Algebra 1 and Algebra 2 tutor

About Howard

21 years experience has honed my ability to identify and build on each student’s strengths to raise student grades and test scores with practical effective strategies. A life-long learner with ten years substitute teaching experience in all subjects, I successfully tutor multiple subjects and SAT, ACT, and ASVAB tests.

Student who work with me routinely raise SAT scores by 200 points and ACT scores by 4 composite points. Students improve at least a full grade or more in English, History, Math 1 and 2, Natural Science, Biology, and Chemistry.

I've earned a Master's of Arts in Teaching - English Literature (The Citadel), B.A. Philosophy and B.A. English Literature (Tulane University).

Knowledge is its own reward. Not only can education aid in an individual providing a more financially secure future for one's family, but knowledge enhances one's engagement in and enjoyment of the world.

Further, my brother has a profound learning disability. I have an intimate understanding of these students' personal struggles and the patience required to understand their unique learning styles.

Finding the right fit for a tutor is important, and so I always meet with prospective parents and students for a free consultation. I think it's essential for me to earn your trust and respect by exhibiting my extensive knowledge of the academic subject matter and observing my positive and engaging teaching style so that your or son or daughter will feel empowered to reach his or her goals.

I love my job, and for this, I am extremely lucky. Working one on one with a student is a rewarding personal experience based on mutual trust. The student can not hide in a large class if they don't understand something, it is apparent, and it builds character to say, "I don't know", and I respect this relationship by always remaining positive and providing instruction as a leader or coworker, not as an authoritarian. I never ask the student to do anything that I am not willing to do with him or her, and I never condescend. I work side by side with the student doing the same work at the same time, leading by example, and on occasion, making a mistake. It is important to not be afraid to make mistakes. Mistakes are part of the learning process.

It is not a teacher's perfection that inspires students, especially when it comes from a teachers edition with all the answer, it is his or her humanity and fallibility and the ability of the teacher to respond to adversity and overcome careless errors or serious challenges that impresses students. A teacher is not only imparting knowledge along the generations, but the teacher is modeling the behavior of discovery and the sheer enjoyment of learning supported by academic achievement. Working together relaxes and empowers the student because she or he doesn't feel pressured by being watched, or waited on, or the center of attention; the free and relaxed student is uninhibited and will take chances, trusting on his or her intuition and knowledge.

I enjoy this work because through my focused effort I have helped to change lives for the better. There is no better feeling than when a student or parent tells me that the student is going to a first choice college or received and "A" or "B" in a class that he or she was failing at the beginning of the semester and "it couldn't have happened without you, Howard."