Maria Z.
With over 29 years of dedicated experience as a classroom teacher, Maria has cultivated a strong foundation in teaching and leadership in private schools in San Antonio, Texas. As a versatile educator for grades 3-8, Maria led various extracurricular activities, including chess and math clubs, while serving as a mentor for new staff and a coordinator for multiple programs. Being a tutor allows Maria to teach with differentiated learning techniques which is invaluable for addressing the diverse needs of students at varying levels of ability and learning styles. By tailoring instruction to meet individual strengths and challenges, she creates a more inclusive and engaging learning environment which not only accommodates different learning preferences but also fosters a sense of ownership over the student’s education. Being nominated for Teacher of the Year twice in her career, exemplifies the respect Maria has from her peers not only as an educator, but also as a person of character.
Holding a B.A. in International Relations from St. Mary’s University and a K-8 Texas Teacher Certificate from the University of Texas at San Antonio, Maria is passionate about leveraging her initiative and strong work ethic to make a meaningful impact in education. Coming from a military family with roots in New York, her wanderlust to travel America comes naturally. She brings concepts from her travels into her teaching to give her students a wider depth of knowledge and connections to material.
Griffin W.
Born and raised in Montreal, Griffin recently graduated from the Institute of European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies at Carleton University. Prior to his two years in Ottawa, he completed his Bachelor of Arts degree at McGill University in 2022. During his time at Carleton, he was a teaching assistant, tasked with grading essays and exams, organizing and running discussion groups, and teaching lessons. These experiences, as both successful student and successful teaching assistant provided him with the knowledge of how young students can best succeed from both sides of the teacher-student perspective.
From an early age, Griffin had a passion for history and politics, even attempting to memorize the list of Canadian Prime Ministers in first grade. This passion eventually led him to double major in History and Political Science at McGill. At John Abbott College and McGill, his broad curiosity regarding historical and political events, along with new encounters with political theory and political economy, developed into a particular focus on the Soviet Union, which would come to serve as the foundation of his master’s thesis.
Outside of his academic pursuits, he is an avid hockey player and fan. A lifelong skater and dedicated supporter of the Boston Bruins, his other sporting interests include the NFL’s New England Patriots, the PWHL’s Montreal Victoire, and the CFL’s Montreal Alouettes.
When he’s not reading history, attending an Als game, or on the ice, Griffin can often be found at the movie theatre or staying up late into the night watching and analyzing live election coverage, both domestic and international.
Ken L.
Ken earned his Ph.D. in Mathematics from Purdue University. He went to a well-known university in Shanghai when he was 15 years old. Ken has more than 30 years of college math teaching experience. He has great patience tutoring any type of student, and he always tries to find ways to relate math to real world situations. He is knowledgeable in a wide range of subjects. Recently, he began tutoring a college student in economics. His personal life experience shows that he is a fighter and a very kind person. He places great importance on the people he connects with. Once a shy boy during college, now he can talk to anyone. Ken wants to make a very positive impact on anyone he tutors.
Zeke T.
Zeke is a credentialed social science and special education teacher with over eight years of classroom experience. He holds a BA from UCLA and an MA from UCSD. Zeke is a patient, personable, and adaptable teacher who loves creating the spark that fosters lifelong curiosity and exploration.
In his free time, Zeke enjoys traveling, playing guitar, hiking, cycling, reading, and watching sports. His favorite teams include the San Diego Padres, UCLA Bruins, and anything Team USA.
Thad F.
With a bachelor’s degree from the Air Force Academy and a master’s from theUniversity of Dayton, Thad’s credentials and experience run broad and deep. For over 30 years he has taught math, science, and English at the university level–all the way down through first grade. Thad’s passion and joy is helping students and their families overcome academic challenges and grow to thrive at the highest levels of their potential.
In his free time, Thad enjoys his six children and three grandchildren, tennis, hiking, photography, swing dancing, and food with his wife, Beth. He almost never meets a student with whom he does not enjoy working, and he hopes to continue teaching as long as his health allows–at least 50 more years!
“My son has had such a positive experience with his tutor from San Antonio Prep Academy! His SAT scores increased just after a few sessions. His tutor is diligent in working on exactly what my son needs, and it’s super convenient that he comes to our house! We love it!”
– Parent
“Prep Academy Tutors has been such a big help for our daughter this school year! Chemistry tutors are difficult to find in the area, but we were blessed to have found Thad at Prep Academy! He is so knowledgeable, patient, and calm when working with students. He truly loves his job. We love Thad and we know you will too!”
– Parent
Dylan Z.
Dylan Z. is a professional tutor living in New York City. He received his Bachelor degrees in Political Science and English from the University of Florida, and holds a Masters in Fine Arts with a concentration in Creative Writing from the New School. Dylan has tutored for several years at the Princeton Review where he specialized in AP World, European, and US History. Additionally, Dylan has taught Literature courses at the university level and specializes in college essay writing and admissions coaching.
Gail M.
Gail M. is a Certified Teacher. She grew up in Boston Massachusetts, where she completed her Bachelor of Arts at Framingham State College. Gail has been working with children since she was 15 years of age and knew that her passion would be teaching. After she completed her undergraduate degree, she furthered her education at Lesley University, located in Cambridge Massachusetts. Here, she received her Master’s Degree in Education while maintaining a 4.0 GPA. Gail moved to Florida in 2001 in order to escape the chilly temperatures in the northern states. Gail also holds a cosmetology license and was the co-owner of a beauty school where she developed all of the instructional materials as well as curriculum. Gail has experience working with a wide range of ages, grade levels, and learning challenges. Some of her experiences include working with hearing impaired children and children with ASD. She continues to study regularly so that she is up to date with the latest proven techniques. She enjoys getting to know her students because a good rapport helps foster a greater learning journey for both the educator and student. Gail understands and is experienced with tailoring her style of teaching in an individualized manner depending on the learner’s needs. In her spare time, Gail enjoys spending time with her family, listening to music, and avoiding getting knocked over by her two 85 pound dogs!
Christopher G.
Growing up in Southern California, Christopher G. had a curiosity of his natural surroundings that led him to pursue an Associate of Science degree in Geology thus fostering his passion for the sciences and paving the way for him to obtain a bachelor’s degree in Earth Science at California State University, Fullerton. While attending college Christopher began professionally tutoring other students, and as a result initiated his journey in educating. Since graduating Christopher continues tutoring K-12 students where he actively contributes to improving scientific and mathematical literacy along with reading and writing skills. As a mentor, Christopher believes that by building a strong connection with his students he can better meet their individual needs and expand their learning capacity. He finds the experience he’s garnered to be enjoyable and extremely fulfilling. When he’s not attending to academic endeavors you can find him traveling and supporting his favorite teams alongside his family.
Dominic E.
Dominic E. received his BA degree from the University of Maryland-Baltimore County (UMBC) in Jazz Studies. He is an accomplished musician who has won multiple awards for his playing and musicianship and has performed many different genres of music in several states. Dominic is a multitalented and skilled person whose love for music is only matched by his passion for math. Dominic’s love for math began when he was very young. He has been in advanced math classes, won multiple awards for his math abilities and academic performance, and uses his free time to discover new ways to understand and approach math. He believes that math is vital to many things which we do and he loves seeing students understand and come to appreciate it, as well as see its application to everyday life. In addition, Dominic recognizes that people learn differently and he has developed many ways to help students understand math, science, and music. Dominic firmly believes that math and music are intertwined and he, therefore, combines them in his teaching and tutoring when it is appropriate. Dominic is a unique individual who does not always learn in the traditional way that some schools teach. He has a strong desire to understand things on a deeper level so that they make sense to him and he seeks to help his students understand information and not just give back what was provided. He prides himself in meeting students where they are and helping them find ways to understand that work for them. One of the things that makes Dominic enjoy his work so much is when he is able to help students understand and go from struggling to success. Dominic has tutored many students in levels of math from elementary through advanced college, worked as a substitute teacher, taught small groups of students, worked as a high school teacher in math, technology and science, and tutored students in music from beginning to very advanced levels in theory, composition, performance skills, transcription, and song writing in most genres of music. Dominic combines his keen sense of humor and deep knowledge base to challenge students to understand material while building their confidence to try things which they previously thought were difficult or impossible – often times by tapping into their creativity.
Joe G.
Joe is a certified teacher with five years of high school classroom teaching experience in English, Civics & Government, Economics, Math, and Spanish. He graduated from Mizzou and jumped right into teaching/tutoring while pursuing grad school. Joe now holds master’s degrees in education and economics. He is a lover of sports, primarily soccer and tennis, the outdoors, and traveling. He is also trilingual in English, Spanish, and Albanian, which has made visiting nearly 20 countries a whole lot easier! As a tutor, Joe is passionate about helping students reach their full potential. Having coached youth sports, taught a myriad of subjects, and individually tutored students in after-school programs, he is patient, understanding, and has a knack for explaining complex concepts in a way that students can understand. One of Joe’s favorite things about tutoring is getting to know his students and helping them develop their own unique learning styles. He believes that everyone learns differently, and he tailors his teaching methods to each individual student. Finally, Joe is also a great motivator and big believer in humor as a learning tool to help students stay on track. So, why not see if this “Joe-of-all-trades” is the right fit for you?