Veronica Pratt

My first teaching experience was with my little brother before he started preschool. While I myself was only four years old, I was determined to teach him the alphabet and how to count to ten. I’m not sure how well my lessons were received, but I felt a love of teaching and helping others that hasn’t left me since. I choose to tutor because of that love and to continue following my passion for education.

Born and raised in sunny California, I grew up in Woodside and went to the aptly named Woodside High School. I attended Stanford University, graduating with degrees in both physics and classics. I cultivated a diverse view of classical and historical study, and I have taken graduate level physics and math courses and have learned to apply unique strategies to problem solving.

Along with my coursework, my most enjoyable and long-lasting work experiences have centered around building community and teaching. I have been a tutor, a summer camp counselor, a Stanford TA, and a Stanford RA. I provided extra support for the La Entrada Middle School Latin program and for third through fifth grade students at Project Read in Redwood City, and I have worked with high school students looking to supplement their classes in math and physics. As a TA for the Stanford physics department, I saw how excited students became when parsing through seemingly complex and disconnected problems and then suddenly understanding how everything was related.

As a tutor, I find it of utmost importance to listen to my student, both in regard to their weaknesses and to their strengths. I feel that it’s important to base the lesson plan on the student’s needs, not mine. Remaining flexible, adapting to the student’s learning process, and helping the student find the pathway to learning the material in the way that they can best understand it has always been my end goal. Having a student explain a topic to me is one of my favorite teaching tools: it solidifies their understanding while allowing me to identify gaps we can address during the session. 

When I’m not engaged in helping others learn, I love to play the bassoon and the piano, play soccer, and repair old cars!