years ago, I began my Master of Fine Arts in Writing at Pacific University. It's been a wonderful experience, and I'm very lucky to have worked with some superb writers.Writing is communication. It's not words on a page, and it's not just an essay or a novel or the manual to our new blender. It's the storytelling we do on a day to day basis. It's about presenting our own personal knowledge to the world and making a connection. It is vital. Not everyone is a writer, but everyone needs to know how to say: "Here, let me tell you this," and have others understand.When I'm not doing homework, I'm working on my personal writing or art projects. I have two dogs that get walked everyday on the trails near my house, and sometimes I even find time for a ride on my road bike or a hike with one of my friends.

Learning can become a joyful activity. You just need the right professor and the right tutor for you, who loves learning. I trust in the potential in every one of us. I will be your mentor for tapping into your own and turn your learning experience into a successful and joyful one. Reach out!

I believe that everyone is capable of success in learning, and that respect and patience are key to fostering that success.I recently graduated with a Master's degree in History at Portlabd State University. As part of my degree I wrote a thesis on the effects of Welsh bardic culture on warrior culture during the Norman conquest of Wales. During my time as a graduate student, I worked for the university's academic journal, The Pacific Historical Review as an editorial fellow. I have presented papers at the International Medieval Congress and the Phi Alpha Theta yearly conference. My passion is history, and I enjoy writing and editing.

I was born to be an educator. I first became enamored of the career when I read Little House on the Prairie. I wanted to be Laura Ingalls Wilder. I used my mother's old textbooks to create lesson plans for my dolls and stuffed animals. I gave lectures, homework and graded their assignments. I hand wrote report cards for each student. When I was in high school, my mom died and it was my speech teacher that made sure I graduated and got into a good college. I was taken off track by the promise of my ability to be a lawyer, and then I realized that wasn't what I wanted to do and I was in the wrong college. It took me 20 years to wind my way back to that original dream. Today, I honor my speech teacher and my younger self by helping students of all ages reach their academic goals and their life goals.I hold a Doctorate of Management, an International Masters of Business Administration with an emphasis on supply chain and logistics and a Bachelor of Science in Political Science. I have taught students from age 4 to age 60. I have taught students from five of the seven continents and taught in Mexico and China. I am certified in English 7-12, with the English as a Second Language certification. I have been teaching since 2006 in both college and K-12. As a college professor, I taught management, logistics, international business, business, marketing, entrepreneurship, organizational design and change, English and algebra. My students have completed projects that saved over $250,000 for businesses and have started six new businesses in under three months.I am excited to spend all of my time working in the one on one environment. I love to be a coach, mentor, and teacher all at the same time. I enjoy identifying your learning style, the prior knowledge that allows you to scaffold to higher academic success. I also think that we should have fun. I enjoy talking about music, TV, movies, pets, children and grandchildren. I believe that if you are having fun, you will be more engaged with the material and will retain more of the information.I have extensive experience working with neurodivergent students and have many skills to help you succeed in your way, not pushing you to the "normal" way of doing things. I look forward to working with students that are interested in learning and who will advocate for what they need. We will be partners in your education and we will achieve your goals, both academic and personal.

I graduated from Portland State with a BA in English in the spring of 2014 and, after two years working in New Zealand and Argentina, I am back in the area to coach rowing and tutor before beginning my postgraduate studies in the fall.I am passionate about language, literature, and finding ways to help people improve their academic abilities (as well as their athletic abilities!).I'd love to help you un-puzzle your puzzles, develop your talents, and achieve your goals.

Hello! My name is Chase and I'm currently a junior at PSU majoring in Physics. I've always enjoyed helping people who are struggling with math and science. It's challenged me to articulate complicated ideas in the form of analogies that tie together abstract concepts and real world experiences. I strongly believe that science and math are subjects that should be understood, and not feared!

Hello! It's nice to meet you! My name is Averie Clifton and I'm so happy to have the opportunity to work with you! Teaching is something that I'm very passionate about, and I like to ensure that I teach in a way that makes the subject as interesting as possible

I'm a retired college English Instructor who taught literature classes including science fiction, fantasy, Shakespeare, Arthur Conan Doyle, Lord of the Rings, Harry Potter, and a few more of my favorites. I live in a small Oregon town in a 1939 farmhouse on a half-acre with my wife and 2 cats.My Master's degree covers five areas of specialization that have shaped my interests: Renaissance literature, Old English and Medieval literature, Mythology, Science fiction, and Post-colonial British literature.I have been a reader of mainstream science fiction since I was 10, and I got into comics soon after (I haven't stopped reading them yet). Somewhere along the way, (around 14 or 15) I found Lord of the Rings. I was hooked on fantasy from then on. Between comics and my love of all things Fantasy, it was natural for me to also get into RPGs.I have also dabbled in writing non-fiction stuff after college. Some techie works were published in science news for kids, and some articles for archaeology publications. I have submitted some shorter fantasy pieces here and there, but nothing published yet.

I've tutored math for over four years, and as a grad student in math I have both the experience and knowledge to impart concepts and problem-solving skills. My tutoring style emphasizes patience, persistence and understanding the big picture.

I am a special education teacher in Portland, OR. I have traveled quite a bit and had the privilege of leading groups of students on international trips. I love to help students of all ages achieve their potential. Contact me to get started!

I am a poet and community activist with a strong connection to the place where I live. Poetry deepens my connection to the earth, and my commitment to help create a just, peaceful and sustainable world. I work with other volunteers on environmental issues such as climate change, the cleanup of the Hanford Nuclear Reservation and the Portland Harbor superfund cleanup. I graduated from the PSU Leadership for Sustainability Education master's program with a certificate in Teaching Adult Learners. I've taught and tutored ESL and GED as well as a graduate course, Global Political Ecology. I have also worked with special needs students. An important part of my life-long learning has been to visit other places and cultures. I served as a Peace Corps volunteer in Uganda where I worked with primary teachers. I've learned to learn from those I teach!

I'm a recent computer science graduate trying to get a solid job in the software field. I have a strong understanding of CS fundamentals, full-stack development, algorithms, discrete math, calc. I've always had great success in helping my peers understand broader topics and I'm excited to grow as a tutor professionally as well! I look forward to helping you learn.

I have a Master's of Art in Teaching from Lewis and Clark College (2006) and I live in Portland, OR. My undergrad degree is in History. I am a retired (but still licensed) special education teacher. I am certified to teach SpEd, Social Studies, and ELA for K-12. I have tutored adults who are studying to pass the US Citizenship test as well.I do my best to meet students wherever they are without judgment and with curiosity.I genuinely believe that a good teacher/student connection is essential for students to feel comfortable and be successful.In my "day job," I work behind the scenes to assist adults with intellectual disabilities to achieve greater independence.

With an almost-completed-Doctorate in Public Health from the University of Illinois Chicago and extensive experience in both technical writing and public health administration, I am passionate about empowering students through education. I have over two years of tutoring experience, specializing in subjects such as Managerial Accounting, Business Writing, Public Health, and Public Speaking. My teaching philosophy centers on creating a supportive learning environment that fosters curiosity and critical thinking. I believe in connecting with each student individually, tailoring my approach to meet their unique needs and learning styles. Sharing my knowledge and insights not only enriches their academic journey but also fuels my own love for learning. In my spare time, I enjoy exploring creative writing and engaging in community health initiatives, which further enhance my ability to relate real-world applications to my teaching.

I am a native speaker of Mandarin Chinese. I have two degrees of teaching Chinese as a second language and teaching English as a second language. With my background I have more experience with some problems that non-native Chinese speakers could have. I have been teaching Chinese with non-native speakers for two years, and recently I have been teaching Chinese with little kids. I've found that before age 6, kids can quickly and correctly learn tones, and after 6 they can learn characters and strokes and better understand sentence structure. No matter what ages my students are, I like to use games and role playing to practice with them, because it's fun and applicable to real-life conversations. I like to have students practice writing and discuss the history and background of the Chinese culture, so they can understand the meaning of the Chinese characters and language in a better way. If students don't understand the history, Chinese can be hard for them to remember. I also like to focus on practicing conversations in my tutoring sessions, and it is highly emphasized in my teaching.

I'm a former student at Dartmouth College who teaches the SAT, English, Computer Science, IB diploma classes, and more. I particularly like editing essays. Currently, I'm working towards a Bachelor's degree in Finance at Portland Community College. I have been a formal and informal tutor over the last eight years. My philosophy is that there are always a couple of simple, crucial keys to success in any subject, and I'm looking to pass what I've learned over the years to students. I'm into politics (I'm a former government major), sports (especially basketball), video games, and reading. I have a good sense of humor and I get along well with just about anyone. I can't wait to meet you!

Hello! Hola!I look forward to helping you with your Spanish. I am currently in the Spanish M.A. program at Portland State University, and I also teach beginning Spanish students at the university level. I have lived abroad in Mexico and have had extensive professional and interpersonal contact with people from all over the Spanish speaking world. I am confident I can help you improve your level of Spanish whether you are a beginner, intermediate, or advanced student.When I began learning Spanish about twelve years ago, it was a very challenging and frustrating experience. I felt like I was the slowest student in class, and even though I spent a lot of time studying, some things just did not make sense to me. I felt like I would never be able to become fluent and have a comprehensible conversation with a native speaker. Now, I have enjoyed being completely fluent in Spanish for several years, and I have even had a few native speakers confuse me for a fellow native Spanish speaker.I have recently began a career as a Spanish instructor for first and second year university students, and I have been tutoring Spanish students off and on for the last seven years. While I love teaching in the classroom, I also love the one-on-one experience of being able to personalize the content to an individual's needs and move at the student's own pace. This is ideal and very important when learning!I look forward to connecting with you and helping!

I've always enjoyed math. I enjoy being able to help others understand it. And I feel gratified when I can relieve the stress a student is feeling about not getting the math they have to do for a class or test.Outside of math, I have a degree in psychology and am very interested in the topic. In my spare time, I also like hiking, mountain climbing, table tennis, running, reading, Ethiopian and Thai restaurants, and chess.

I am a college student with a passion for learning and helping others learn. I am in the process of completing a BA in History, with minors in Arabic and Classics at Portland State University. I had the privilege of tutoring students at Portland's Native American Youth and Family Center (NAYA) for three months for my "senior capstone" project.I believe in cooperative, student-centered learning, and I strive to meet the learning needs of my pupils by discerning and adapting to different interests, levels of knowledge, and learning styles.In my free time, I serve as the president of Portland State's Model United Nations team. I am also a tournament-chess player of middling strength.