Nicki
Certified Tutor
Since graduating from the College of William and Mary, I have worked as a professional tutor, delivering high-dosage academic remediation to at-risk high school students enrolled in the Chicago Public School system. In conjunction with teaching, I am a developing health professional whose fervor for academic reform stems from my belief that eliminating the education gap is a critical step in combating widespread health disparities, promoting individual health and well-being, and ensuring the future prosperity of all Americans. I received my Masters in Public Health from the George Washington University, where I conducted and published research on strategies to improve the quality of U.S. healthcare.
I approach all instructional opportunities with a growth-mindset and the personal mission of generating increasingly well-rounded, analytical thinkers who are better prepared to handle the intellectual and behavioral challenges posed throughout life-long education. Although I hold all individuals under my tutelage to rigorous standards of achievement, I have been frequently praised by supervisors and students, for finding an ideal balance between strict and compassionate. After all, learning should be fun!
Outside of the academic realm, I also have professional experience instructing and training individuals in the areas of health education, athletic performance (primarily soccer and cross country), and emergency preparedness (CPR, First Aid, AED). I believe that success in any helping profession, from healthcare to primary education, requires the ability to meet people where they are with what they need. Over the years, I have worked hard to hone this ability and demonstrate a relentless flexibility in my instructional approach and teaching methods, always catering to the unique learning needs of each student.
Feel free to contact me with any general questions, requests for additional information regarding my qualifications or experiences, or to schedule a lesson. I look forward to helping you accomplish your academic and extracurricular goals.
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Undergraduate Degree: College of William and Mary - Bachelors, Neuroscience
Graduate Degree: Virginia Commonwealth University - Current Grad Student, Public Health
- ACT Reading: 34
- SAT Verbal: 700
- GRE: 314
- GRE Quantitative: 153
- GRE Verbal: 161
Health research, sports, crafting, animal care
- ACT Math
- ACT Reading
- ACT Science
- Algebra
- Algebra 2
- Biology
- College Algebra
- College Biology
- Geometry
- High School Biology
- Homework Support
- Life Sciences
- Math
- Medicine
- Other
- PARCC Prep
- Pre-Algebra
- Psychology
- Public Health
- SAT Reading
- Science
- Social Sciences
- Summer
- Test Prep
What is your teaching philosophy?
As an education professional, it is my duty to boost student achievement by meeting individuals wherever they are in the learning process with whatever tools and support they need to succeed. I firmly believe that every student is capable of demonstrating academic excellence when provided adequate support. Accordingly, I aim to foster a growth mindset through instructional methods that reward student effort and steady improvement.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Ideally, our first tutoring session will provide an opportunity to: - Understand a student's background - Clarify academic & personal goals - Identify any specific topics or content areas of high priority within a given subject - Gain awareness of any perceived barriers to success (student anxiety, conflicts at school, difficulty focusing, disorganization, time constraints, etc.) - Discern student learning style - Discuss any known preferences regarding instructional methods and/or techniques for meeting unique learning needs - Outline expectations for tutorial - Address any outstanding concerns or questions The length of this introductory conversation will vary and- based on the student's needs- may include a brief diagnostic assessment to gauge present understanding of the subject(s) being tutored.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
The gradual release of cognitive lifting, from tutor to tutee, is key to helping students succeed in their independent work. By providing students with guided instruction and encouraging them to reference alternative resources (notes, textbooks, practice worksheets, etc.) when they encounter challenging independent practice problems during tutorial, I can best prepare them to apply critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities as independent learners outside of our sessions.