Tutoring Specialties

ADD & ADHD, Learning Disabilities

Bio

My name is Mitch Reif. My favorite animal is a penguin and I love anything that combines chocolate and peanut butter. My Maltese named Hayley keeps me busy. I became a teacher because I want to help students not just enjoy learning, but to also be successful at it. The main principle of my teaching philosophy is that a student who is excited by and engaged in an activity is more likely to want to learn and, in turn, have higher achievement. My goal as a tutor is find out how I can best serve each student in helping them be successful. I want students to use their strengths in achieving that goal. I find out as much information about the student as possible in order to create activities based on those interests. I begin each session with a short share of what is going on in the students' lives and acknowledge any successes or interesting events. A sense of humor goes a long way so I try to put the students at ease by making them feel comfortable and perhaps put a smile on their faces.

Teacher Specialization

I taught elementary school for 27 years, and since retiring from the classroom in 2020, I have tutored students in Grades 1-9. I am a licensed National Board-Certified Teacher. Only three percent of all teachers in the United States have earned this honor. I have a Master's Degree in Early Child and Elementary Education from New York University. In 2018 I was a finalist for San Francisco Elementary School "Teacher of the Year" award.

Courses