Shenell D.

Shenell is a certified educator and accomplished leader with over 25 years of experience supporting students with diverse abilities. She holds two Master’s degrees in Education and is in the final stages of her doctoral studies. As an educational leader, Shenell excels at fostering a culture of collaboration and driving academic success, demonstrated by notable improvements in student growth and school performance scores. As a teacher, she is celebrated for her ability to customize engaging lessons that meet the unique needs of her students. Her expertise spans working with students with intellectual disabilities and those identified as gifted and talented. Outside of her professional pursuits, Shenell loves spoiling her fur babies, Bella and Bacchus, cooking hearty meals, and exploring new culinary creations.

Martha B.

Martha has a master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction with a concentration and focus on Reading and Literacy. With a background in education, Martha has experience developing and enhancing reading curricula to empower students academically throughout their academic studies. She also has experience preparing students for academic rigor by assessing social-emotional attitudes and overall well-being regarding reading and literacy. Student engagement is critical to academic success. Martha strives to educate students comprehensively and holistically.

Going by “Marsha” as her nickname, Marsha attended Louisiana State University for an undergraduate degree in Interdisciplinary Studies, while minoring in English, Sociology, and Women’s and Gender Studies. Educating to empower all those within her reach has always been her passion, as she believes that wisdom, knowledge, and understanding can eliminate barriers to prosperity, and provide a safety net that will impact generations. Knowledge is a powerful tool. Reading critically and analytically is a fundamental tool that paves the way to excel in all other subjects.

Marsha’s passion, commitment, resilience, and tenacity in serving students and families are interwoven into the fabric of her Being. She considers it an honor and privilege to provide families with high-quality tutoring. Marsha provides students with comprehensive tutoring which entails tailored academic support to assist students in thriving beyond their expectations.

Johanna D. F.

Johanna is thrilled to be joining the Prep Academy Tutors team. With over 20 years of teaching experience, she brings a strong background in French language and literature education. She began teaching French at the elementary level before starting to teach courses at the University of Toronto (where she completed her M.A. and Ph.D. in French literature), at Mount Allison University, and at York University.

Johanna’s passion for teaching extends beyond the classroom, as she is also an active researcher in the field of teaching and learning. She has presented at national and international conferences on topics such as language acquisition, experiential and task-based learning, technology-enhanced learning, and digital gaming in language learning. She also led workshops focused on using technology to motivate and engage students, particularly in language learning.

In the classroom, Johanna emphasizes active learning through communicative tasks and projects, while also reinforcing the importance of grammar and language structure for mastery. As a tutor, she tailors instruction to students’ individual needs through targeted exercises and a variety of proven teaching methodologies. Whether through traditional grammar drills, reading exercises, or informal conversation, her goal is to help students build confidence and successfully advance on their learning journey.

Johanna looks forward to working with you and your child to foster their interest in French and support their academic success.

ATSMON Y.

Atsmon holds a Bachelor of Science (Honours) in Computer Science and an MBA with a focus on Technology Management and Operations Research. With over eight years of teaching experience, he specializes in Math, Physics, Optics, and Data Management for high school students.

Passionate about guiding students to reach their full potential, Atsmon fosters “a-ha” moments through personalized communication and by connecting lessons to students’ individual interests. His approach enhances engagement, deepens understanding, and makes learning more enjoyable. Atsmon has worked with a diverse range of students, including those with Individualized Education Plans (IEPs) and high-achieving students aiming to excel. His experience spans various academic levels, including academic, IB and AP courses.

Outside the classroom, Atsmon enjoys music, cycling, hiking, exploring nature, attending theater performances, and live concerts

Brendan G.

Brendan Gorman is committed to empowering students to advance achievement. With over 16 years of experience in education, specializing in grades 6th to 12th English Language Arts, Brendan has extensive experience working with gifted and talented populations. He partners with families to create engaging and effective instructional experiences. He earned a Bachelor of Arts in Psychology from St. Francis College and a Master of Arts in School Building Leadership from St. John’s University.

In his spare time, Brendan works with a nonprofit that teaches public speaking skills to students around the country. Brendan has specific experience teaching writing in both AP courses and college credit courses. He has run review classes for college entrance exams and AP exams. He has also worked with students to craft college essays and supplements. He believes in the revolutionary impact of education and equipping students with the tools necessary to create a lasting impact in their academic careers. He also believes that bios can only tell you so much. Schedule a session to see if he is the right fit for your family!

Marcus M.

Marcus has a Master’s degree in Physics from McGill University, and a Bachelor’s degree with Honours in Physics and Astronomy from the University of Victoria. Marcus has a wide variety of experience as a Teaching Assistant in 100 to 500 level Physics courses at McGill, and an extensive higher level Math education (including upper level Calculus and Linear Algebra). Through his research experience at McGill, Marcus also has a variety of computational skills, including extensive experience programming in Python. Marcus can offer advice on what an academic path in science might look like as a career, particularly in Physics and Astronomy.

With plans to obtain further credentials in the education sector, Marcus hopes to become a secondary school instructor. He believes that any concept can be understood when working to break complex ideas down into their fundamental building blocks. He has experience working with children aged 5-14 through STEM based Summer Camps, and has found there is nothing more gratifying than seeing someone come to understand a concept they were having difficulty with.

Chris L.

Growing up in Cardiff, Wales, Chris was drawn to the outdoors despite the city’s amenities. As a child, he joined outdoor clubs, cubs, scouts, and played various sports; fostering a love for new activities, challenges, and meeting people. This passion led him to the Sea to Sky region, where a temporary visa turned into a lifelong adventure. For Chris, the satisfaction of overcoming a challenging target, problem, skill, or puzzle has always been worth the effort, work, and occasional pain and frustration

While in university, Chris worked at a summer camp in North Carolina, where he helped campers grow physically, socially, and emotionally, sparking his interest in academic teaching. In 2013, he earned a BA in education from the University of the West of England, Bristol. Through this course, he was incredibly fortunate to have extensive placements in a range of settings, with a range of grades. Chris has worked in both traditional and non-traditional settings; in schools with everything imaginable and schools with almost nothing; and taught from the very youngest learners up to adults in their golden years.

Chris blends educational theory with his active outdoor background to create engaging, multidisciplinary learning experiences, emphasizing hands-on learning and understanding rather than doing. He strives to find creative ways to show that learning is real rather than a lesson in a room. Chris loves finding opportunities to get outside and do something, rather than learn about something. He encourages movement, noise and active participation. Critically and fundamentally, Chris believes in teaching a person at their own individual level and to their own individual needs, encouraging everyone to take ownership of their learning and to support them in overcoming challenges to aid understanding and ability.

Making mistakes and finding things hard is the first step to learning something. If it was easy, were we learning, or just completing tasks?

ELECTRA W.

Electra is currently pursuing a Master’s of Child Study and Education at the University of Toronto. She has completed a Bachelor’s of Early Childhood Studies with a minor in English accredited by Toronto Metropolitan University. Through her Master’s studies, Electra has completed a teaching practicum in a kindergarten classroom and is currently completing her second practicum in a grade four classroom. In her undergraduate studies, Electra completed placement experiences in a grade 1/2 classroom, a kindergarten classroom, and an EarlyON Child and Family Centre. Electra has a plethora of diverse employment experiences with respect to teaching and learning. Electra has hired, trained, and managed instructors for Engineering Outreach programs (STEM-based additional programming). Through this employment, Electra reviewed curriculum outlines, activity sheets, and material requests for grades 3 to 8. Electra has experience as a Senior Program Instructor for Engineering Outreach programs, where she created, developed, and delivered STEM programming to students from grades 1 to 12. Moreover, Electra has experience as an Emergency Supply Teacher, where she covered the duties and responsibilities of absent teachers ranging from kindergarten to grade 12. Electra has extended knowledge of curriculum, pedagogy, and best practices. She is culturally responsive and always incorporates an equity lens into her practice. Electra is highly experienced with children with exceptionalities and always implements strength-based approaches that consider the whole child.

Augustin P.

Augustin is a recent graduate (with distinction) from Concordia University with a Bachelor of Science in Honours Psychology. After completing his honours thesis on the neurobiology of opioid addiction, he is eager to apply his knowledge and passion for science through teaching.

He is passionate about an interdisciplinary approach to science and research. In the past he has worked as a personal tutor for students with learning difficulties (SEGPA) at the Externat des Enfants Nantais high school (EDEN) in France. Having studied in three different school systems and lived in multiple countries he understands diverse perspectives, teaching styles. He also recognizes the challenges that come with learning in a second language.

His approach to teaching is focused on nourishing curiosity, imagination and intrinsic interest in the student. He sees that difficulty can often arise from the apparent dryness and irrelevance of concepts that students begin to be confronted with at the end of high school and CEGEP. He emphasizes the logic behind equations and methods rather than focusing on memorization. With the emphasis he places on linking knowledge across classes he aims to foster an understanding of science as a unified discipline. This approach not only facilitates learning and memorization but also helps reduce workload.

He is fully fluent in both French and English, proactive and committed to offering different perspectives that enhance course content and student engagement.

MATTHEW D.

Matthew graduated from Manhattan’s prestigious Regis High School and SUNY Binghamton for college, where he earned a Summa Cum Laude distinction. In the years since, he has coached subject and test prep private clients in Manhattan, Brooklyn, and Los Angeles; tutored low-to-middle income children via the Kennedy Child Study Center; taught an after-school enrichment course at the Women’s Housing And Economic Development Corporation (WHEDco) in The Bronx, NY; and developed a community center’s first SAT Prep Course. Currently, Matthew leads several Math Olympiad teams in Darien, CT and has a steady math and test prep roster of both private clients and those via Fairfield County’s top placement firms. In addition to his tutoring work, Matthew continues an active professional career in the arts and entertainment industry.