Teddie Stewart

Biography

I grew up in the Palo Alto school district, where I learned early on the importance of education and being a good student. Although the traditional education system didn’t come naturally to me, learning always did. From a young age, I was full of questions about consciousness, nature, science, history, and psychology. Initially, I was labeled as a poor student who didn’t pay attention and was slow to start reading. I was ahead of my grade in terms of creative thinking, but behind in analytical skills. My spelling was often incorrect, math tests had the right answers but lacked work to show, and reading aloud felt like a nightmare. Educators would sigh, “If only she could apply herself, she could be so smart.”

It wasn’t until middle school that I began reading a book a day. A mental shift occurred, and I was no longer a slow reader but a profuse one. A brilliant math teacher who believed in me gave me the tools to outline my thoughts in a linear way on paper. While I still wasn’t the best student, I now had the means to express my ideas more clearly. At Palo Alto High School, I found many of my classes un-engaging, not understanding the need for basic repetition to achieve straight A’s. I could study all the material in a day before exams and pass with B’s and the occasional A.

I’ve always been fascinated by a wide range of subjects and was unsure about what to focus on in college. To the chagrin of my parents and mentors, I decided to take a gap year. I lived alone in Tahoe, working as a waitress to save for a trip to Hawaii, where I spent four months working on an organic coffee bean farm. Afterward, I returned to Palo Alto to help a friend’s mother teach art to K-8th graders at an underfunded school in East Menlo Park. I loved watching the students grow into their ideas and helping them express themselves while asking interdisciplinary questions. After the school year ended, I embarked on a solo 500-mile backpacking journey along the Sierra Nevada Pacific Crest Trail. Spending days alone in the wilderness was initially terrifying, but it gave me the space and clarity I needed to decide what I wanted to study. I applied to college and was accepted to multiple schools. Fast forward to a year later, and I began attending Reed College as a physics major.

It was at Reed that I truly understood the importance of building a proper academic strategy. Surrounded by 4.0 GPA students who had honed their study habits for years, I felt lost and behind. The workload at Reed was far beyond what I could cram into a couple of days. It became clear that I needed to develop solid learning routines. I spent countless hours in office hours, tutoring sessions, and peer study groups to build my foundation. I had to work twice as hard to catch up to my peers, but I am deeply grateful for the support I received and for the effort I put into learning from and teaching those around me. This is when being a student finally felt more natural. I found a community where we all helped each other and pushed each other to succeed. I also realized how crucial it is to ask for help—it was a game changer. I graduated with a degree in physics, wrote a thesis on 2D transistor characteristics, and even built Reed College’s first 2D transistor.

I want to help students who are like I once was, building foundational blocks early by finding joy and excitement in consistency. I aim to teach those who are resistant to the school system how to navigate it in their own way, empowering them in the process. Expanding your mind and flexing your brain muscles is a rewarding challenge. The right support teaches resilience, independence, and a stronger sense of self. You don’t need to be an A+ student to be one of the smartest in the class. Everyone has unique strengths and challenges, and I am passionate about helping students of all backgrounds reach their fullest potential.

When I’m not tutoring, I enjoy taking long walks with my dog, painting my dreams and imaginations, and spending quality time with my loved ones.