Amy L.

Amy holds a Bachelor of Arts in History from UCLA and has taught K–12 students at the highly regarded Sidwell Friends, Maret, and St. Catherine’s schools, as well as many private students. She specializes in English, reading and writing, history, social studies, study skills, homework support, and general K–8 academics. She can also tutor math and science through the upper school level. Amy has completed the first year of graduate-level coursework in social work at Virginia Commonwealth University.
Amy understands that families seek tutoring for many different reasons. Some students need help catching up, completing assignments, or feeling less overwhelmed, while others are ready to strengthen their skills and reach a higher level. She begins by identifying each student’s strengths, challenges, learning style, and academic goals. Amy then creates individualized lessons that break difficult material into clear, manageable steps. She helps students improve reading comprehension, organize and express their ideas in writing, think critically, prepare for assignments and assessments, and develop stronger study and organizational habits.
Amy is patient, encouraging, and attentive while also providing the structure and accountability students need to progress. She believes that children learn best when they feel understood and comfortable asking questions. By recognizing improvement and helping students work through mistakes without embarrassment, Amy builds both academic skills and genuine confidence. She values consistent communication with parents and works collaboratively with families to understand their concerns, monitor progress, and support each child’s individual needs.
Amy’s background also includes coaching youth soccer and supporting young people with diverse learning needs. Outside of tutoring, she enjoys spending time outdoors, exploring Richmond, following soccer, and spending time with her French
bulldog.

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.

 

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.

 

Amy B.

Amy has been in the field of education for over 20 years. Currently, she is a professor of elementary education courses at Loyola University Chicago, where she is also completing her dissertation for a doctorate in Curriculum, Communities, and Culture. Additionally, she holds a master’s degree in Literacy instruction, and endorsements in English as a Second Language and Learning Behavior Specialist I (LBS1) for special education. She has spent 22 years as an elementary classroom teacher, reading interventionist, and Literacy coach in public schools. She has a passion for culturally relevant teaching, and matching evidence-based practices with individual students to bring joy and efficiency to learning new skills. She believes in using assessment and children’s interests to help design individualized experiences that meet each learner’s unique needs.
While not teaching, Amy enjoys traveling and exploring the Chicago area with her spouse and two children. She is also an avid reader and bike rider. In addition to her 22 years in public schools, she has spent time teaching in schools and daycares in Sydney, Australia, Glasgow, Scotland, and Shanghai, China.

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.