For as long as I can remember I have always been extremely passionate about history. It was consistently the one subject in school that always kept me interested and eager to learn more. As a result, I pursued a major in history and a minor in religious studies at Cal Poly San Luis Obispo. My experiences growing up in Santa Clara and attending both Santa Clara High School and Cal Poly San Luis Obispo challenged me and at times pushed me out of my comfort zone. Throughout my time in school, I had numerous teachers who served as great mentors and taught me to open my mind up to new ideas. These experiences inspired me to want to become an educator myself and help the next generation of students realize their full potential.

My experience working as an educator began when I volunteered at my local church during my freshman year of high school. During this time I was the leader of a group organizing games for kids participating in the church summer camp. I discovered my passion for working with kids, and it eventually led me to a job at a rock climbing gym. There, I could combine my passion for the sport of rock climbing with my passion for teaching. Teaching a skill that I was passionate about increased my appreciation of the learning process itself, and it was very satisfying to watch my students grow.

At AJ Tutoring, I share my love of history with high school students. I work to help them not only learn the facts, but also appreciate the connections and trends that are essential to the discipline and their success in their classes. I also hope to help my students understand the relevancy of history to their own daily lives! In addition to history, I also support elementary and middle school students achieve success not only in their academic classes but also in middle school and high school entrance exams such as the HSPT, ISEE, and SSAT. I enjoy watching my students develop their confidence, whether it’s with math, reading, writing, or test taking. 

When it comes to education and tutoring, I like to take an open-minded approach. I believe that patience and helping students understand why they learn to do things a certain way can be a lot more effective than just learning a formula and repeating it over and over again. By understanding the power of knowledge and education we open up so many more doors and opportunities for ourselves to achieve our full potential.

When it comes to my other interests outside of tutoring, I am easily enthralled with anything that is an outdoor activity, including hiking, camping, rock climbing, and trail running. When I am not exploring the outdoors I also love to cook and experiment with different flavors and make new dishes.