FAQs
- What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?
I charge $80/hour. Discounts are available through packages. Minimum package is four or five lessons per month for $70/lesson. Larger discounts negotiable.
- What is your typical process for working with a new customer?
Before our first session, I ask students to send me examples of their writing so I can see where they need help. At the first lesson, I ask students what they think are their strengths and weaknesses. I also explore their interests, how they feel about getting tutoring, and their level of self-confidence. During this opening lesson I introduce middle school and high school students to a short poem that is easy to understand yet challenging enough to engage their interest. Through discussion I get a sense of their reading, analytical, and critical thinking abilities, and begin to develop their appreciation for literature. After analyzing the poem we engage in a critical thinking activity, practice a specific grammar skill, then spend the rest of the hour reading, writing, and discussing. I also ask workplace writing clients to send me examples of their writing. Many of these students have writing anxiety, so building their self-confidence early on is critical. Finally, we agree upon goals and objectives for them to learn the writing skills relevant to their careers.
- What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?
I earned a BA in English from California State University, San Jose (1985), and two teaching credentials from California State University, Stanislaus (1993): one in Multi-subject Bilingual/Cross-Cultural Education, and one in high school English. I received intensive training at the ASPIRE Tutoring Program for my work as an English, Spanish, and Humanities tutor at California State University, San Jose. I also received training through professional development workshops during my years teaching in public schools in Oakland, San Francisco, and San José. However, the best training has been my teaching and tutoring experience, including positions as reading specialist, language arts enrichment specialist, English teacher, Spanish teacher, and tutor.