One-on-One Science Tutoring: Ace Classes and Tests With Foundation Learning

Tikiera earned her Bachelor of Science in Chemistry from Elizabeth City State University, followed by an MAT in Mathematics from RELAY Graduate School of Education. With seven years of experience teaching math, she has held various roles such as STEM Special Projects Lead, Lead Teacher, Grade Team Lead, and Special Education Teacher. Her motivation to start tutoring stemmed from a sincere commitment to helping students succeed.

For Tikiera, nothing compares to witnessing a student grasp and master content they once found challenging. This passion for student success and the significance of mathematics drives her ACT, SAT, and math tutoring. She firmly believes that everyone possesses mathematical abilities, as we utilize math in our daily lives without even realizing it.

As a tutor, Tikiera maintains high expectations but is fun, easygoing, passionate, consistent, and adaptable. She loves what she does, and it’s evident in her tutoring approach! Central to her philosophy is the success of the whole student; she doesn't just focus on teaching content but strives to support every aspect of the individual. Recognizing that a student's overall well-being directly impacts their ability to retain knowledge, Tikiera prioritizes holistic support. Moreover, Tikiera firmly believes in involving students actively in their learning journey. By collaborating with them to set goals and metrics, she ensures they remain engaged and motivated. She keeps students informed every step of the way, celebrating their successes and adjusting strategies when faced with challenges. This inclusive approach fosters a sense of ownership in students, leading to increased motivation and deeper learning.

One of Tikiera's greatest strengths as a tutor lies in her ability to simplify complex concepts. She firmly believes in the capability of every individual; when given the right support, any student can believe in and execute their goals. Guided by this perspective, Tikiera contends that the material is never truly hard or uninteresting; it's that the student just doesn’t understand it yet. So, she begins by reshaping the language around the topic. She then breaks down the material into easily digestible segments, grounding concepts with relatable examples. Consistency is paramount to Tikiera; she maintains her passion for the subject matter and ensures sessions are always enjoyable. She also recognizes the importance of breaks and keeps students engaged by relating content to real-life situations and incorporating non-academic activities for mental refreshment. Her genuine enthusiasm for teaching is contagious, empowering students to cultivate confidence as they persist in their learning journey.

In her free time, Tikiera can be found watching movies, enjoying nature, listening to music, traveling, and testing out new recipes.

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.

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.