August 2011

Every month we shine the spotlight on one of our expert One-on-One, In-Home Tutors or Classroom Program Teachers. This month we spoke with Joseph Melendez. Joseph is a favorite One-on-One Tutor among Summit families.  His students describe him as "kind and encouraging" and "as nice as could be."

How long have you been with Summit? Since July 2010.

What do you do outside of Summit? I'm currently working on getting my Master's Degree in Mathematics. When I'm not tutoring or studying, I'm likely hiking the trails of Connecticut, tending my garden, or crooning at a karaoke bar.

Which subjects do you tutor? I tutor SAT Verbal and Math, ACT, and have done some subject tutoring for Calculus.

What kind of tutor are you? As a tutor, my goal is to find out a student's strengths, and use those strengths to help build those areas in which they need work. I also work on a system of constant feedback; if a tutee feels that a particular method is working, we'll work together to figure out how to continue supporting that, if something is not working, I'd rather find out sooner, so we can find something that does work.

What was your favorite subject in school and why?  History. Learning about the growth and development of cultures, and the lasting implications of the efforts of individuals is fascinating, and can tell us just as much about where we're going, as it does about where we've been.

Where did you go to college? I attended Wesleyan University.

What was your major and why? I double-majored in Classical Studies and East Asian Studies (with a focus on Japanese Language and Literature). I majored in Classical Studies because I enjoyed looking at the daily lives of early Mediterranean cultures, without having to focus on declensions. I majored in East Asian studies because I felt that I was missing out on a big part of global history, as most high school history curricula tend to focus on the development of Europe and the United States.

What do you love most about tutoring for Summit? I love the awesome students that I've gotten to work with, the challenges I've been presented with, and that all that happens with an amazing amount of support from everyone in the organization.

What advice do you have for any families considering tutoring? Colleges have placed an increasingly complex series of tasks which students have to master in order to garner admission, which can make the entire process seem quite daunting. The ultimate goal of test prep is to help make the process less daunting, to help students hone their skills, and to think about the ways in which they think, something from which all students can benefit.

What have you learned from your students? There is a big difference between knowing a topic, and being able to properly explain it, and my students have definitely taught me the importance of being able to explain topics in as many different ways as is possible. They've also shown me that breakthroughs can come at the unlikeliest of times, and that working tirelessly towards finding that breakthrough is extremely rewarding.

What is your greatest Summit tutoring success story? For my first assignment, I was presented with the unique challenge of working with a small group of students who were trying to score well enough on the SATs so that they would be eligible to participate in college football under NCAA requirements. All of the students had taken the test multiple times, scored low, and one even confessed to having fallen asleep during a previous attempt. Over the course of our time together, I watched their time management skills improve dramatically and their practice tests showed definite growth. By the end of our sessions, all three boys scored well enough to participate in Division II football.  One scored well enough to participate in Division I football!

Joseph has helped countless students maximize their scoring potential, but he is only one of our expert tutors. Call us today at 1-800-MYTUTOR (800-698-8867) to speak with a Program Director to learn more about One-on-One, In-Home Tutoring and Classroom Programs in your area.