Welcome, and thank you for your interest in Carpenter Tutoring!
Carpenter Tutoring is a private tutoring service based in Suffolk, Virginia. I offer in-person sessions throughout the Hampton Roads area and remote sessions anywhere in the country. Most of my offerings are one-on-one, and group sessions and classes are also available. No matter your budget, I am confident that we can find an arrangement that will provide your student services without creating financial strain.
I invite you to scroll down to learn more about the services I offer, my background, and some of my policies. Thank you for visiting, and please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions. I would be thrilled to assist you!
Subject Tutoring
Tutoring for specific courses or disciplines
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Time Management
Personalized plans for managing academics, extracurriculars, and other commitments
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Study Skills
Learn how to make the most of your study time
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Academic Coaching
Time management and study skills blended with continuing accountability
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College Prep
ACT & SAT preparation and assistance with college application essays
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College-Level Writing
Get a head start on meeting professors' expectations
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Group Webinars
Participate in general workshops and pre-planned courses from the comfort of home.
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Parent Consultations
For parents seeking advice for facilitating their child's learning
All levels of reading/language arts/English, all levels of Latin, math through algebra II/geometry, introductory biology, physics, and chemistry (not at the honors or AP level), and writing skills.
Learn how to balance all of the demands in your life. Time Management sessions are tailored to your needs and can include building an hour-by-hour schedule of your week, creating a long-term plan for assignments and responsibilities, and discussing time and stress management techniques.
Study Skills sessions will allow students to develop a toolkit for successful study habits. Learn about techniques to fight mental fatigue and tools for mental recall. Study Skills sessions also cover ways to address motivation, attention, and avoidance. Topics will be tailored for your specific needs.
Academic Coaching offers all the benefits of Study Skills and Time Management appointments plus ongoing planning and accountability support. As an Academic Coach, I keep track of your student's upcoming assignments and assessments and help craft a schedule week to week for them to accomplish their goals. Students come away as more independent and confident planners and self-advocates.
Prepare for standardized college entrace exams with one-on-one content instruction and practice testing. Additionally, learn how to write an attention-grabbing personal essay for college applications, and receive guidance on institution-specific supplemental essays.
Learn how to shift high-school level writing to that which will be expected in college. Topics covered include moving beyond the five-paragraph essay, writing research papers, and choosing a topic for essays with open prompts. In-session exercises will allow students to implement these skills in real time with immediate feedback.
Join a small group of peers online to learn and grow together. One-session webinars include highlights of time management techniques and study skills and are best suited to high school and college students. Pre-planned courses, including SAT prep, ACT prep, and college transition, meet once per week for five weeks at a time. Webinars are hosted through password-protected Zoom meetings. Participants will receive the link and password weekly via e-mail.
After I have worked with your student for a few sessions, you may request a Parent Consultation during which I will discuss the strengths and areas for improvement I have seen in your child and the ways you may be able to help. All parents want to help their children succeed, but sometimes the way we offer that assistance is not the way children want to receive it. Learn how to meet your child where they are and support them in ways which resonate with their unique needs. These sessions are not tell-alls of what your student and I discuss during our sessions, as I feel that trust is central to successful tutoring relationships.
School is tricky, and there is no universal pathway to success. I started Carpenter Tutoring for those seeking a little help finding their way.
I received my B.A. from The College of William and Mary in 2018 and received my M.Ed. from W&M in 2020. As an undergraduate, I worked and was trained as a tutor at W&M's peer tutoring center, the Tribe TutorZone. During this period, I conducted over 150 one-on-one appointments with W&M students in 26 different content areas. I earned lifetime Advanced Tutor Certification, the highest level W&M can grant, through the College Reading and Learning Association, and I was trained as a time management consultant. I took on leadership roles within the TutorZone until I was working alongside its director. As a graduate student, I became one of the Graduate Assistants helping oversee the TutorZone as well as an academic coach to students with high need for academic support.
I loved getting to work with the Tribe TutorZone tutors, but I realized that I missed being the tutor. There's just nothing like watching the light bulb of understanding go off or seeing students who had struggled with material master it! With that realization, I decided to dedicate my life to my passion -- helping students of all ages learn, succeed, and believe in themselves.
My instructional approach focuses on meeting students where they are and supporting them through any hesitations or discomforts from which academic difficulties may arise. Whether your student only has to brush up on a few concepts or is resistant to completing coursework, I will come to each session with patience, understanding, and just the right amount of discipline. I truly believe that excellent educational relationships begin with mutual respect, and I work to build meaningful relationships with all of my clients.
