Josh B.
Josh Bicknell is a licensed educator for English Language Arts, which he earned shortly after completing a BA in English at the University of Missouri with a minor in creative writing. He has taught and tutored at the secondary level (7-12) throughout the Houston, Texas area where he grew up. He has also worked as a professional writing tutor for college composition and rhetoric, in addition to TOEFL prep, ISEE prep, SAT/ACT, and both GED and some GRE completion.
In 2024, Bicknell decided to continue his education with a Masters in Curriculum and Instruction, while also studying a topic he had always felt passionately about: Holocaust and Genocide studies. He graduated in 2025.
His current work includes developing curriculum for his project (Ten Stages of Change) which focuses primarily on textual and source analysis, media literacy skills, and social emotional learning. His work has been published by Consider the Source New York Archives, Learner Education’s EdTech blog series, and three pieces of poetry selected for the Glendale Literary Archives.
He currently livens in downtown Glendale, California with a Boston terrier/pug named Dexter.
Andrew V.
Andrew has a master’s in English, having capped off his courses with a creative thesis, a book of formal poems entitled “Sierra.”
In college, he won two awards for his poetry; received a fellowship; and published—and presented—three academic articles (Milton, Kafka, Dante).
Since graduation, he has written a graphic novel, and has taken up piano, frame drum, and Grecian lyre.
As a warm-hearted, seasoned academic, Andrew knows how to move through projects with humor and determination.
Juan S.
Dr. Juan S. graduated from the Nova Southeastern University with a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology. He completed a Masters and Doctorate in Education from the University of Florida. He completed his teaching internship in Houston, where he taught in a Grade 6 class. He has worked as a teacher, instructional coach, and as an Assistant Principal and Principal. In 2026, he jumped at the opportunity to offer tutoring to students that need additional assistance. He enjoys working with kids and expanding their horizons. In his spare time he likes to travel, play racquetball, and spend time with his family.
Giani C.
Giani is a highly experienced literacy specialist, Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT), Educational Diagnostician, and educator with more than 20 years of teaching, coaching, and tutoring experience. Throughout her career, Giani has been guided by one fundamental belief: every student learns differently, and effective instruction begins with understanding how an individual child thinks, processes information, and connects with learning.
Giani earned her Bachelor’s degree in Applied Learning and Development from the University of Texas at Austin and her Master’s degree in Curriculum and Instruction from the University of Texas at Arlington. She continued her advanced training through Midwestern State University to become an Educational Diagnostician, developing specialized expertise in evaluating how students learn and understanding how learning differences can affect academic performance.
Her credentials in literacy instruction are particularly extensive. Giani is a Certified Academic Language Therapist (CALT) and holds Texas certifications as a Reading Specialist, Master Reading Teacher, Educational Diagnostician, and Elementary Generalist, along with additional endorsements in English as a Second Language and Gifted and Talented education. She has also received specialized training in structured literacy programs including Reading by Design, Basic Language Skills, and JET, as well as Orton-Gillingham-based instruction.
This combination of classroom experience, diagnostic expertise, and specialized literacy training makes Giani particularly effective with students who struggle with dyslexia, decoding, phonics, spelling, fluency, reading comprehension, and written language. Rather than simply helping students compensate for areas of difficulty, Giani works systematically to strengthen the underlying skills necessary to become more capable and confident readers and writers.
At the same time, Giani’s expertise extends far beyond reading intervention. She works with students across the academic spectrum, from elementary learners developing foundational literacy skills to middle and high school students tackling sophisticated reading and writing assignments. Her tutoring areas include elementary academics, middle school Language Arts, AP English, writing, spelling, college essay writing, and English preparation for the SAT and ACT, as well as comprehensive STAAR preparation.
One of Giani’s greatest strengths is her ability to understand why a student may be struggling. Her background as an Educational Diagnostician gives her a valuable perspective when working with students who have learning differences or complicated academic histories. She can identify patterns in how students approach reading and writing and then adapt instruction to address individual needs while building on existing strengths.
For advanced students, Giani applies that same analytical approach to higher-level literacy skills. Whether a student is learning to evaluate an author’s argument, develop a thesis, analyze rhetoric, organize an essay, or refine a college application essay, she helps students break complex language tasks into understandable components and then put those pieces together effectively.
Families appreciate Giani’s ability to combine deep professional expertise with patient, individualized instruction. She understands that students who have struggled academically may arrive at tutoring already believing they are “bad at reading” or “not good at English.” Giani works to change that experience by providing instruction at the appropriate level, recognizing progress, and giving students concrete strategies that allow them to experience success for themselves.
Above all, Giani is passionate about helping students discover the power—and ideally even the enjoyment—of reading. Whether she is teaching phonics to a beginning reader, providing structured literacy intervention for a student with dyslexia, strengthening a middle schooler’s writing, or helping an advanced high school student master rhetorical analysis, her goal is to build a strong and lasting foundation for how students read, write, communicate, and think.
Outside of education, Giani is an enthusiastic reader herself, with a particular fondness for urban fantasy novels. She enjoys sharing her love of books with students—while fully recognizing that convincing every student to share her enthusiasm for urban fantasy may be one teaching challenge even she can’t solve.
Lena H.
Lena is a certified Texas educator with a creative, student-centered approach to helping learners build confidence, strengthen academic skills, and discover how they learn best. She holds a Texas EC–12 teaching certification and brings several years of classroom experience working with students from early elementary through middle school, along with experience supporting learners with a wide variety of academic abilities, learning styles, and individual needs.
Lena graduated from the University of Texas at San Antonio with a Bachelor of Arts in Art, earning a 3.81 GPA. Her university studies also reflected her broad interest in the humanities and social sciences, with coursework exploring literature, culture, history, and the ways art and storytelling reflect society. This interdisciplinary background has helped shape her ability to make subjects such as English, writing, history, geography, and social studies more engaging and relatable for students.
As a classroom educator, Lena has taught hundreds of students across elementary and middle school settings and has designed more than 75 standards-aligned lessons. Her experience includes developing curriculum, differentiating instruction, incorporating educational technology, assessing student progress, and finding creative ways to present information so students can better understand and retain it.
Lena is particularly passionate about working with students who benefit from a more individualized approach to learning. She has managed and implemented IEP accommodations for special education students and has completed additional professional training in dyslexia awareness, mental-health response, and Capturing Kids’ Hearts. She has developed a strong connection with neurodivergent students, including learners with ADHD and autism, and strives to create an environment where students feel understood, supported, and comfortable asking for help.
Lena specializes in English, English Language Arts, reading, writing, spelling, and middle school Language Arts, along with a broad range of humanities and social sciences, including U.S. History, World History, Geography, Human Geography, Social Studies, Psychology, Sociology, and Philosophy. She also supports students in AP English, AP Human Geography, AP World History, college essay writing, and introductory college-level English and Psychology.
In addition, Lena works with students on executive functioning, test-taking skills, and standardized test preparation, including English preparation for the SAT and ACT, as well as STAAR Reading and Social Studies. Her experience with organization, differentiated instruction, and individual accommodations makes her especially well suited for students who understand the material but struggle with planning, organization, task completion, or demonstrating what they know on assignments and tests.
One of Lena’s greatest strengths is her ability to approach academic material creatively. Her background in art and visual storytelling allows her to incorporate visual explanations, step-by-step modeling, and alternative ways of presenting information when traditional instruction isn’t connecting with a student. Rather than expecting every learner to process information in the same way, Lena works to discover what makes a concept “click” for each individual student.
Families appreciate Lena’s patience, creativity, and ability to build genuine connections with students. She believes students are more willing to challenge themselves when they feel safe making mistakes and know their teacher genuinely understands them. Her goal is to help students recognize their own strengths while developing the academic skills, strategies, and independence necessary for continued success.
Outside of teaching, Lena is an artist and storyteller who has had a lifelong love of comics and animation. She enjoys creating her own stories and artwork exploring underrepresented communities and themes of justice and representation. She brings that same curiosity, creativity, and appreciation for different perspectives into her work with students.
Beth S.
With 30 years of experience and a Master’s in Education, Beth brings an encouraging and practical approach to tutoring that helps students become confident and capable learners. Throughout her career, she has worked with students from sixth grade through college age. Beth has engaged with students across a wide range of backgrounds and subjects such as reading, writing, SAT Prep and study skills and has helped those students develop strategies that work for them. Most recently, she served as Coordinator of Writing Center Services at Bryant University, where she worked individually with students on writing, organization, and academic success. She also taught a first-year student success course and supported students who needed additional guidance to meet their goals. Beth meets students where they are, identifying skills they need to strengthen, and building from there. Her goal is to make learning feel manageable so that it builds student confidence. Outside of education, Beth enjoys reading, staying active, and spending time with her family and her cat, Otis.
Laurel A.
After years in the classroom starting with Kindergarten all the way up to high school, Laurel started her own tutoring business in the Raleigh/Cary area and enjoys working with students one-on-one as well as small groups as requested. She works with English/SAT English and sometimes French!
Laurel truly believes that engaging students using their curiosity and encouraging them to think bigger builds confidence and success. She loves working with international adult students as well, in-person or online anywhere in the world. She has visited many countries in Europe and she wants to visit other countries where her students live someday.
Stephanie J.
Stephanie has been a dedicated and passionate National Board Certified English teacher for over 30 years. She believes that with engaging instruction and the right encouragement every single student can attain both skills AND confidence —and thus opportunities for unlimited growth—as readers, thinkers, and writers. She fosters curiosity and helps students connect on a personal level with what they are learning.
Stephanie is a proud graduate of Meredith College where she earned a Bachelor of Arts degree in English and her teaching license for grades 9-12. Teaching had always been her life’s plan, and once she started, she never looked back. Stephanie has extensive experience teaching grades 9-12 and in coaching students to read closely both fiction and nonfiction, write effective college application essays, prepare for the verbal sections of the ACT and SAT, and create polished, compelling compositions in various modes. She enjoys teaching the finer points of grammar, in particular how they elevate student writing and authenticate student voice.
Outside of teaching, Stephanie enjoys laughing and spinning tales, reading both realistic and historical fiction, cooking for her family and friends, singing in her church choir, taking long brisk walks daily, and hiking as often as possible in the North Carolina mountains. She loves bright colors, the Oxford comma, organized closets (well, organized everything, to be honest), and all things autumn.
Hanif M.
Hanif is a passionate MATHEMATICS educator and experienced ESL instructor with a strong academic background and a genuine love of teaching. He holds a Bachelor of Science in Mathematics from the University of Dhaka and is currently pursuing a Master of Engineering in Applied Data Science at the University of Victoria.
With a strong foundation in algebra, geometry, trigonometry, calculus, statistics, and problem-solving, Hanif brings both mathematical expertise and an analytical approach to his teaching. He also has extensive experience teaching English as a Second Language, including IELTS preparation, speaking, writing, reading, and communication skills.
Hanif’s teaching style is patient, encouraging, and interactive. He enjoys breaking challenging concepts into manageable steps and adapting his approach to each student’s individual learning needs. One of his favourite parts of teaching is seeing a student understand something that once felt difficult and gain the confidence to work independently.
Whether supporting a student in mathematics or English, Hanif brings clarity, enthusiasm, and genuine care to every lesson.