Kristina C.

Kristina has been teaching in Downers Groves School District 58 for the past 8 years. Beginning her career in 2nd grade for one year, moving to 3rd grade for six years, and now enjoying her first year teaching 4th grade this school year! She received her Bachelor’s Degree in Elementary Education from Illinois State University, and since then obtained her Master’s Degree in Special Education from Western Governors University. While at Illinois State University, Kristina studied abroad twice, once to Costa Rica and a second time England. In England, she completed half of her student teaching experience in a 4th grade classroom. Her passion is to teach students that have different interests and abilities, and be their biggest cheerleader. Students’ growth is endless, once they realize their potential!

When not teaching, Kristina enjoys cooking for her family, baking m&m cookies, and socializing with friends. She comes from a big family with many younger cousins, and often found herself in the role model position from a young age. She is looking forward to getting to know more local families and aiding in their child’s academic success!

Allie B.

Allie graduated from Loyola University Chicago in May 2024 with degrees in Secondary Education (BSEd) and English (BA) with an endorsement in English as a Second Language (ESL/ELL) PreK-Grade 12. Allie anticipates starting her masters degree in Education Technology in Spring 2025. In her third year at Loyola, Allie was awarded the Mooney Scholarship from the School of Education, which shows her dedication and commitment to urban education. Allie has been tutoring students since her high school years and has dedicated extra volunteer hours to tutoring during her student teaching experience. Allie’s teaching philosophy centers on creating independent, open-minded, and critical thinkers who are prepared for real-world challenges and careers. In doing so, Allie considers her students holistically and works hard to understand every student’s unique emotional, social, and personal needs as well as their interests, desires, or goals. Allie enjoys taking the time to get to know each student and catering each session to fit their academic and personal needs. In her free time, Allie loves to play tennis and hang out with her dog Kona. Allie is eager to work with your student(s) every step of the way to see them thrive!

Monica V.

Meet Mrs. Monica. Monica has 16 years of teaching experience in elementary and high school education in reading, writing, and math. She is a native of San Antonio, TX. where she still resides and completed her Undergraduate Degree in Interdisciplinary Studies. She is certified in elementary education, special education, and teaching English as a second language. Her spare time is spent reading and learning new things to grow professionally and in her personal life. She also loves to exercise and wind down the day reading something (mostly nonfiction) real life stuff.

Over her years of teaching she has been able to help so many struggling students tap into their own thinking abilities, learn metacognitive skills (think about their thinking), and discover their own learning style along the way. Watching them grow in this way is what she feels has been the rewarding part of teaching. She is always looking forward to the next part of her teaching journey.

Marianne C.

Marianne Campbell is a certified teacher with over five years of experience in both general education and working with students with special needs. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in Education and has specialized training in differentiated instruction, helping students with learning disabilities, ADHD, and autism spectrum disorders succeed academically.

Marianne creates personalized lesson plans tailored to each student’s needs, ensuring they feel supported and engaged. She also has extensive experience in tutoring, helping students improve their performance and build confidence. Dedicated to fostering a positive, inclusive learning environment, Marianne excels at providing individualized attention to help students thrive.

Micaela M.

Micaela is an experienced educator specializing in reading, math, and ESL. She earned her Master’s degree in Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages (TESOL) and her Bachelor’s in Cultural Anthropology from the University of Texas at San Antonio. Micaela is passionate about teaching and has dedicated her career to helping students excel in English language learning, literacy, and math.

She has worked with students across various grade levels (EC-6), creating engaging and inclusive environments where they can thrive. Micaela develops customized lesson plans that support diverse learners using differentiated instruction and scaffolding. She is also trained in Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) methods, which she integrates into her teaching to foster supportive relationships with her students. Additionally, Micaela has received her Texas Teachers License in EC-6, with an additional certification in ESL. She has 4 years of experience as an educator in both traditional classroom settings and non-traditional exploratory and project-based learning programs.

Outside of teaching, Micaela enjoys camping, hiking, drawing, and spending time with her cats, Beaux and Pasha, and her dog, Apple.

Bianca G.

Bianca is a distinguished graduate of Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, earning her Baccalaureate in English Literature, with a minor in Journalism, and concentrations in Document Design, Publishing, and Grant Writing for Non-Profits—all achieved with cum laude honors and five academic honors society inductions. Raised in the heart of South Texas, Bianca’s passion for learning and teaching has been evident since childhood.

With extensive experience spanning multiple subjects, Bianca has a proven track record in education, tutoring, and career guidance. Her expertise includes English, Language Arts, ESL, Reading, Handwriting, Computer Skills, Spanish, Resume Writing, Debate, Speech, Communications, Public Speaking, GED/High School Equivalency, ASVAB, ACT/SAT prep, and College/Scholarship essays. She has taught students from 6 weeks to 93 years, continuously demonstrating her adaptability and commitment to her students’ success.

A dedicated wife and mother of three, Bianca also homeschools her children while actively contributing to her local homeschool co-ops. Her work with youth, particularly those with disabilities such as autism, ADHD, and dyslexia, is a testament to her patient and compassionate nature.

Bianca’s love for teaching stems from the fulfillment she feels in seeing her students grasp new concepts, grow in confidence, and achieve their goals. Whether volunteering or in a professional capacity, she continues to be a guiding light in the lives of those she teaches.

“What a great experience for my son, he was looking to move his SAT score but only had a few weeks to accomplish this. Bianca spent 5-6 days with him and he was able to raise his score to where he wanted it. We had used another service and didn’t see the same results as we did with Prep Academy. I would highly recommend contacting Taira so she can get you aligned with a high quality tutor, the value returned well outweighs the cost.”

Candy T.

Candy is a native Philadelphian and enthusiastic high school English teacher. She is a proud graduate of both Central High School and Temple University.

Candy has experience in supporting learners of all ages. Above all, when tutoring students, she strives to curate her lesson plans to each student so she is able to meet them where they are, and deepen their understanding using lessons that are relatable to students, and applicable to real-world understanding. Candy works hard to create solid relationships with her students, instilling trust and building confidence along the way. She has found that this solid foundation helps students trust her as she pulls them through complex literary subjects.

Samran M.

Samran is a passionate and dedicated Ontario Certified Teacher with seven years of rich teaching experience, both locally and internationally. He holds a Bachelor of Arts with Honours in English Literature and Creative Writing from York University, followed by a Bachelor of Education, where he specialized in English. His ongoing commitment to professional development led him to further specialize in ESL, Special Education, and Reading, culminating in a Master of Arts in English Literature and a Graduate Diploma in Creative Writing from York University. Driven by his deep love for learning and teaching, Samran’s journey naturally steered him toward Special Education and literacy remediation. His focus lies in supporting students who face unique challenges within public schools. At his previous school, Samran taught in an intensive literacy intervention class, where his expertise helped bridge achievement gaps ranging from one to five years. He firmly believes that every child has the potential for success, regardless of their circumstances, and that building meaningful rapport is key to making students feel valued and capable.

Samran strives to create engaging, student-centered learning environments where each lesson is infused with student interests and strengths. His teaching philosophy emphasizes the importance of providing timely, meaningful feedback that fosters academic, social-emotional, and behavioral growth. Over the years, Samran has worked with students across a spectrum of exceptionalities, including ASD, ADD, ADHD, Dyslexia, Dysgraphia, OCD, Tourette Syndrome, and more. He has also earned eight additional qualifications in Special Education, ESL, Reading, and Autism Spectrum Disorder. Outside the classroom, Samran’s passion for creativity and learning continues. He is an avid reader, a creative writer, and runs a small Etsy shop where he sells prints of his original artwork. He also stays active by going to the gym and playing badminton.

Anita M. M.

Anita has always loved to teach—whether it was multiplication tables at the kitchen table with her younger brothers or helping her friends study for History exams, she has many fond memories of supporting others in their academics. Anita has recently graduated from a Marketing Management certificate at Humber, and has an undergraduate degree from the University of Toronto in English and Media Studies under her belt. She is dedicated to providing a high-quality, collaborative tutoring experience to her students, ensuring that her teaching style adapts to their unique needs. Anita’s specialties include English literature/literacy, college essay prep, humanities, and social science.

When she isn’t working, you can find Anita cooking up a storm in her kitchen or obsessing over her newest craft (air-dry clay at present). She loves to learn new things, and this passion is what drives her to inspire the same love for learning within her students.

TIMOTHY T.

After Tim graduated with a bachelors in Fine Arts from the University of Victoria, he went to teach English as a second language in Victoria, before moving to South Korea to teach English for a year. From there, Tim returned to Vancouver to acquire a Bachelors of Education from the University of British Columbia. He then spent 5 years teaching at Vancouver Christian School, as a Grade 7 Homeroom Teacher, teaching a variety of subjects such as English, Math, Social Studies, and Phyiscal Education. Tim also has experience as a teacher-on-call, and has subbed for Grades 3 to 12. Tim is also well-versed in music and music theory and plays the piano, guitar, and flute.