One-On-One Virtual Biology Tutoring Services Centered On Student Success

James completed his Bachelor of Arts in Political Science and Government from the University of Iowa before also completing his Master’s degree in Journalism from the same institution. After working as a national and international news reporter for several years, he transitioned to full-time teaching, motivated by his passion for helping students achieve their academic goals. James has 21 years of teaching experience, including his current role as a Journalism and American Government Teacher at Chicago Public Schools. He also regularly conducts tutoring sessions and has tutored over 500 students.

For James, tutoring is a means to share his knowledge and help others succeed. He finds great satisfaction in witnessing the "lightbulb" moments students experience. He specializes in ACT and SAT tutoring, as well as US history, world history, American government, American literature, writing, journalism, and economics.

James' extensive teaching experience, deep subject knowledge, and empathy for today's youth distinguish him as a tutor. He is approachable, friendly, and entirely student-focused. He tailors his tutoring to each student's needs and emphasizes successful outcomes, often making uninteresting material engaging by drawing parallels with the real world and subject matter.

James excels at supporting students through learning blocks, drawing on their existing knowledge, and gently guiding them with strategic prompts, suggested skills, and relevant information to help them overcome the block or work around it.

In his free time, James enjoys gardening. 

Sarah completed her Bachelor of Arts in Language and Cultural Studies and Plant Biology at Sarah Lawrence College. She boasts five years of professional teaching experience but began her  tutoring journey early in her high school career, fueled by the gratifying experience of witnessing students grasp challenging material.

Sarah's enthusiasm for tutoring stems from her belief that any subject can be enjoyable when presented in an appealing way to students. She is proficient in a diverse range of subjects, including K–6 math, all levels of biology (including AP), reading, writing, English Language Arts (ELA), ESL, AP Language and Literature, creative writing, and SAT reading and writing.

At the core of Sarah's tutoring philosophy is the empowerment of students through consistent encouragement. She believes students have been programmed to fear failure instead of embracing it as a part of the learning process. So, she takes a unique approach by celebrating mistakes, considering them stepping stones for growth rather than obstacles. Sarah's adaptability in the face of these stepping stones shines in her lessons, where she breaks down complex problems into manageable pieces for better understanding. Beyond being informative, Sarah’s lessons are also highly engaging; she connects academic concepts with students' interests to keep them motivated.

Sarah is adept at guiding students towards becoming confident and independent learners. Instead of simply providing them with answers, she equips students with the tools and information necessary to independently solve problems, fostering a sense of self-assurance. 

Besides tutoring, Sarah is deeply interested in plant biology. She even worked as a research assistant at the New York Botanical Garden on an algae-based project! She also enjoys reading, creative writing, and spending time with her cat, named President. When he misbehaves, she likes to pretend to be a member of the Secret Service—Mister President, don't climb on the fence!

Jeannie earned a BA from Cornell University and currently serves as a Research Assistant at the University of Michigan. She has helped students get accepted to college through her work with Matriculate, an organization that helped underrepresented high schoolers succeed in college admissions. In this role, she helped students build college lists, craft essays, and apply for financial aid. Students Jeannie has coached have been admitted to top schools, including Cornell, the University of Michigan, and Georgetown.

Jeannie has also served as a teaching assistant at the Ross School of Business. While in college, she led a group of more than 120 women as vice president of her sorority and led a club called StartUM, a student-run incubator at the University of Michigan, where she helped students develop their business ideas from ideation and development to pitching.

 Jeannie excelled in the college application process by leveraging her strengths and crafting a powerful narrative showcasing her true identity. This experience ignited a fire within her—a passion to help other students achieve the same results. Jeannie wants to empower students to identify their unique potential, navigate the complexities of the application process with confidence, and overcome any hurdles they encounter.

Jeannie's coaching style is student-centered and strengths-based. She believes in meeting students where they are in terms of knowledge and motivation. The first step is building a rapport and uncovering their individual goals, strengths, and areas where they might need additional support. This personalized approach allows her to tailor her guidance and identify growth opportunities. Once she understands a student's potential, she likes to challenge and motivate them to reach high. She fosters a growth mindset and a sense of ownership over their journey by celebrating their successes, big and small. Ultimately, her goal is to guide students toward achieving their goals and priorities.

One strategy Jeannie finds particularly successful in keeping students motivated is creating a clear timeline with specific goals. This visualizes the journey, allowing students to see their progress and celebrate milestones like finishing an essay draft or securing a recommendation letter. Motivation also thrives on recognizing strengths. She can build confidence and showcase their competitiveness by highlighting what each student excels at and connecting those strengths to specific colleges or programs. Additionally, Jeannie strives to make the entire process relevant. By helping students visualize how their hard work translates into reaching their dream college and achieving future goals, they can see the bigger picture and stay focused on the end goal.

At her core, Jeannie is a highly empathetic listener who is naturally encouraging and optimistic. Having conducted hundreds of student interviews on college campuses through her series called Gen Z Mentality, she understands that every applicant comes from a unique background with their own challenges. She creates a safe space where students feel comfortable sharing their experiences and concerns.  She sees her role as a counselor not just as a guide but as a champion who motivates students to approach the application process with their best foot forward.

In her downtime, Jeannie runs Gen Z Mentality and interviews students about topics ranging from careers, passions, and relationships to money. She also loves spending time outdoors at the beach, traveling, listening to podcasts, trying new foods, and watching The Bachelor.