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Jay H.
Private tutor in Henderson, NV
Education
I received my Bachelors Degree in Literature from Florida State University in 1993. My emphasis was 20th century literature. I was also the first student at the university to obtain a minor in film studies. Working with the deans of both the College of Arts and Sciences and the Film School, I was able to create my own curriculum with content such as screenwriting, writing advertising copy and other film-related writing skills.
Experience
I received a perfect score of five on my AP English exam and a combined 1400 for the reading and writing sections of the SAT. I worked for three years at the Apple Store in Palo Alto as an Expert/Creative. This involved tutoring customers in 1/2 hour or hour long sessions on the topic of their choice. This might be somebody wanting to learn how to use their Mac for the first time, needing to complete a presentation using various pieces of software or students needing to increase their research skills. I also taught group workshops on a variety of topics in addition to our One-On-One program. I created the first workshop at Apple to teach iBooks Author, software designed to help self-publishing authors create their books using their Mac and upload them for sale. Much of the workshop material I created is now used as a standard for workshops at Apple locations. In the course of my duties as an editor of a publishing company, I've been invited to teach and mentor people on the topic of the publishing industry. I'm a yearly participant at Litquake in San Francisco and have also taught in Colorado, New York and several other locations. Of course, as an editor, much of my time is working one-on-one with authors to polish their manuscripts and make them ready for publication. Part of the key to being a good tutor is being able to listen. One of the things you're trained for when you work at Apple is to really listen to the person asking for help to determine what the need is, but to also identify any other underlying issues that might be keeping them from understanding the material. With over 30 years of management experience in addition to my time at Apple, my listening skills and the ability to sort a "problem" from a "symptom" has really been enhanced. One of my colleagues once described me as a chameleon when it came to teaching things to others (including other employees). This is because I take the time to figure out how each person learns best, because certainly no two people learn or comprehend the same way. You've got to be able to adapt to each individual situation and person and I think I do that very well. I'm also very committed to people overcoming their frustrations, so I'm extremely patient and calm. Getting frustrated with your student doesn't achieve anything and goes back to active listening. Figure out what the obstacle is that is causing the student frustration and find a way to remove it. As for being a reliable person, 30 years in retail management and an employee of high-profile companies teaches you that if you want someone to exhibit a behavior, you've got to emulate that behavior yourself. Punctuality, timeliness and committing to something you agree to are VERY important ideals to me. But, I know that if I want others to do that for me I must do the same for them. A job or a commitment isn't just about yourself but about all the people who are affected. I wouldn't want to let someone else down or have them suffer in some way as a result of my not coming through. I'm definitely a "people pleaser" type. I'm really passionate about seeing people succeed, but of course I get a bit of a "high" when I know that I've had a part in that. I'm REALLY motivated by seeing people have that moment where the lightbulb goes on over their head and you know you've broken through. It's a real thrill. I also feel that teachers, parents and students need so much more help these days then back when I was in school. I was very fortunate to be able to attend well-funded public schools and be able to attend a four-year university. That's infinitely harder these days. If I have a way to give something back for the good fortune I had, then I feel a bit obligated to do so. My sister was a teacher so I understand the trials and tribulations of today's educational system. To be able to help even one student reach their goals and move on to something bigger is huge.
Subject Expertise
10th Grade Reading, 10th Grade Writing, 11th Grade Reading, 11th Grade Writing, 12th Grade Reading, 12th Grade Writing, 8th Grade Reading, 8th Grade Writing, 9th Grade Reading, 9th Grade Writing, American Literature, AP English Language and Composition, AP English Literature and Composition, British Literature, College Essays, Creative Writing, English, Essay Editing, Expository Writing, Fiction Writing, Introduction to Fiction, Journalism, Literary Analysis, Literature, Medieval Literature, Persuasive Writing, Public Speaking, Reading, SAT Critical Reading, SAT Subject Test in Literature, SAT Verbal, SAT Writing, Shakespeare, Short Novel, Summer Tutoring, Vocabulary, World Literature, Writing