David graduated with Summa Cum Laude honors from the College of the Ozarks, earning a Bachelor of Arts in Studio Art. He has been actively involved in the education realm since 1999; he began tutoring in 2005 and successfully owned and operated his tutoring business, HELP Tutoring, from 2009 to 2020. He has tutored approximately 500 students over the last couple of decades. David’s enduring commitment to tutoring stems from his joy in witnessing students succeed and the realization that tutoring is a powerful avenue to facilitate that success.
David specializes in tutoring at all levels of math, up to Calculus 1 and SAT and ACT prep. Motivated by a passion for inspiring students and helping them unlock their potential, he strongly believes that having a caring mentor invested in students' success yields benefits beyond the academic realm.
As a tutor, David actively engages in his students' educational journeys. His genuine care for their success is evident from the start, as he assists them in charting a clear path to achievement. Employing a direct and uncomplicated tutoring style, David effectively identifies what truly contributes to student success and what doesn't. He identifies the root of students' challenges and fills in any learning gaps. Beyond immediate academic concerns, he emphasizes the broader perspective, aiding students in recognizing the significance of their education—whether it be meeting graduation requirements or acing standardized tests. David ensures students grasp the real-world applications of these concepts and the enduring advantages of mastering them for long-term success.
David excels at customizing his tutoring approach to suit the age and specific needs of his students. He has discovered that maintaining a blend of casual yet professional interaction is most effective, particularly when working with teenagers.
When he’s not tutoring, David enjoys spending time with his wife and six kids. He also enjoys playing Madden football and has been DJing at various gigs for the past eight years.
Ben graduated from Brown University with a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations and History of Art and Architecture. Throughout his seven-year tutoring career and as a certified ESL instructor, he has held roles such as tutor, college counselor, and online educator. Ben's guidance has led over 1,000 students to success, including admission to renowned institutions such as the University of Chicago, the University of Virginia, and Cornell University.
Ben loves forming connections with students and watching them learn, blossom, and succeed. He specializes in SAT and ACT tutoring, as well as math, ELA/ESL, history, social studies, science, Japanese, and Russian at all levels, including AP and IB.
Ben’s tutoring style is student-centered. He prioritizes understanding students' interests, learning preferences, and areas of difficulty from the outset. Armed with this knowledge, he tailors sessions to address each student's individual needs effectively. Moreover, Ben ensures that he communicates with students on their level, avoiding talking down to them—a common pitfall in tutoring—thus fostering a supportive and respectful learning environment.
One of Ben’s standout traits as a tutor is his ability to help students work through learning blocks. Drawing on his extensive tutoring experience working with diverse students, he adeptly recognizes and addresses learning difficulties, restructuring sessions as needed to facilitate comprehension and progress.
In his free time, Ben likes to read, play video games, go hiking, travel, and learn new languages. He combined the latter two passions when he studied abroad in Moscow, Russia for a semester in 2018.
James completed his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government from the University of Iowa before also completing his Master’s degree in Journalism from the same institution. After working as a national and international news reporter for several years, he transitioned to full-time teaching, motivated by his passion for helping students achieve their academic goals. James has 21 years of teaching experience, including his current role as a Journalism and American Government Teacher at Chicago Public Schools. He also regularly conducts tutoring sessions and has tutored over 500 students.
For James, tutoring is a means to share his knowledge and help others succeed. He finds great satisfaction in witnessing the "lightbulb" moments students experience. He specializes in ACT and SAT tutoring, as well as US history, world history, American government, American literature, writing, journalism, and economics.
James' extensive teaching experience, deep subject knowledge, and empathy for today's youth distinguish him as a tutor. He is approachable, friendly, and entirely student-focused. He tailors his tutoring to each student's needs and emphasizes successful outcomes, often making uninteresting material engaging by drawing parallels with the real world and subject matter.
James excels at supporting students through learning blocks, drawing on their existing knowledge, and gently guiding them with strategic prompts, suggested skills, and relevant information to help them overcome the block or work around it.
In his free time, James enjoys gardening.
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