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Miles Cruger
University of Puget Sound · 3–5 years
Compelling teaching philosophy centered on individualized student needs and building confidence in writing.
In a word: Bespoke. No two students are alike, all require their own individualized lesson plans, strategies, and parent-tutor communications. I tend to schedule an introductory meeting where the work itself is less of a priority than understanding the student's needs, building trust, and building excitement. Only with an understanding of the student and their needs can study habits and outcomes become more of a guarantee than a simple opportunity.
Greenpoint, Park Slope, Williamsburg
Nadia Illma
CUNY Hunter College · 3–5 years
Clear, well-articulated teaching philosophy centered on active learning and conceptual mastery.
I approach tutoring to serve as a method for students to achieve a higher level of learning. Students bring what they learn in the classroom, and I have them apply these concepts by solving questions and leading explanations of topics. For instance, I tutor biology at my college, which can be a difficult concept for students as the class demands a higher level of thinking, and not just memorization. In my supplemental instruction, I have students guide me through pathways and explain to me their thinking when answering certain questions.
East Village / Union Square, Midtown East, Upper East Side
Laura Henckes
Columbia University in the City of New York · Less than 1 year
Strong teaching philosophy grounded in active learning and gamification with specific, measurable success story demonstrating essay improvement trajectory.
My teaching philosophy is rooted in active learning and gamification: I believe knowledge is best absorbed through pedagogical, problem-solving interactive games (such as role-playing exercises, quizzes, concept maps, and flashcards). At the same time, such an approach allows for the incorporation of other teaching methodologies, such as the teach-back method. Ultimately, long-lasting, meaningful knowledge absorption occurs when tutors are able to assess hidden knowledge gaps and address them using interactive, approachable exercises.
Lincoln Square, Upper West Side, Upper West Side (north)
Charles Neuhaus
Imperial College London · 1–2 years
Strong teaching philosophy grounded in active learning and Socratic method.
I believe that students should play an active role in answering questions throughout all stages of learning. When I was a student, my understanding improved the most when teachers provided frameworks and examples that helped me solve problems myself, rather than simply giving me answers. I try to use that same approach by asking students to explain their reasoning, work through intermediate steps, and make an attempt before I step in with a full explanation. Giving students space to think creatively and share their thought process also helps me identify gaps in their understanding and tailor examples, visualizations, or explanations to what they need.
Brooklyn Heights, Park Slope, Prospect Heights, Midtown East, West Village
Julie Rostock
University of Pittsburgh · 6–10 years
Strong teaching philosophy with concrete, systematic approaches to SAT prep (categorizing missed questions, chunked study) and calculus (big-picture course mapping, peer teaching).
I believe that a tutor's job is not only to teach the course material, but also to help spark genuine interest in the subject matter. When I first start working with a student, I take a big-picture approach, giving them an overview of the whole course so that they can understand what they are currently learning matters, and I always tie new topics we learn about back to the bigger picture to stay grounded in our ultimate goal of understanding the whole course. In the case of SAT prep, I like to start by assigning one practice test, but I try not to overwhelm the student with constant practice tests. Instead, I organize the questions that the student missed into categories and spend one session on each category, using real SAT question bank problems up to the highest level of difficulty to help the student get very comfortable with each particular topic. By breaking the test into chunks in this way, I help the student address specific problems in their own understanding instead of floating around in an ocean of challenging topics. Similarly, with calc, I ask my students to create an ongoing study guide in which they place each topic that we study, so that they can always see the entire progression of the course and understand big-picture connections. Every few sessions, I require my students to teach what we have discussed back to me.
Park Slope, Chelsea, Upper East Side
Prionty Ava
Queens College · 1–2 years
Strong teaching philosophy with concrete evidence of shifting student mindset from dependence to independence.
My teaching philosophy is that a student should leave a tutoring session feeling more capable, not more dependent on the tutor. I once worked with a student who would immediately say “I don’t know” when they saw a difficult math problem, even before attempting it. Instead of taking over, I started asking them to tell me just one thing they recognized in the problem, and we built from there. Over time, they became more willing to attempt problems before asking for help. To me, that shift from needing someone to lead them through every question to trusting their own reasoning is what makes tutoring successful.
SoHo, Forest Hills, Rego Park
Amina Mahmoud
City College · 3–5 years
Strong availability across weekend days with flexible timing.
I make sure my student is well focused by using engaging activities and discussions that spark questions for better clarification. I start off with homework and reviewing mistakes from past tests, then work on the student's weak points to build a better foundation of their understanding. I believe practice and a helping hand can efficiently improve a student's learning experience.
Boerum Hill, Carroll Gardens, Park Slope
Destiny Pena-Rodriguez
Fordham University · 3–5 years
Clear, student-centered teaching philosophy with emphasis on comprehension and application.
I like to approach tutoring by making sure that students feel comfortable communicating about any difficulty that they are having. What makes a difference between a session that shows results and one that doesn't is how well the student grasps the content being worked on and when they apply it to their work at school as well. I like to make sure that during the session, they understand the feedback being given and truly make sure that they understand where they are making mistakes and how to fix them moving forward.
East Village / Union Square, Lincoln Square, Upper East Side
Jazze Wingard
Barnard College, Columbia University · 1–2 years
Patient, relationship-first approach that helps hesitant students open up and participate with confidence.
My teaching philosophy is centered on creating a supportive and encouraging environment where students feel comfortable asking questions, making mistakes, and developing confidence in their abilities. I believe students learn best when lessons are engaging, individualized, and connected to their interests and strengths. As a tutor, I aim to meet each student where they are, adapt my approach to their learning style, and help them become more independent and confident learners.
Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Prospect Heights
Sumayia Rashid
Hunter College · 1–2 years
Clear teaching philosophy centered on measurable outcomes (students answering varied-difficulty questions post-lesson).
I approach teaching like a careful craft, treating every session as extremely essential to a student's learning curve. I believe a session produces valuable results when a student can prove their understanding of the material they have just learned. For example, if they can correctly answer 5 questions of varying difficulty right after consuming the information, then that session has proved to return results.
Midtown East, SoHo, Tribeca
Jariel Ramos
CUNY BARUCH · 1–2 years
Clear, well-articulated teaching philosophy centered on problem-type mastery and active recall.
I approach tutoring systematically. For instance, if I am teaching calculus, I identify every type of question a student needs to master. Whether the topic is logarithms or integration, each has its own unique subset of problem types. Ultimately, a subject is made up of these distinct subtopics. My strategy focuses on mastering each specific subset of problems and using active recall to consistently memorize them, all while prioritizing the high yield questions most likely to appear on exams. The difference between a session that produces results and one that doesn't is coming into each session with a goal, of some level of understanding. What objectives are necessary to make progress towards completion of this subjection?.
Chelsea, Midtown East, Upper East Side
Meredith Gotzman
Fordham University · 3–5 years
Diagnostic, student-centered teaching approach that builds autonomy through personalized lesson planning.
Before each of my tutoring sessions, I make sure to understand what the student has been working on in the week prior. I look at past homework, classwork, and tests and build a lesson plan from that. To start each session, I ask the student what they feel they need to work on so they have some autonomy in their learning, and I make sure to be flexible in what we do so they get the most out of each session.
Lincoln Square, Upper East Side, Washington Heights (select)
Samuel Speiser
Fordham University · 1–2 years
Strong teaching philosophy with specific, actionable methodology for essay diagnosis and revision.
My approach centers on diagnosing the specific weakness in a student's work rather than offering general encouragement. With essay prep, I focus on first emphasizing something specific and personal to write about, since vague framing is usually the root cause of a forgettable draft. Then, I push students through multiple structured rewrite rounds focused on strengthening the voice of the student. For history and political science, I emphasize argument construction: identifying the thesis, testing it against counter evidence, and revising for clarity before worrying about the prose style. I make sure each session ends with a specific, actionable next step rather than general feedback.
Lincoln Square, Midtown East, Upper West Side (north)
Desiree Fuller
Macaulay Honors College at Hunter · 6–10 years
Strong teaching philosophy centered on individualized learning styles and student engagement.
I believe getting to know your students is one of the most important things as a tutor. You know what distracts them, motivates them, dejects them. Once you know these things, you can easily create a plan to help the student succeed in their academic journey. I approach tutoring as a fun way to learn. I specialize in working with younger students and have learned that they learn best through games, visual representation, and repetition. I use counting cubes, educational math, ELA/Writing, and reading comprehension games to help the student learn. I always set aside time in each session to review with my student what we covered last session and what they learned in school to make sure everyone is on the same page.
Greenpoint, Williamsburg, Upper East Side
Jeanette Toomer
St John’s University · 3–5 years
Strong teaching philosophy grounded in student-centered, culturally responsive instruction.
I believe in a student-centered approach with inquiry, reading comprehension strategies, vocabulary development and clear standards based objectives. I believe in utilizing culturally responsive texts and helping students to realize their full potential in literacy and writing ability.
Riverdale, Carroll Gardens, Upper West Side (north)
Musfiqur Rahman
Hunter College · 3–5 years
Strong teaching philosophy grounded in personal tutoring experience.
As someone who used tutoring services before, I know and understand exactly what students want when they ask for tutoring services. I start by identifying specifically where the student is struggling rather than reteaching the entire topic. I start by going over necessary background information needed to understand a certain topic before I start teaching so the student can understand efficiently. I then use targeted practice problems to further help the student grasp the material. I tell them how to do one problem and give them more practice questions which they would do. I adjust the difficulty and teaching method based on their responses and revisit weak areas until they can complete problems without prompting. I believe a successful session is one where the student leaves able to apply the material independently, not just understand my explanation while I am sitting beside them.
Park Slope, Williamsburg, Upper East Side
Alisha Kumari
Columbia University · 1–2 years
Strong teaching philosophy centered on repetition and concept mastery with concrete success story.
A session that produces results, in my experience, is due to an emphasis on repetition on review. I have most experience teaching math, and starting the session with a review of previous materials before moving forward helps the concepts stick.
Lincoln Square, Upper West Side, Upper West Side (north)
Charles Beyer
Baruch College · Less than 1 year
Strong subject-matter expertise and firsthand admissions-test experience (SHSAT, Hunter, Bard exams).
I believe approaching topics with a sense that flows in order to show the connection between each topic so students can piece together the bigger picture. I do not like to fragment my teaching too much since students do not understand the brevity of the topic. Furthermore, to also show the applications of the subject itself.
East Village / Union Square, Midtown East, Upper East Side
Karen Colman Martinez
Smith College · 3–5 years
Strong teaching philosophy centered on student confidence and independent reasoning.
I believe students learn best when they feel respected, challenged, and comfortable making mistakes. I try to create a structured classroom with clear expectations while giving students space to ask questions, think independently, and develop confidence in their own reasoning rather than simply memorizing procedures.
Clinton Hill, Park Slope, Prospect Heights
Haobo Yang
Macaulay Honors College - Baruch College · 1–2 years
Strong teaching philosophy with concrete trust-building and diagnostic approach.
In the first few sessions, I usually start off by trying to establish trust between the student and me. I will make sure they won't be punished if they get something wrong or forget to do the homework I assigned them. I will also provide them a custom platform built by myself that will help track their work and learning progress with me. This will likely be in the form of a web app where I assign work, and they will be able to do work there. Then, as we cover more materials through slides, activities, etc. I will give out occasional quizzes or tests that are just to test them on their own knowledge, and will give them analysis on which part to practice more on. Afterwards, we will go over the test after it is scored. At the end of our entire journey, I will give them a cumulative test that tests their overall knowledge and make sure they have actually learned whatever they signed up for, including giving them access to all my slides and notes.
East Village / Union Square, Midtown East, Forest Hills
Maya Gustave
Fordham University · 1–2 years
Clear teaching philosophy centered on student-centered learning and differentiation.
In regards to teaching, I work to understand students and their learning styles. Everyone learns differently and I aim to incorporate student needs and interests into sessions for effective understanding. I work to factor in their goals alongside this to ensure academic aims are being met.
Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Upper East Side
Benjamin Edelman
Carnegie Mellon University School of Drama · 10+ years
Excellent teaching philosophy with diagnostic, student-centered approach.
Students improve fastest when they feel respected, understood, and responsible for the work. My job is not only to explain an answer, but to help the student recognize how they learn, build a repeatable process, and become less dependent on me over time. I make difficult material concrete, connect it to the student's interests, and combine encouragement with specific standards. A successful session leaves the student with clearer thinking, greater confidence, and a next action they can carry out.
Midtown East, Upper East Side, Upper West Side
George Voelker
Fordham University · 1–2 years
Strong teaching philosophy grounded in real-time feedback and adaptive instruction.
My teaching philosophy centers on a constant feedback between the teacher (myself) and the students. I need to know where exactly the students are so that I can tailor my teaching to them. This means having them do examples on their own and me looking them over as we go through the lesson to ensure that they are not lost or not understanding. I reject the idea of just dumping a whole lesson on students and having them try their best to understand afterwards; instead, one must take a step and see that the students have also taken that step before continuing.
Williamsburg, East Village / Union Square, Upper West Side
Selin Senturk
New York University · 1–2 years
Clear, evidence-based teaching philosophy with concrete success story demonstrating adaptive practice methods.
I start by identifying where a student is getting stuck and then break the material into smaller, manageable steps. I use a combination of explanation, guided practice, and having the student teach the concept back to me so I can identify gaps in understanding. I adapt my language and pacing to each student while gradually reducing support as they become more confident.
Brooklyn Heights, Greenpoint, Williamsburg, West Village, SoHo
Dassen Stephen
Borough Of Manhattan Community College · 1–2 years
Strong teaching philosophy emphasizing diagnostic assessment and personalized instruction.
My philosophy when it comes to teaching is to establish a base of brutal honesty. A lot of times students will struggle with a problem because their math skills are not simply up to par with the grade level. I found that the best way to teach students is to first establish how much they truly know, once that is done the tutoring session can be more curated to suit that individual students specific needs and or difficulty.
Boerum Hill, Brooklyn Heights, Prospect Heights
Alvi Zaman
Macaulay Honors College at Hunter College · 1–2 years
Strong admissions-test focus with documented SAT outcome (200-point improvement).
High-impact tutoring requires establishing a peer-like rapport where students feel comfortable taking risks and making mistakes. I bridge difficult subject matter by connecting abstract ideas to familiar, real-world examples, demystifying intimidating concepts right away. Every session centers on high-yield student output: I demonstrate a method, guide them through a hybrid example, and then step back while they talk me through their own solution step-by-step. Real progress happens when a student shifts from simply following my lead to actively directing their own problem-solving process.
East Village / Union Square, Midtown East, Upper East Side
Mary-Ange Diabate
Hunter College · 1–2 years
Clear teaching philosophy with concrete scaffolding strategies.
I begin by identifying what the student already understands and where they are struggling, then I adapt each session to those specific needs. I break difficult concepts into smaller, manageable steps and use examples, guided practice, and questions to check understanding. I encourage students to explain concepts back to me so I can identify any remaining gaps. My goal is not only to help students complete an assignment, but also to build the confidence and skills they need to work independently.
Midtown East, Upper East Side, Upper West Side
Parker Robles
Stevens Institute of Technology · 3–5 years
Strong teaching philosophy grounded in conceptual understanding and active learning.
I view tutoring as a collaborative feedback loop rather than a one-way lecture. The line between a good session and a wasted one comes down to whether a student can explain why a solution works in their own words. My method centers on breaking down complex problems into clear, bite-sized components and using active troubleshooting so students build genuine intuition rather than just memorizing steps.
Chelsea, Tribeca, West Village
Elizabeth Rhodes
Columbia University · 6–10 years
Strong teaching philosophy centered on conceptual understanding and real-world application.
My teaching philosophy is going beyond the curriculum. I invite students to share what they have learned in the classroom and fill in their learning gaps by further explaining concepts and providing extra practice. I strongly believe students should know the “why” of problem solving before the “how” by looking at real world application.
Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Upper West Side (north)
Jack Thull
Columbia University School of Engineering and Applied Sciences · Less than 1 year
Personalized, relationship-first approach that builds conceptual understanding through real-world connections.
I approach tutoring by first getting to know my students on a personal level, their interests, their goals, and what kind of person they are. Next, we talk about their academic history, their strengths and weaknesses, and their goals. Then, I build a personalized lesson plan to bridge conceptual gaps, and help them relate to problems by drawing connections to material they're more comfortable with or interested in. I always lead with personal connection and mutual respect, and I try to incorporate at least a little fun into each lesson!
Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Upper West Side (north)
Shruti Bhamidipati
Columbia University · 10+ years
Strong teaching philosophy grounded in concrete pedagogical progression.
My teaching philosophy centers on making technical concepts concrete through a progression from intuition to implementation to independent problem-solving. I break complex topics into smaller components, use examples that connect theory to real systems, and regularly check understanding through targeted questions and practice rather than relying on passive explanation. As a tutor in high school at a company called Knodemy, I taught computer science for very young kids (ages 8-15), where breaking down the concepts of coding was essential. At university, having taught, tutored, or led discussions across 15 courses and currently serving in teaching roles in machine learning and computational genomics, I adapt my explanations to each student's starting point while gradually increasing the level of challenge. My goal is for students to leave not only knowing how to solve a problem, but understanding why the solution works and how to apply the underlying ideas in a new context.
Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Washington Heights (select)
Stephen Monahan
Rutgers University · 1–2 years
Clear, pedagogically sound teaching philosophy grounded in foundational understanding and visual explanation.
I start by making sure the foundation is solid before moving into harder problems, because most students struggle when one small concept underneath is missing. I like to explain math visually and connect equations to what is actually happening instead of having students memorize steps. Once the idea clicks, I work through a few problems with them and then have them try similar ones independently so I can see what they truly understand. My goal is for the student to eventually be able to explain the concept back to me in their own words.
Tribeca, Upper East Side, Upper West Side
William Benninghoff
Tulane University · 6–10 years
Exceptionally articulate teaching philosophy with specific diagnostic methodology.
My tutoring approach begins with a rigorous baseline diagnostic assessment, such as analyzing a full-length practice test and reviewing an error log to isolate conceptual gaps from pacing and time-management errors. An unproductive session often gets bogged down in passive review or re-teaching basic content, whereas a high-yield session focuses on active problem deconstruction. For instance, when tackling a difficult GMAT Data Sufficiency prompt, instead of just explaining the math, we dissect why the student fell into a specific logic trap and build a repeatable framework to avoid it. Ultimately, the difference comes down to targeted accountability: a successful session ends with the student not just understanding a single solution, but internalizing a high-efficiency strategy they can independently replicate under test-day pressure.
Chelsea, East Village / Union Square, West Village
Cory Cummings
University of Maryland - College Park · 10+ years
Strong teaching philosophy with clear diagnostic approach and measurable outcomes.
I begin by identifying exactly where a student’s understanding breaks down—whether it is a missing foundational skill, a misconception, or an organization and study-habits issue. I then use clear, step-by-step explanations, visual models, targeted practice, and frequent check-ins so students can explain their reasoning rather than just memorize a procedure. I create supplementary practice quizzes and review materials based on the student’s needs, while building the executive-function skills needed to prepare independently. The goal is measurable progress: stronger class performance, more effective problem-solving, and genuine confidence in math.
Upper East Side, Upper West Side, Upper West Side (north)
Karen Ouyang
Teachers College at Columbia University · 3–5 years
Strong teaching philosophy grounded in conceptual understanding rather than rote problem-solving.
Tutoring is a way to augment a student's learning and studies, an opportunity provide a patient space for students to clear misconceptions and sharpen a mathematical concept in their minds. The point is to really help the student understand the math question and potentially different ways to get to an answer. It is the quality of how a student can approach and solve a math problem versus the quantity or amount of problems the student can solve in a tutoring session.
Greenpoint, Midtown East, Upper East Side
John Taylor
Princeton University · 10+ years
Princeton-educated math and science specialist with 10+ years of experience and comprehensive test-prep expertise across SAT, ACT, and SHSAT.
The principles that will allow students to tackle higher math must be established early during middle school and through high school with positive reinforcement, so students do not fall behind and begin dreading math and jobs requiring math as they grow older. Teaching students how to understand math as it relates to applications in the real world is crucial; it makes the numbers not simply abstract concepts but relatable entities. Therefore, when I tutor, I give some rudimentary problems with simple number crunching, but the brunt of my problem sets consists of word problems to which students can relate.
Midtown East, Upper East Side, Upper West Side
Lydia Bagdon
Hamilton College · 3–5 years
Strong teaching philosophy centered on growth mindset and high expectations; concrete success story with measurable outcome.
I believe in instilling a growth mindset into all of my students. I know that every student is capable of reaching their goals with the correct type of instruction and a supportive tutor cheering them on. I consistently hold my students to high standards and adapt my instruction to best meet their needs.
Boerum Hill, Clinton Hill, Park Slope, Prospect Heights