Kat O'Brien

I believe I was born to be in the classroom. Growing up, I always wanted to play “school” and to be the teacher. My friends would try to convince me to play anything else, but I always stood my ground! While in high school, we were asked to work in schools, and I fell in love with the classroom from a new perspective. I came home after the first day and proudly announced that I was going to be a teacher. When it came time to apply to colleges I had no hesitations to apply to study elementary education. 

I started out at Boise State University before transferring to continue my studies at San Jose State University. I began working in a third grade classroom as an instructional aide, working with students one on one while the teacher explained the lesson to the rest of the class. The students I worked with needed more attention and explanation that was first offered. I loved watching my students tackle challenging material and seeing their confidence grow. I stayed in that room for three years before moving to another school district and becoming an intervention aide supporting students from second grade to fourth grade with their math skills. I’ve loved working one on one with students and seeing their educational confidence grow when they accomplish “impossible” lessons. 

When I was in elementary school, I liked the idea of teaching school, but I wasn’t fond of the learning portion itself. I found my mind wandering and would often be behind when I came back into focus. It wasn’t until one of my teachers saw how I was struggling and supported me that my love of learning came back. My teacher helped me to come up with organizational systems that would keep me on track and even worked with my other classes so I would flourish in all subjects. As a tutor, I want to be the inspiration that I had in school and to work with students to find their own passions. 

At AJ Tutoring, I enjoy working with students of all levels of middle and elementary school to build their confidence across the curriculum and develop the study habits that will support them now and in the future.

When I’m not in the classroom, I love to bake and cook, I’m a minor bookworm, and watching the waves at the beach is my idea of bliss.