Leah Witham, SAT/ACT prep, math, & writing

I don't see the need for complications with pricing. I accept cash or check the day of the session -- no need for anything in advance. I do expect 24 hours' notice unless there is a sudden illness. Nearly all my students are remote; I use a one-on-one interface just for tutors on another professional site from which I get work, too.

First, I ask questions to know exactly what the needs are. Then I explain my curriculum for the subject I'm asked to tutor. Then I ask them for questions that arise. Communication makes everything run more smoothly. Then we set up session times based on availability.

I graduated from both high school and college with a 4.0 GPA. I was the valedictorian with awards in math, English, science, French, and music, as well as an officer in our National Honor Society and a National Merit Scholar. I graduated summa cum laude from my university with highest honors in my major. I'm a member of MENSA. During my nearly 30-year tenure in computers, I became a Certified Trainer and authored and delivered stand-up training for 8 years. I've tutored for four companies as a contractor but much prefer my private business, which I started mid-2013, after substitute teaching for two years and tutoring for two years for a Wilmington company. Following much research and experience, I now give seminars on SAT tutoring for a tutoring agency. And I love to teach!

As I already alluded to, I wanted to teach after high school, but when I tested extremely high in computer aptitude, I found myself in computer training and spent 30 years in the industry. I was so sold on teaching that I encouraged both my daughters to teach, and neither one of them liked it! I decided that I was the one who wanted to teach and finally did something about it.

I've learned to concentrate on the particular subjects that are most often needed. Naturally, the SAT and ACT are my specialties. I've had few requests for calculus, for instance, maybe because the SAT doesn't test for calculus skills. Math is one of my strong points; I explain complex matter extremely well. I'm heavily invested in my students' knowing how to write and comprehend, as those skills affect every subject that you study and your career for life. It's incredibly fun to teach writing and watch the students' written word become much more enhanced, correct, informative, and creative.

Although my daughters depended on me to teach them math and writing, through both HS and college, I now have been teaching and tutoring professionally for since 2013. I've had so many successes that I'm definitely inspired to continue, especially with SAT/ACT tutoring, which is demanding. It's not unusual for my SAT students to see at least a 200 point gain in their scores, if they listen and are engaged in the process. I had one student who completed the SAT curriculum with me, but froze with several of the math problems on the exam, and actually had the faith in me to ask for another round of math tutoring, because he knew he had become overly frustrated with the math section and felt that I could help him overcome that weakness. I'm pleased to see my students score in the 1500's for SAT and in the 34's and above for ACT. I've had the distinct pleasure of teaching many, many students to write, seeing their grades go from C-D's to A's. Currently, I'm writing a book, a huge and exciting undertaking.

Don't be afraid to act on your gut instincts, if you don't feel that you have a terrific match with your tutor. Look elsewhere. It's not as if you have all the time you want to improve your grades.

Two ideas come to mind: the first is that one has to have a strong math foundation on which to depend -- one may have to take a couple steps backward to get that established before progress can be made; the second is that language skills heavily depend on vocabulary, grammar, and comprehension. Regular reading fosters both comprehension and better writing.