Sulaimaan earned his Bachelor of Science in Applied Mathematics and Statistics/Chemistry from Stony Brook University and is currently pursuing his Doctor of Medicine at the same institution. With a wealth of tutoring experience, including serving as a teaching assistant for an organic chemistry class, Sulaimaan has worked with students from diverse backgrounds. His tutoring journey began with a simple desire to assist others in achieving success.
Sulaimaan's passion for tutoring is fueled by the meaningful connections he forms with students and his capacity to help them achieve their goals. He specializes in ACT and SAT tutoring and other subjects as needed, including AP courses.
Sulaimaan's tutoring approach is highly interactive and hands-on. He challenges the conventional notion that lecturing is the most effective method of learning. Instead, he actively engages students through practice problems and flashcards and encourages them to articulate concepts in their own words. By employing these strategies, Sulaimaan ensures that students not only grasp the material but also internalize it more effectively. While maintaining high expectations for his students, Sulaimaan also prioritizes creating an enjoyable learning experience. He knows when to incorporate breaks to maintain focus and infuses students’ interests into his lessons.
One of Sulaimaan's most notable strengths as a tutor lies in his ability to guide students through their self-doubt. He firmly believes that everyone possesses the capability to learn and improve, but it requires a particular mindset to achieve this. Sulaimaan actively fosters this mindset in students, working to convince them of their own potential and empowering them to overcome their doubts.
When Sulaimaan isn't occupied with tutoring or his medical studies, he enjoys playing basketball and video games, going to the gym, and spending time with his cat named Bunny.
Prior to attending the University of California, Berkeley, to obtain his Bachelor of Arts, Sebastian completed his Associate of Arts from Mt. San Antonio College. Before attending Berkeley, Sebastian served as a head counselor for Eduexplora, where he mentored over 150 students from Latin American countries. During his time at Berkeley, Sebastian was an Undergraduate Research Apprentice and Undergraduate Student Admissions Advisor, where he guided prospective and current applicants through the undergraduate admissions process.
As a low-income student who navigated the complexities of the application process with limited resources, Sebastian developed a deep passion for admissions counseling. Despite these obstacles, he received crucial guidance from a few mentors who believed in his potential and helped him gain admission to college. This experience instilled in him a profound determination to pay forward the transformative impact that mentorship and support can have on student success. Sebastian's passion for admissions counseling is rooted in his desire to level the playing field for students from underprivileged backgrounds. He firmly believes that every student deserves access to the resources and support necessary to pursue higher education.
As a coach, Sebastian is outgoing, empathetic, and driven by the genuine desire to see every student succeed. He maintains a warm and approachable demeanor, creating a comfortable space where students feel valued, respected, understood, and supported. He openly shares personal stories that students can relate to, emphasizing that challenges and setbacks are part of the journey to success.
Sebastian believes that effective teaching begins with active listening, understanding the individual needs and learning styles of each student, and tailoring his approach accordingly. He also believes in the power of constructive criticism, which he always delivers with empathy and respect. By helping students identify their strengths and weaknesses, he enables them to take proactive steps toward their personal and academic growth. Emphasizing the importance of self-reflection, he also encourages his students to critically evaluate their own progress, fostering a deeper understanding of their capabilities and potential.
Outside of coaching, Sebastian enjoys going to the gym, reading books, and playing FIFA. He is currently also learning Portuguese, which takes up a lot of his free time!
Erin earned her Bachelor of Science in Behavioral Neuroscience from Northeastern University and presently serves as a Clinical Research Coordinator at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. With over 15 years of tutoring experience, Erin has guided more than 100 students to academic success, securing admissions to prestigious institutions such as Stanford, New York University, and Princeton. Her journey into tutoring began with a profound realization of the lifelong impact knowledge transmission has on students' confidence, particularly those who once saw themselves as academically inadequate.
Erin’s belief that every student has the potential to thrive in the classroom if paired with the right educators and resources fuels her enduring passion for tutoring. Beyond facilitating academic excellence, she is committed to nurturing students into sources of support for their peers. She specializes in tutoring English, biology, and psychology at various levels, including AP, ACT, and SAT prep.
As a tutor, Erin’s ultimate goal is to help students rewrite their personal narratives about their academic capabilities and reach their maximum potential. Her motto is "teach the student the most effective ways to learn and they'll grow to be strong, life-long learners.” She focuses on developing learning skills in addition to strengthening a student's comprehension of the subject. She helps students understand the relationship between concepts to increase their understanding rather than just improve their memorization.
Erin’s three greatest strengths as a tutor are her drive, patience, and flexibility. Her drive is evident in the high expectations she sets for all students, motivating them to strive for excellence. Meanwhile, her patience and flexibility shine through in her deep understanding that the journey to success is rarely linear. Erin acknowledges that this path may encompass numerous challenges, failures, and moments of frustration before the initial signs of a breakthrough emerge.
In her free time, Erin enjoys swimming, running, dancing, cooking, baking, reading, playing basketball, and exploring different cultures and foods through travel. Her adventurous spirit has led her to complete a research internship in Cape Town, South Africa, and embark on summer backpacking journeys through Thailand, Laos, and Cambodia, as well as explorations in France, Spain, and Greece.
Foundation Learning’s physics tutors have extensive tutoring experience or hold physics/science-related degrees. Our tutors are knowledgeable, friendly, and confident.
Yes, Foundation Learning aims to make it easy for parents to check their child’s progress using our progress tracker. This tracker shows you precisely what your child is working on and allows you to see tutor comments and feedback after sessions.
Yes, Foundation Learning ensures families, students, and tutors stay on the same page using our progress tracker. Families can check the tracker to gauge student progress and view tutor comments.
We always start by learning more about students’ needs, educational goals, commitments, and preferences. Learning more about students helps us match students to a tutor we think will work best with them.
The best package for you is the one that best fits your needs and goals. We work with students needing varying levels of support. If you’re unsure which plan is best for you, our team is happy to help you explore your options!