Private tutor with a focus on AP World, AP European, and AP American History, as well as AP English Language and AP English Literature.  I can also teach strategies for success on the ACT English, Reading, Writing, and Science sections, PSAT/SAT verbal section, and the SAT subject tests in American History, World History, and English Literature.  I work with students in Newport Beach, Irvine, Laguna Beach, and surrounding communities in Orange County, California.

Related Work Experience
In my current position as a Reference and Instruction Librarian at a UC, I teach high school and college students how to locate, evaluate, and use a variety of research resources.  I have taught Western Civilization (akin to AP European History), American History, Roman History, and Western Religions at the college level.  I have also tutored students privately for the AP World and AP European History exams, and designed and taught (multiple times) a prep class for AP European History for a local private tutoring company here in Irvine.

Philosophy and What I Offer
Ultimately, I believe that my job as a tutor is to work myself out of a job - my goal is to teach your son or daughter the skills they need to be able to study and learn on their own.  My experience has taught me that many students find their textbooks confusing, and with good reason!  I can’t change the textbook, but I can teach both how to get the most out of it, and how to use other resources effectively.  Success in history classes is about so much more than memorizing names and dates.  I have devised a series of study strategies that former students have told me improved not only their recall of facts but, more importantly, their understanding of their context and why they matter.

Experience has also taught me that homework, studying, and time management can all be real sources of tension between high school students and their parents.  Where the simple act of telling your son to do his history reading might set off an argument (especially if he is already feeling pressured), the same request from a tutor rarely meets with the same response.  I cultivate a relationship of mutual respect with my students: I am honest with them about how much work it is likely they will need to put in, as well as how I can help them.  I focus on concrete tasks and objectives, and break down what can seem like a monumental task (getting at least a 3 on the AP exam, for example) into manageable pieces.  Ultimately, I can make studying and learning easier and less stressful (and sometimes even fun) for both parent and student.  I hope  you will consider contacting me to learn more about how I can help your family.

Education
AB, Bryn Mawr College, History, 1999
MA, University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign, History, 2007
MS, University of Illinois - Urbana Champaign, Library and Information Science, 2008

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