Learning through Collaboration

While finishing my M.A. at NYU, I came to understand that learning is not something you can force.

Instead, I believe learning is what happens naturally when a student feels comfortable in their environment, excited about their field of study, and supported by people dedicated to their success—especially for students with attention deficit disorders, like me. 

ADHD meant that I personally struggled in school, forcing myself to discover a million little ‘hacks’ to stay focused. One of those ‘little hacks’ was helping my fellow students understand things they were confused about, usually by infusing my explanations with humor and relating the content to my peers’ specific interests.

Since then, I’ve spent years helping students of all ages improve their writing skills, test scores, college application materials, and general understanding of the subject matter they struggle with. 

My parents—a pair of Harvard-trained psychologists and educators in their own right—taught me from a very young age that the best teachers are the ones who treat their students not as ‘students’ but as their future professional colleagues.

Your student deserves to be seen as more than just another raised hand among many. 

Private Lessons & Pedagogy

After years of helping others learn, I feel I’ve zeroed-in on how to best leverage my unique blend of skills and knowledge to serve each student as an individual.

No two students are alike and, as such, I believe 'fit' to be hugely important in teaching, and so I’ve provided some thoughts to help you decide whether I'm the teacher for you:

When taking on a new student, I begin with open conversations to help assess their specific needs.

First, I speak with parents/guardians to learn about their goals and concerns and to hear their take on a prospective student’s strengths, weaknesses, and personal interests.

Second, I meet with each student one-on-one  to get a first-hand sense of not just what they feel they are struggling with but also what they enjoy, what excites them, what subjects they find easier than others—even what video games they’re playing or music they like—in order to tailor my approach to their learning.

By engaging directly with my students and incorporating their outside interests into lessons, I’ve found it possible to keep learning easy, focused, satisfying, and fun. 

One of my highest values as an educator is to promote independent growth and personal discovery long after report cards, acceptance letters, and my time with a given student have passed.

When I help someone refine an essay or study for their APs, I prioritize sharing those tips, tricks, and little mental ‘hacks’ that remain useful to me to this day, not just the ones that get easy answers. 

I believe that every student is unique, that every student is capable, that every student deserves the opportunity to learn.