Jonah
Certified Tutor
I am a lifelong learner, eldest brother, musician, artist, former camp counselor and working tutor. Born and raised in New York City, I studied at Pomona College in Los Angeles and spent a semester in Madrid, worked for a few years in Miami at a Latin American technology company and have recently moved to the Detroit area to pursue music more seriously.
My education has always reflected my diverse and strong interest across disciplines. My liberal arts undergraduate education focused rigorously on the humanities delving deeply into critical thinking and writing. Through this I have always maintained a logical methodical style of thinking required to understand and guide through math and science.
Working as a tutor allows me to continue to share my passion for learning. I still vividly remember the experience of studying for standardized tests, applying to college or simply working through weekly problem sets. Though it may seem tough at times, I hope to always maintain the larger picture and demonstrate where the hard work can lead.
I look forward to working with you!
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Undergraduate Degree: Pomona College - Bachelors, Media Studies
- ACT Composite: 32
- ACT English: 31
- ACT Math: 33
- ACT Reading: 32
- ACT Science: 31
- SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1440
- SAT Verbal: 700
Music, Art, Food, Travel
- ACT Prep
- ACT English
- ACT Math
- ACT Reading
- ACT Science
- Algebra
- Arithmetic
- College English
- College Essays
- College Level American History
- Comparative Literature
- Conversational Spanish
- Elementary Math
- Elementary School Math
- English
- English Grammar and Syntax
- Essay Editing
- European History
- Geometry
- High School English
- High School Level American History
- High School Physics
- History
- Homework Support
- Languages
- Literature
- Math
- Middle School Math
- Other
- Physics
- PSAT Prep
- PSAT Critical Reading
- PSAT Mathematics
- PSAT Writing Skills
- Reading
- SAT Prep
- SAT Math
- SAT Mathematics
- SAT Reading
- SAT Writing and Language
- Science
- Social Studies
- Spanish
- Spanish 1
- Spanish 2
- Spanish 3
- Spanish 4
- Study Skills
- Study Skills and Organization
- Summer
- Test Prep
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
I like to start with the big picture then narrow to down to the details. All subjects connect, and interdisciplinary thinking can go a long way to truly understanding material.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
A combination of getting to know each other both personally and academically. I'd want to make sure to identify areas of trouble and begin to address strategies for how to navigate.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Organization is crucial both in the physical and logical sense. If a student can organize themselves, their material and their ideas, he/she is bound for success.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Help them to see the whole picture. While learning a certain formula or way of using a semicolon may not seem at all applicable to their life at the moment, I always work hard to show how these little details can in fact add up to a greater understanding of the world. I also work closely with organizational tactics to maintain a good balance between work and the other joys of their life in order never to exhaust that well of motivation.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Read slowly! Read to yourself (out loud)! Don't get too caught in the nitty gritty details. If you don't understand a certain word, move ahead and try to grasp the concept. Did I mention reading slowly?
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
First, I would make sure to identify exactly where the skill or concept comes into play. From there we would uncover what is giving the student difficulty. I would make sure to always show how this skill ties into a larger picture, and through that we could drill into techniques to overcome that difficulty.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I always try to find points of common ground between myself and the student. I like to see not only where our academic strengths and weaknesses fall, but also our personal ones. From the onset, I try to help the student see why we are even learning this and where it can take us.