Biography

I’ve always had a passion for teaching, and I consider working with children to be one of the most fulfilling experiences a person can have. I have taught children everything from how to stand on a trotting horse, to how to track wild turkeys, to how to belay down off a high ropes course, to how to succeed in their academic endeavors.

I was born and raised in Saratoga and attended Saratoga High School. While in high school, I had a tutor who changed my life. I may have been able to read a hundred pages an hour of a book, but I thought that math would always be a struggle for me. The patient and steady teaching of my high school math tutor made me believe in my own abilities and was instrumental in building up the self-confidence that I needed for pursuing a degree in Environmental Ethics and Policy at the University of Portland.

Now, I get to return the favor by supporting a new generation of students. I believe that every child should feel supported when learning. I strive to create a safe environment where students can ask questions and feel comfortable admitting when they don’t understand something. I believe in teaching students that they too are capable of learning any subject.

In college I spent three summers teaching vaulting (a sport that combines dance and acrobatics on the back of a moving horse) at Garrod Riding Stables’ summer camp. I learned that the best way to get through to students is to change up my approach and use multiple explanations until I find the communication style that works for each child. I also worked at Hidden Villa (an outdoor education facility, open space preserve, and working farm) in Los Altos Hills. As an environmental education intern, I had the opportunity to work with kids from ages 2 to 18 and to tailor my teaching style to suit their age, social/emotional learning style, and background.

At AJ Tutoring, I enjoy supporting students in a variety of disciplines. I work with elementary and middle school students to lay the foundations of learning, whether through developing their reading and writing skills, expanding and honing their grasp of math concepts, or building the learning and study habits they can use throughout their educational careers. I also teach history and English to high school students, helping them to develop critical thinking skills and draw connections between the material they are learning in class and their own experiences. In any subject, I believe in creating a space for students to develop their confidence alongside their academic goals.

Outside of my tutoring you can catch me staying up late reading a novel, marathoning Marvel movies, baking cookies, or researching Superfund pollution sites in the Bay Area.