Alexandra W.

With a solid foundation in research and education, Alexandra brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the field of science education. She has served as a secondary science educator across various institutions including virtual education. Her expertise spans multiple disciplines, including Chemistry, Biology, Physics, and Environmental Science. In addition to her teaching experience, Alexandra has a robust research background in the biomedical field, with published works in molecular biology and cancer research journals.   She has successfully guided students through honors and advanced placement science courses and nurtured a passion for scientific inquiry, mentoring student researchers and advancing students to state science and engineering fairs. Committed to fostering an inclusive learning environment, Alexandra emphasizes growth mindset strategies while implementing organizational, time management and knowledge retention practices with her students, ensuring that science is accessible to students of all abilities.  Outside of science education, Alexandra is an equestrian coach and enjoys spending time with her family exploring all things outdoors on the beautiful west coast of Florida.

Rebecca T.

Rebecca is a licensed French teacher with over a decade of experience teaching in McHenry county. Growing up in Dupage county, she graduated from Wheaton North High School before pursuing a French degree from University of Illinois in Champaign-Urbana. During her studies she lived in the historic heart of Paris where she quickly fell (more) in love with French language, culture, and travel. Upon graduation she returned to school to pursue a Masters in Teaching from National Louis University.

Throughout her tenure as an educator in McHenry county, Rebecca built a thriving French program infusing music, film, and pop-culture into her lessons. She won the Star 105.5 teacher of the month in November of her second year teaching after being nominated by several of her students. She ran a robust French club hosting activities from movie nights to cheese tastings, field trips to French restaurants, and cooking demonstrations. She also organized, planned, and chaperoned overseas travel to France where her students could put their skills to the test in an authentic setting.

As a lifelong learner Rebecca takes pride in the learning process. She loves to watch the light-bulb moment when a new concept clicks for a student. Outside the classroom Rebecca likes to spend time with her family, travel, read, and cook. She looks forward to helping your student get excited about French and the Francophone world!

Brooke B.

Brooke B. is an experienced educator with a Bachelor’s and Master’s degree in English, a teaching credential, and extensive tutoring experience. She has worked with students of all ages, specializing in English language arts, writing, and college application essays. Brooke is passionate about helping students develop strong writing skills and confidence in their abilities by tailoring lessons to their individual learning styles and interests.

In addition to tutoring, Brooke is currently furthering her expertise with certifications in addiction counseling and mental health first aid. She believes that a supportive and engaging learning environment is key to student success.

When she’s not helping students master the art of writing, Brooke can be found discussing Star Trek theories, collecting art she insists is “an investment,” or dramatically singing show tunes—sometimes all at once.

DR. A. RAHNAMA

Dr. A. Rahnama is a passionate mathematics educator with over 20 years of teaching experience at the high school, college, and university levels. He holds a Ph.D. in Mathematics and a Master’s in Computer Science, allowing him to provide deep insight into various mathematical topics, including Advanced Functions, Algebra, Calculus, Probability, Linear Algebra, and Statistics. Dr. Rahnama believes that mathematics is not just about solving problems but about building strong analytical skills that empower students in their academic and professional journeys.

His teaching methodology is centered around simplifying complex concepts, breaking down problems into small, manageable steps, and providing clear, structured explanations with real-world examples. He ensures that students develop confidence in their mathematical abilities by reinforcing concepts through step-by-step problem-solving. Dr. Rahnama has also taught applied math courses in data science, integrating practical applications to make learning more engaging. Whether preparing for exams or tackling challenging coursework, he creates a supportive learning environment where students feel encouraged and motivated to succeed.

In his spare time, Dr. Rahnama enjoys exploring innovative teaching strategies and mentoring students in research projects. He finds great fulfillment in helping students develop a strong foundation in mathematics while gaining the confidence to tackle even the most challenging problems.

Davina L.

Davina is a certified bilingual educator with both Bachelor of Arts and Masters degrees. She has been teaching middle and high school French with Montgomery County Public Schools for over 15 years. She currently teaches high school students, where she shares her passion for languages.

François-Michel L.

François-Michel L. discovered his love of teaching and tutoring when he taught a computer class while still in high school and has resided in the Washington DC area since 1991. He graduated with High Honors from Princeton University with an AB in Classics and wrote his senior thesis on ancient Greek epic poems (it wasn’t all Greek to him ). He then obtained an MSE degree in Computer and Information Science from the University of Pennsylvania, where he was a sought-after tutor in both French and Computer Science. After graduating, he worked for ten years as an IT director at Fannie Mae before becoming a Scientific Systems Developer at the National Institutes of Health. At every job he has worked, he has had the great privilege of teaching technical and/or business classes to junior staff and providing one-on-one coaching as a corporate mentor. He is known as a dynamic and entertaining presenter and public speaker, holds both French and American citizenship, and is qualified to teach and tutor English, French, Latin, Math, and Linux. François is also allergic to cats, so please let him know if you have furry feline friends so he can take his allergy eyedrops ahead of time!

M. Galal

Mr. Galal is not your average educator—he’s a dynamic force in the classroom, blending the discipline and focus of a black belt martial artist with the passion and dedication of an experienced educator. With a distinguished background in teaching English as a second language (ESOL), standardized test preparation such as SAT, GMAT & GRE, and Advanced Placement (AP) exams, Mr. Galal holds a Master’s of Arts degree with honors in TESOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages) from the University of Maryland Baltimore County, and is certified as a PREK-12/ESOL teacher in both Washington, D.C. and the State of Maryland.

With over two decades of experience in education, Mr. Galal has taught and trained students across a wide array of settings—from K-12 schools to community colleges and universities. He is currently a full-time multilingual educator who teaches English as a second language, AP US History, and SAT preparation at Theodore Roosevelt High School in Washington, D.C. and he is a test preparation instructor at the American University. In addition, he serves as an AP test reader for ETS (Educational Testing Service) while managing a couple of test preparation centers he founded in Cairo, Egypt. He has also been recognized with multiple honors, including the United Nations Honor Medals for his service during peacekeeping missions. Besides his witty personality, Mr. Galal has also been known as “the teacher you don’t want to mess with!” since he once was a black belt, internationally ranked Karate player!

Addaline D.

Addaline Durham has been passionate about education and mentorship from a young age, beginning her tutoring journey in middle school as part of a peer buddy system. Since then, she has accumulated years of experience working with students of all ages, from early childhood to college-level peers. Throughout high school and college, Addaline continued to tutor a diverse range of learners, providing personalized academic support to help students build confidence and achieve their goals. She has experience tutoring a wide variety of subjects, including Spanish, which she taught at a language learning camp, as well as English, college algebra, biology, political science, and math.

Her adaptability allows her to tailor lessons to each student’s needs, making complex concepts more approachable and engaging. In addition to her tutoring experience, Addaline has worked extensively with younger children as a pre-K teacher. This experience reinforced her ability to create engaging, developmentally appropriate learning environments and tailor lessons to fit each student’s unique needs. With a deep commitment to student success, Addaline takes a patient, personalized approach to teaching. Whether working with young learners on foundational skills or helping older students refine their academic abilities, she is dedicated to fostering growth, curiosity, and confidence in every student she teaches.

Divina M.

Divina is a full-time chemistry professor at Baton Rouge Community College in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. She has a doctorate degree in Chemistry and a master’s degree in teaching. She also has a Louisiana teaching certificate. Her education and teaching experience prepared her to be a highly effective chemistry tutor. Although she primarily teaches college students, she also enjoys teaching younger students. Additionally, she has tutored math classes in various grade levels at Sylvan Learning Center. She found out from her experience at the learning center that kids respond better if you build a personal connection with them. She absolutely enjoyed this tutoring experience.

Suraj A.

Suraj A. teaches writing and literature at Louisiana State University (LSU). He is also a certified ELA Teacher for grades 6-12. He grew up in Long Beach, California and moved to Baton Rouge, LA to take up a teaching post in LSU’s English Department. He is a traditionally published writer and has a postgraduate degree in English from Purdue University in West Lafayette, Indiana. He has lived all over the world and speaks five languages with varying degrees of fluency. For him, teaching is no different than writing, in that both mediums impart knowledge while simultaneously keeping the recipient engaged. With that in mind, he constantly strives to develop and deliver lesson plans and activities that keep the student curious and involved. He loves teaching and feels like it is his true calling in life, besides writing. While not teaching or writing, he can be found in the gym, training for powerlifting competitions or out in nature, exploring.