Ashley D.
Private tutor in Trenton, NJ
Education
Certified Secondary Social Studies and English Teacher with a Masters of Education in Secondary Social Studies from Temple University (GPA 4.0) and Bachelor of Arts in Classics & Ancient Mediterranean Studies and Religious Studies from Penn State - University Park (GPA 3.93)
Experience
After graduating magna cum laude from Penn State in 2010, I worked for several years with Bethesda Project, a social service agency serving the homeless population in urban Philadelphia. The experience was both enlightening and humbling, and it emphasized to me the inextricable importance of education to the prevention of widespread poverty and societal injustice. I decided then to pursue a career in education, and I recently completed my M.Ed. in Secondary Social Studies at Temple University. I have since become a Pennsylvania certified teacher in both Social Studies and English for grades 7-12, although I am also comfortable tutoring younger students. I am currently employed as a substitute teacher for various schools throughout Bucks County. My strengths as an educator lie in my passion for both the subject matter and the desire to see students directly benefit from true comprehension and understanding. To me, history and social studies are important only in the context of what they teach us about how events and culture shape the world in which we currently live. A history class cannot be taught in isolation - it must be made relevant to our experiences today. I can certainly help you or your child memorize names and dates for an exam, but my primary goal is to encourage a thorough understanding of cause and effect so that the memorization process takes on real meaning. In a similar way, I view English reading, writing, and composition as integral components in basic communication. Reading comprehension skills help us to make sense of both written and verbal arguments from others, not only in the classroom but in the real world. Likewise, the development of writing skills is crucial to our ability to express our thoughts in a coherent, persuasive manner. These are skills with consequence far beyond the walls of the classroom. I believe that all students possess strengths and weaknesses in the academic setting, and in all subject areas I am eager to share strategic studying tips for various types of learners. When a student is aware of how he/she learns best, future comprehension becomes an surmountable challenge rather than an imposing barrier. *Additional achievements and honors: - Phi Beta Kappa - Student Marshal for the Department of Classics and Ancient Mediterranean Studies - Dean's list every semester - Perfect score on the English Praxis exam
Subject Expertise
US History8th Grade Writing9th Grade Reading9th Grade Writing12th Grade WritingAmerican HistoryAmerican LiteratureAncient and Medieval HeritageAP English Literature and CompositionWorld HistoryWorld LiteratureWriting8th Grade ReadingWorld CivilizationStudy SkillsSocial StudiesTest PrepReligious StudiesSAT VerbalSAT WritingSAT Critical ReadingGovernmentHistoryEuropean History10th Grade Reading10th Grade Reading10th Grade Reading12th Grade Reading11th Grade Reading11th Grade Writing10th Grade WritingPersuasive WritingAP US HistoryAP English Language and Composition10th Grade WritingEnglishClassics12th Grade ReadingAP World HistoryAP US GovernmentExpository WritingEssay EditingCollege Essays12th Grade Reading7th Grade Reading
Availability
Any day at any time
Can Meet
Up to 20 minutes away for no additional charge
Hobbies
Not only do I like to educate others but I like to educate myself! I spend a great deal of time reading both fiction and nonfiction. I am especially fond of sci-fi/fantasy genres, historical nonfiction, magical realism, and contemporary American poetry. I also really love to cook (the amount of butter I use would make Paula Deen blush), and I do my best to maintain a regular exercise regimen to offset all the delicious, delicious calories.
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