Even as a subject teacher teaching a whole class, ZM provided exceptional personalized attention to my child and was very good at figuring out what works for them. They are very helpful in breaking down larger assignments into small sub tasks and helping students to proactively develop a plan and implement it, making work that would be otherwise difficult manageable. ZM also created assignments that were well suited to the students’ interest, allowing them to develop new skills such as collaboration and research. ZM is very skilled in coaching students how to navigate a body of unstructured information and data in a systematic way, how to synthesize the information, and how to effectively communicate insights. 

- A Blake School parent

With over twelve years of experience as a classroom teacher working with students of all ages, backgrounds, interests, and abilities I am deeply steeped in effective methodologies for helping students excel in rigorous academic settings.  I began my journey in education doing school liaison work for nonprofit youth services in the Twin Cities, moving on to teach English and Social Studies in both structured support and advanced settings in public and charter schools, culminating in two years at the Blake School teaching 6th and 7th grade Social Studies. 

My goal has always been to be able to support every student, be they struggling readers or students hungry for ever greater challenges.  The depth and breadth of my experience allows me to work holistically with students, teaching the whole person.  No matter your area of need, everyone learns and thrives when they are understood and respected as whole.  My approach to teaching and tutoring is multidimensional; understanding a student’s goals, learning style, strengths, interests, and motivations to help students develop strong executive functioning skills that will serve them well beyond our work together. 

Key Credentials:

• Masters of Education in Secondary Social Studies Education from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, summa cum laude, 2013

• Licensed in 5-8 Communication Arts and Literature, University of Mankato, summa cum laude, 2015

• Deeply familiar with state standards and Common Core standards in Social Studies and English

• Understanding of Advanced Placement course structures and requirements, preparing students to pass Advanced humanities tests and earn college credit

• Extensive experience using various approaches to differentiate curriculum to accommodate various learning differences

• Expertise in helping students develop strong executive functioning capabilities

• Trained in various approaches to help students become capable and insightful readers including:

  • Phonics and Word Study

  • The Orton-Gillingham Approach

  • Fountas and Pinnell

  • Lexile Framework for Reading

The most rewarding aspect of tutoring for me is seeing a student become truly academically independent.  While I am always available to support a student, the goal of effective tutoring should be helping students grow past the need for it.  I am privileged to have seen many of my students closing skill gaps, become adept researchers and writers and perform highly on both state standards and AP assessments.

References available upon request; feel free to ask!