Tutors

Tutor Spotlight

Joshua Beattie, Ph.D. Candidate:
“I’ve spent several years studying philosophy, and for me tutoring calls to mind one famous episode: Socrates teaching an uneducated boy to grasp a difficult principle of geometry. Now, many have sung the praises of the so-called Socratic Method and I certainly agree that it is a valuable educational strategy. But just as important as the strategy, I’d argue, is the teaching context: Socrates and the boy have a one-on-one conversation, and that is what makes Socrates’ method really work. A teacher’s “guiding” questions are especially helpful if they are in turn guided by the student’s earlier responses, their tendencies, interests, and current understanding.I love getting the chance to be in the kind of teaching context that tutoring provides. The one-on-one conversations with students facilitate an opportunity where learning and confidence can develop and grow.”

Editor’s note: Joshua graduated Summa Cum Laude from Northwestern University with a B.A. in Philosophy and Biology. He is currently completing a Ph.D. in Philosophy at UC Berkeley. Joshua has worked as a teaching assistant in eight different Cal undergraduate courses. He spent two years teaching ACT and SAT classes for the Princeton Review and has worked extensively as a private tutor. When Joshua is not pursuing his academic interests, he enjoys playing soccer.

Liza Percer, M.A., Ph.D.:
"Since I began my career in education over a decade ago, I have been fascinated by the rich opportunities afforded educators in non-traditional settings. It is a real pleasure to be involved with Tutor Corps, where I am able to work personally with students outside of the classroom on their particular challenges. So often, a less successful student is actually a student with great gifts that are difficult to recognize in traditional educational environments. It is tremendously rewarding to help such students find the 'keys' to their academic success."

Editor’s note: Liza graduated Magna Cum Laude from Wellesley College with a B.A. in English. She went on to earn an M.A. in Social Sciences, Policy and Educational Practice and a Ph.D. in Art Education from Stanford University. She completed a Postdoctoral Fellowship at UC Berkeley’s National Writing Project, where she managed a study on teacher leadership and conducted a series of writing retreats and workshops. She has published several academic papers and is an accomplished poet whose work has appeared in numerous literary journals. Liza has been nominated for the Pushcart Prize three times and was the recipient of the Dorothy Sargent Rosenberg Prize in Poetry in both 2007 and 2008. Liza has extensive teaching and tutoring experience with students ranging from middle school through college.

Matthew Perry, J.D.:
"A tutor is often an amalgam of teacher, parent, friend, student, and guru. In addition to teaching, for some students we fill the role of a non-parental authority figure as well. Other students respond to tutors who can empathize and make them laugh, while also helping them with their homework. Good tutors (like good teachers) have to be students, too, constantly expanding their grasp of the concepts. And there’s nothing like influencing a young person in some tangible way, helping them make essential connections or develop their character. Tutoring is infinitely fulfilling. It is important work that bridges worlds and builds a stronger future for children, one at a time."

Editor’s note: Matthew Perry graduated Phi Beta Kappa from the University of Michigan in 1993 with a B.A. in Anthropology. After graduating, Matthew taught standardized test preparation at Kaplan for several years and became the Academic Coordinator for the Great Lakes Region. After graduating from law school in 2001, he decided to return to teaching. He has taught elementary and high school classes at both public and private schools, and has continued to privately tutor students in multiple subjects for the last 15 years.

Adele Hermann, M.A., Ph.D.:
"I work as a tutor because I am passionate about supporting the academic success of all students, and tutoring gives me a chance to make this goal a reality.I am a strong supporter of adapting teaching to different learning styles and the need for varied teaching strategies. I specifically enjoy helping students with issues related to test anxiety, self-esteem and motivation, and often make use of my experience working with students with special needs. Tutoring allows me the opportunity to make a direct impact in the lives of students. The one-on-one meetings enable me to directly experience the moment a student learns a new concept or personally connects with a lesson."

Editor’s note: Adele graduated with Honors from the University of California, Santa Cruz (UCSC), in 2000 with a B.A. in Sociology and a minor in Education. She went on to get her Masters in Education from Stanford University in 2001. In 2009, Adele received her Ph.D. in Education at UCSC. Adele has a variety of teaching experience, working with elementary, middle and high school students of all learning styles and abilities. In addition to teaching classes such as “Introduction to Teaching” at UCSC, Adele has designed education-focused trainings for teachers and mentors. Adele has also published several articles related to learning differences and tutoring and mentoring.

Sara Tolbert, M.Ed., Ph.D. (Candidate):
"Tutoring reminds me of why I became interested in education in the first place: I strongly believe that all students can be successful.  My experiences as a tutor have continued to support that hypothesis.  What is required is collaboration among tutors, students, their families and teachers to help students overcome any learning challenges they may encounter.  Each individual is unique and has different needs, talents and learning styles.  For me, there is no greater joy than working with my students to help each of them discover their strengths and challenges, so they can all be excited about learning and come to see themselves as successful students."

Editor’s note: Sara Tolbert graduated from the University of Colorado with a B.A. in Environmental Studies in 1996. After graduating, she taught middle school in New York City for three years through the Teach For America program. In 2004, she earned a Masters in Education and a Teaching Credential from the University of Georgia. While working with Tutor Corps, Sara is finishing her Ph.D. in Education at the University of California, Santa Cruz. Sara has spent the last 11 years teaching elementary and high school students.

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