Big Sci Tutoring

el of confidence, comfort and ability to hone in on our daughter’s strengths. When he arrived to tutor her for the ACT, he was able to assess, encourage and devise a plan of study that broke the preparation down into doable tasks. He methodically worked through problems with her and strategized to maximize her strong points and help her overcome internal impediments. It was this confidence-building that motivated our daughter to undertake studying and preparation on her own, without being asked. Chris engaged us, the parents, in the process by making sure that we understood the reasoning behind the study strategy, as well as the goals and objectives. Chris understands that students are already stressed and does his best to alleviate anxiety by putting the work of test preparation into perspective by making it an exploration rather than a chore. It is his clear love of learning and imparting of knowledge that helped to bring the material to life for our daughter and make her believe in her own skills. Kathy M.

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Dear Chris,

I am writing to thank you for the wonderful job you did this summer tutoring my son in Physics. You made a fast paced, concentrated summer session much more manageable. I’m happy to report that he got an A for the course. His success was due in large measure, to your tutoring sessions. I found you to be remarkable in a number of ways, specifically your ability to teach, your talent for holding a student’s attention, your ability to develop a mature relationship with the student, the life lessons you weave into your instruction and your willingness to establish a relationship with the parents. Of course your grasp of the course material was obvious from the start; but knowledge of a subject and the ability to teach it are 2 different talents. You are able to grab the attention of the student and convey complex material in a clear way. I found you to be particularly adept at making sure my son was able to explain the material back to you which cemented his own
understanding. I appreciated the way you expected him to work independently and challenged him to do the work first to discover his own knowledge gaps. You kept the subject matter interesting and your own high level of energy and enthusiasm were contagious. Quite an achievement considering the subject matter if you ask me! Often I would overhear you sharing advice about course selection, possible paths to pursue in college, career possibilities, and study strategies. Because you had earned his respect, these pearls of wisdom carried a lot more weight than you might expect. I felt as though he received much more from you than he or I expected. He has expressed a desire to meet with you regarding the upcoming semester course selection. Finally, I am equally grateful that you took the time to listen to my concerns, to keep me apprised of his progress and your willingness to establish a working relationship with all of us, not only my son. It was a wonderful experience for the whole family and we feel blessed to have had the opportunity to benefit from your many abilities. We will definitely be working with you again, possibly
in a future science course for my son via Skype or even taking advantage of your communication skills as a writing tutor for my daughter who moves into Honors English next semester. Please refer anyone in need of a personal reference my way. I’d be happy to speak with them. Sincerely,
Candy Pullano

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To Whom It May Concern:

I would describe Chris as knowledgeable, flexible, interested and fun. Chris taught a Biology class that included my two boys, and an ACT prep class in which my older son participated. He had a great grasp on the material, and was able to help students understand the concepts by explaining them clearly. He also gave specific, detailed individual feedback on written assignments; it was clear to me that he had read each document carefully and critically, with the intention of helping the writer as much as possible to improve his writing. Chris was very flexible in working with me, the other parents, and the students. He accommodated a variety of different levels and abilities in the Biology class, and also was willing to revise some schedules and assignments based on input from parents and students. Within that flexibility, however, he set appropriate non-negotiables that helped students learn to honor firm deadlines when they were necessary. I have found that Chris is not just a ‘teach-and-go’ instructor; he is interested and wants to engage with his students. He sees the whole picture of the student, not just the subject or class he’s teaching them. That tells me he really cares about the students, and truly enjoys what he does. My sons have found Chris to be very available and accessible to answer their questions, consult on assignments, or simply engage on topics of interest. He has been willing to take whatever time necessary to explain concepts, etc., even when it has required extra phone calls or emails, just to be sure his students understand and things are clear. He has communicated clearly and frequently on matters of interest to students and parents, and kept parents well-informed regarding class progress, next steps, assignments, etc. Finally, but not by any means least importantly, Chris has a fun side as well. He has a great rapport with his students, and has been able to make class time enjoyable and upbeat (even ACT prep!). Chris is well-suited to do what he does, and great to work with. My sons and I are looking forward to working with him this summer and in the coming year. Pam Sutherland

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