To provide a little bit of background about myself: currently, I am a recent graduate of Columbia University's prestigious Teacher's College, equipped with a master's degree as well as a New York State teaching certification in secondary English. Most recently, I had the wonderful experience of working with high school Freshmen teaching a literary analysis unit on Greek mythology and allegorical literature at the Bronx High School of Science. The process of working with a unique combination of gifted and talented students, as well as many ESL learners, really opened my eyes in terms of reinforcing the value of education and the impact it can serve in shaping young people's futures. In the scant few months I was there, I saw students' oral and written academic skills improve dramatically as their comfort with the material increased; more than this, I found myself developing a personal bond with quite a few of them. I legitimately had a lot of fun working with those kids, and I can honestly say that there were some teary faces on both sides when it came time to say goodbye.
The reality is, I'm scarcely a decade older than many of the students I taught; as a (relatively) young person myself, I graduated from college but a few short years ago, student loan-free, due to an honors scholarship I received on the basis of academic merit. While I remain forever grateful to the City University system for providing me with a proper education, gratis, as it were, my true debt lies with the hardworking men and women who spent valuable time tutoring me during high school. I can honestly say that without their help, both on the subjects I was struggling in as well as on the SAT, I literally wouldn't be where I am today. I became a teacher, then, to give back to my community, and it's my hope that I can accomplish a little bit more of that as a tutor, by providing the individualized attention that so many students benefit from.
As for my hobbies, outside of education I often find myself enjoying keeping up to date on technology trends in the media, reading science fiction, and exercising outdoors. I enjoy the sensation of progress that learning gives me, and it's my hope to share that joy with prospective students.
