Leslie S.
Leslie earned her doctorate in English from the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee in 2017, following an M.A. from The University of Louisville in 2008. Originally from Cincinnati, Leslie has been teaching college courses in the Chicago area for the last 15 years. Her fields
include American Literature, African American Literature, ESL, and composition. She’s also a proud history nerd and loves some pub trivia. In her free time, she enjoys reading, traveling, and playing sports with her two sons.
Geetha S.
Geetha has a double MS in Microbiology and has been teaching for the last two decades as an adjunct faculty, private tutoring and at learning centers. She has been teaching as an adjunct faculty in Biology, Microbiology, Applied Biotechnology at local colleges, where she taught both lectures and hands-on lab instruction. She has also been tutoring privately and at learning centers in multiple subjects like English (English reading, writing, grammar, vocabulary, comprehension, spelling), Math, Science (Biology, AP Biology, Chemistry), test preps like TEAS test for nursing, ASVAB, ASTB, ACT etc.
Geetha is a dedicated, hardworking, patient teacher and passionate about teaching. She has taught many students of diverse social and cultural backgrounds and she realizes that she can fill the gaps that the student has in what they learn at school and helps connect the dots. Her helping hand has been complementary to what the student learns at school. The individual attention, guidance and focus that she provides the student helps them to feel encouraged, confident and do better. She has been able to help many students in their learning by enhancing their understanding of concepts by simplifying them, drawing diagrams, tables, figures, many practice problems for them to understand better. She gives real life examples from her research experience and enabling students to learn through practical, engaging and impactful training.
In her free time, Geetha enjoys music, gardening, yoga and hiking.
Maria S.
Maria is an experienced educator who specializes in helping students build strong academic skills, confidence, and effective learning habits. She has taught across elementary and middle school and brings deep expertise in reading, writing, vocabulary development, and academic language growth.
Maria’s tutoring approach is centered on how students learn best. For example:
- Clear and achievable learning goals
- Explicit instruction with guided practice
- Reading comprehension strategies that make texts accessible
- Writing routines that strengthen structure, clarity, and organization
- Vocabulary practices that support deeper understanding
- Academic language supports such as sentence frames, thinking routines, and modeled responses
- Ongoing progress monitoring to celebrate growth and adjust instruction
Her students consistently make strong progress, and her classroom achieved the highest STAAR pass rate in her school (2023–2024). This success reflects her commitment to purposeful planning, high expectations, and meeting students exactly where they are.
Maria brings extensive experience in curriculum design to her tutoring, having created writing units, interdisciplinary lessons, and language-based supports that help students access challenging content. She uses this background to tailor every session to a child’s individual needs, strengths, and goals.
Although Maria is biliterate in English and Spanish, she uses this expertise only when helpful. Her understanding of how language functions in learning benefits all students—whether monolingual or multilingual—by strengthening their reading, writing, and communication skills.
Across all roles, Maria is recognized for her collaboration with families and communities, her strategic instructional planning, and her commitment to ensuring every student has the language, skills, and confidence to succeed.
Outside of teaching, Maria enjoys spending time with her family, relaxing with her dog, and staying active. She brings the same warmth, patience, and encouragement from her home life into every tutoring session.
JOSEF S.
Josef Stetter is an Ontario educator and Assistant Curriculum Leader for Business and Co-op at Georges Vanier Secondary School, known for inclusive, real-world teaching that meets learners where they are. He holds a B.Ed. from Lakehead University and a B.A. in Economics from York University, along with wide-ranging Additional Qualifications that equip him to teach most subjects across Grades 1 through 12, including Math, Science, all Business strands, Social Sciences (world religions, philosophy, psychology), Humanities, Geography, History, English and ESL, Life and Learning Skills, Public Speaking and Debate, and French. He has taught and tutored broadly across these areas and continues to coach learners of all ages. In his current role, Josef expanded Business SHSM participation and led a large DECA cohort to regional and provincial success and had one student win the world Championship in her category beating out 25,000 students, while supervising diverse co-op placements that help students connect class to careers. Josef has lived in five countries and speaks English, French, Hebrew, and Spanish, and he makes learning lively by linking lessons to student interests such as video games, sports, photography, and travel.
Viacheslav L.
Viacheslav is an education professional with nine years of college-level tutoring experience. His background and knowledge base is broad, spanning legal studies, ESL, Science, Algebra, Physics, Computer Science, Biology, and Astronomy. He focuses on clear explanations, structured practice, and real-world examples to build confidence and results. He is also fluent in Russian.
EDUCATION:
MS, Computer Science, Russia
PhD, Social Studies, Russia
JD, Russia
BS, Mechanical Engineering, Russia
Abby G.
Abby has been working in education for nearly six years and is currently in her fifth year of classroom teaching. She has experience working with students across a wide range of grade levels, from Pre-K through 11th grade.
She currently serves as an AP English Language and English I teacher and previously taught middle school Social Studies for four years. Her diverse classroom experience allows her to adapt instruction to meet the needs of different ages and learning styles.
Abby is passionate about helping students experience those meaningful “a-ha” moments that move them to the next level in their learning. She values building strong, positive relationships with her students and believes that children learn best from educators they trust and enjoy working with.
She looks forward to supporting students through personalized, one-on-one instruction and partnering with families to help their children succeed.
SAJIDA J.
With over a decade of experience in child development and pedagogy, Sajida brings a compassionate, creative, and evidence-based approach to education. She holds a Bachelor’s Degree in Child Development and a Master of Teaching Degree from University of Toronto. Sajida has received additional qualifications in Special Education, English Language Learning, Reading, Mathematics, and the Integration of Technology in Instruction. As a teacher with the York Region District School Board (YRDSB), she possesses a deep understanding of the subject curriculum and utilizes a wide range of resources to support and enhance student learning. Her teaching practice is grounded in Universal Design for Learning (UDL), with a strong commitment to differentiating instruction to meet the diverse needs of all learners.
Trained in the Science of Reading, she employs this structured, research-backed framework to support literacy development. By integrating phonemic awareness, phonics, fluency, vocabulary, and comprehension into her lessons, she helps students build strong and lasting foundations in reading and writing.
In her tutoring career, Sajida is dedicated to empowering each student to build confidence and independence in their learning journey, fostering both academic success and a lifelong passion for learning.
Outside the classroom, Sajida enjoys an active lifestyle, including hiking and pickleball. She is also passionate about world travel, which broadens her perspective and enriches her inclusive teaching practices. Above all, she is committed to nurturing academic achievement, student well-being, and the development of responsible, engaged global citizens.
Diana A.
Diana A. is a passionate English and Spanish educator with over 17 years of experience helping students develop their academic writing, reading comprehension, and communication skills. She holds a Master’s in TESOL, Literacy, and Culture from the University of San Diego and has taught across both high school and college settings. Diana empowers students to become confident, independent writers through engaging, student-centered lessons that make complex ideas accessible. Her approach combines structured skill-building with creativity—whether she’s guiding students through persuasive essays, college application writing, or literary analysis. Beyond academics, Diana fosters a supportive environment where learners build confidence in expressing their own voices. When she’s not teaching, she enjoys discovering new authors and designing lessons that connect language learning to real-world experiences.
Cheryl O.
With over 20 years of classroom experience in English as a Second Language (ESL) instruction and educational administration, Cheryl brings a strong blend of classroom teaching, online instruction, and individualized tutoring to help learners achieve their academic goals. She holds a Master’s Degree in Education, TESOL certification, and a prior Special Education credential.
Over the past decade, Cheryl has supported students from diverse cultural and linguistic backgrounds through online ESL instruction and one-on-one tutoring. She specializes in creating engaging, personalized lessons that meet each student’s unique needs. Cheryl is deeply dedicated to fostering language and academic growth, promoting cultural understanding, and building confidence in communication across academic, professional, and personal settings. She looks forward to continuing her work with students and helping them succeed in today’s world.
JULIAN S.
Julian S. is a dedicated teacher with the Durham District School Board who specializes in math instruction, literacy development, and supporting students with special needs. He began his teaching journey as a swimming instructor, where he first discovered his passion for helping learners succeed. This early experience inspired him to pursue an education in Early Childhood Studies, followed by a Bachelor of Education, solidifying his path as an educator. Julian has worked with many students struggling with literacy, helping them strengthen their reading and writing skills with personalized strategies. He has also taught internationally in China, where he worked with senior students and adults in ESL programs, gaining a strong foundation in language learning and communication. With extensive classroom and one-on-one experience, he is passionate about building confidence, fostering independence, and helping each student reach their full potential. Outside of teaching, Julian enjoys reading, rock climbing, swimming, and taking road trips across Ontario—always finding new experiences to bring back to his students.