Joseph M.
Private tutor in Boston, MA
Education
B.A. Education, Summa Cum Laude, UMASS M.S. Special Education, Syracuse University J.D. Law, Temple University School of Law
Experience
Looking for a different learning experience? I can provide the help you or your child needs to achieve more success within and without the classroom. Specialized academic/special education tutoring, counseling and life/school coaching in the Boston, Greator-Boston and MetroWest area. I have extensive teaching/counseling experience in private and public schools, including public collaborative schools, and as a special education liaison at Lincoln Sudbury High School. In 2012, after two decades of special education teaching and counseling and years of tutoring, I transitioned into a private law practice, including a focus upon veterans disability law and special education law. However, I have never loss my love of teaching an counseling students and am looking forward to carving out a limited amount of hours for tutoring, counseling and life/school coaching. Unlike most tutors, educational administrators, teachers and I dare say lawyers, I faced significant learning disabilities through my high school years, at a time before IEPs and advocates. I left high school with average to poor grades. Still I was determined to be the first person in all the generations of my family to complete college. I set my mind upon a serious look at myself and worked to not only understand my learning challenges, but also strengthen my mindset and develop the practical academic, organizational and communicative skills to be a more independent learner. I ended up graduating summa cum laude, and after a rigorous competition entailing the submission of proposed speeches and several round table interviews, I was selected to be the sole student speaker at the 1982 University of Massachusetts commencement ceremony. I am mentioning this because it burned upon me a desire to become a special education teacher and help other students; a passion with stayed with me throughout my years of teaching and tutoring. I am a seasoned tutor, and have focused much of my efforts not only upon assisting high school and college students with specific assignments, but more importantly, helping the to become self-aware of their learning challenges, and proactively facing those challenges head-on. Many of my students have been saddled with special education labels, and thought of as unmotivated and lazy, when in fact they have been dragged down by an inability to understand their learning needs, and an inability to effectively communicate and advocate for themselves. This is especially true with the college students I have worked with, when those students suddenly transition into college work without the benefit of IEP accommodations. I work primarily with high school and college students, but will also consider tutoring middle school students. While I live in Boston (8 minuted from the blue-line), I travel to the metro-west area on Wednesdays through Fridays (depending on the public school calender) and can tutor in the metro west area. I am not overly fussy about where I meet students, however, I do work privately with my students and ask for a quiet and private area. My tutoring sessions often involve counseling, self assessment and goal planning by the student, as well as work on a specific assignment. It is an approach I developed through my years as a teacher, public school liaison and a private tutor. For it is often the case that it is not simply a student's lack of academic skills that hinders their learning, but rather a more global problem. Often the problem stems from a student falling back upon negative, self defeating attitudes and behaviors which have caused them to be "stuck" and unable to complete assignments. Sometimes, just as with adults, these are "survival" behaviors, learned and reinforced in school. Often it is their lack of confidence in their abilities, even when those abilities are apparent, that prevents students from reaching goals. Once a student becomes more self-aware of these negative attitudes and behaviors, the more apt they are to accept responsibility for completing assignments, communicating and advocating for their needs with teachers, and finally, setting ambitious but achievable goals,- and on their way to achieving more success in school, at work, an in life. I understand that my approach to tutoring and counseling might not be assignment and skill specific, but there are plenty of tutors that can help with a specific assignment. My goal is to address the systemic problems that hinder someone from learning and reaching the goals they set for themselves. My rates are $45 per hour with a sliding scale possible and a discount for multiple hours. When I travel outside of East Boston, I prefer 1.5 to 2 hour blocks, due to the time spent traveling and costs for tolls. I accept payment via paypal, cash or personal check at the conclusion of the tutoring, or for established tutoring relationships, I can accept bi-weekly payments. If upon, the first meeting, the student or myself decides that an alternative tutoring approach would be more beneficial, there will be no charge for that initial tutoring session.
Availability
Monday in the afternoon, Monday in the evening, Tuesday in the afternoon, Tuesday in the evening, Wednesday in the afternoon, Friday in the afternoon, Saturday at any time, Sunday at any time
Can Meet
Up to 25 minutes away at my regular hourly rate, Up to 15 minutes away for no additional charge, Up to 45 minutes away at my regular hourly rate
Hobbies
Spending time with my 13 year old daughter, composing music and poetry, salt water fishing, playing board games and chess.
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