Emily

Certified Tutor

I graduated from Wagner College in 2015 with a BA in Childhood Education Grades 1-6 as well as Special Education, both of which I hold an Initial Certificate for in the state of New York. I then spent a year as a teacher's assistant in a program for gifted and talented students, working with kids from ages 4 through 16 in various subjects, though with a primary focus in literacy skills. I then decided that I wanted to expand my opportunities and spent the next year taking English classes at Farmingdale University, earning a 4.0 GPA, which I then used to enter Stony Brook University's Masters of Arts in Teaching English program; I have completed one year in this program so far, and have one more to go. Some time during my studies at Farmingdale, I also began to substitute teach for South Huntington School District, spending most of my time at Walt Whitman High School; I am still currently employed with them, and have gotten a lot of experience working with high school aged student as well as some middle school classes, both general education and special education. Between my undergraduate program and student teaching, my TA position, my graduate program, and my subbing position, I have a wide range of experience working with students of all ages. I feel that I get along with all of these ages as well: I have always loved children and am enthusiastic and playful when interacting with them, while teens find me easy to relate to because I am not significantly older than them (twenty-four) and I still remember what it is like to be their age. I thoroughly enjoy the fascinating (and sometimes silly) discussions I have with the students I sub for. As would be indicated by my current studies, English has always been my best and favorite subject. I absolutely love to read, and writing is a particular strength of mine; it is my personal mission to spread that love of reading and writing (or at least, counteract a hatred toward it) to as many students as possible. I am patient and caring when working with students, and believe that teachers and tutors should always find some strengths to focus on in order to build students' confidence, as opposed to only focusing on their deficits and making them feel like failures. It is important to me to provide balanced feedback that is constructive without being overwhelming or harmful to the student's self-perception. Outside of my studies and career path, I enjoy reading for fun and engaging in some creative writing projects; I also have a passion for music, and am a member of one of Stony Brook's acapella singing groups.