Experience Summary
be (Ohio Graduation Test) administered beginning the week of June 16th in the state of Ohio! Please contact me if you have one or more subjects to pass, especially if you earned all of your high school credits, but this test is keeping you from receiving YOUR diploma!! I say "I'm back" because, unfortunately, I was unable to answer emails from folks on this site these last few months due to a lapse in my paid subscription (life happens). I have 24 successful years of experience teaching and tutoring. My area of expertise is in preparing students for a variety of state/national required tests. My degree is in education, with a reading comprehension specialty certification. I taught Proficiency Test Prep (the "old" OGT) at Patterson Co-op High School from 1990-1998, GED Prep at the MonDay Correctional Institution from 1999- 2001, implemented and coordinated an extremely SUCCESSFUL GED preparation program for the Dayton Urban League from 2001 until their sudden closing in December of 2010, tutored 6th - 8th grade O.A.A. Prep in math & reading (2005-10), as well as provided homework help and computer/internet instruction for an after school program from 1999-2010, taught OPT/OGT prep from 1999 - current, ASVAB (military entry exam, 2008-current) , and Accuplacer (Sinclair's entry placement test, 2001-current) preparation . I currently teach OGT prep 3x per year for 6 weeks, tutor high schoolers for Sinclair Community College's UpwardBound program, am teaching at LifeSkills High School's newest outreach center (as of Jan. 2014) located in Maranatha church's computer lab, and providing 1-on-1 tutoring, as needed.
Teaching Style
Individualized/personalized... After each class/session my mind is always going through, "How can I better teach/reach that student?" In addition to my many years of experience teaching a myriad of subjects, I can provide you with additional, tailor-made, book lists, & free websites/APPs (and show you how to access them, if need be)...
My current BCI/FBI background checks are on file with the state of Ohio as of 02/14/2012, and my current teaching license is on file and online with the Ohio Dept. of Education.
My Hobbies
I'd love to say "exercising", and I will soon! I enjoy reading (mainly non-fiction), researching, cooking, taking and editing photos, and keeping up with new technology. I also love to spend time with my fiance', three daughters, mother, nine grandchildren, and our German Shepherd puppy!
Top Subjects
Math
I am experienced and extremely comfortable teaching math up through 9th grade, or algebra I/geometry.
ASVAB
I'm proficient in tutoring/preparing students for the math, reading, writing, and vocabulary portions of the ASVAB exam (see more under my "test preparation" heading)!
My most recent ASVAB student took his exam in Columbus a couple weeks ago and scored a 66 (prior to seeking my assistance, he'd scored a 24 and 18).
Entrance Exams
I have prepared quite a few of my GED graduates for the Accuplacer test, a placement test used before entering some local colleges, such as Sinclair Community College. If unprepared, a student may have to take as many as three developmental classes in reading, writing, and math. That means they may wind up taking up to nine total, unnecessary courses that drain their financial aid, as well as time, gas, energy, etc...
GED
Proficiency: Expert, and one of my top Subjects!
I have enthusiastically prepared students ages 16-65 years old for the GED examination for over 17 years. In fact, I implemented, coordinated, and lead taught (esp. in math & essay writing) an extremely successful GED prep/adult education program for the Dayton Urban League from 2001, until their untimely demise in December of 2010. I am very passionate about assisting students in this first step towards reaching their lives' goals!
Test Preparation
Proficiency: Expert, and one of my top Subjects!
I have prepared high school students (Proficiency Prep. at Patterson Co-op HS and for Darden Educational Consulting Services) for Ohio's graduation examinations since the state's implementation of the Ohio Proficiency Test in 1990, which was enforced with the graduating class of 1994. I have also taught O.G.T. preparation (an "upgraded / replacement O.P.T.") since its inception in 2005. My specialty areas are in O.G.T. Reading, Writing, Social Studies, and Math.
I also tutor students in "B.C." Math for the ASVAB (militay entry) and Accuplacer (college entry) tests. I've nicknamed it "B.C. Math", which stands for "Before Calculator", because beginning with the 6th grade O.A.A. exams, and continuing through the O.G.T. (in Ohio), a calculator IS permitted for use on the entire Math portion (the GED is 1/2 & 1/2)! As a result, when these young adults go to take the ASVAB or Accuplacer tests, where NO calculator is allowed, they fail the math section (NO formula sheet is provided with the ASVAB, either), or, per the Accuplacer, must use their time and money to take as many as three developmental math classes before they can begin the courses the need to graduate. These recent high school graduates (or soon to be) have forgotten the basic rules of estimation, decimals, fractions, double digit multiplying (the X tables, period), all division, etc... That's where I can help! : )
Continuing Education
I assume this topic covers areas needed in order to successfully enter an institute of higher learning, and/or to successfully pass Developmental level college courses.
Having taught GED preparation (and coordinating a GED program I built from the ground up) for 17 years, I've come to realize the subject areas/levels needed to pass the above exam are the same ones needed to score well on, for instance, Sinclair's Accuplacer test. How well my students score(d) on their individual GED subject exams directly correlated to how well they did on the Accuplacer, which indicates college readiness & if/how many of three levels of Developmental courses may be required in reading comprehension, writing, and math.
For instance, a student that scored a 410-440 on the GED math exam would make the "cut", but still have to take as many as three DEV Math classes. However, someone with a GED math score in the 440-480 range may only need two, a 490-540 scorer will probably still need one DEV, and a student scoring over a 550 would most likely not have to take any DEVs, and go straight into college math. The process is similar for Accuplacer's Reading (correlates with GED's rdg., science & soc. st.s scores) and Writing placement tests (unlike the GED, there's no combo. score of essay + multiple choice grammar questions, it's multiple choice only on the Accuplacer).
Having explained the above, I would prepare a student attempting to enter college, especially one who's been away from school for awhile, by using much of the same basic curriculum I use for GED preparation. My GED students always did/do score so much better on college entry exams than someone WITH a high school diploma that's been away from school/studies for a couple years or decades!
Homework Help
I have 25 years of successful experience teaching high school(rdg./lang. arts, social studies, & Proficiency/OGT test prep., incl. study & test-taking strategies) and GED test preparation(all subj. areas & levels).
I also have 14 years of experience teaching/tutoring for a small business' after-school program, as well as one-on-one tutoring. I specialize in O.G.T.(wri., rdg., soc. st., & math) and O.A.A. test preparation for grades 4-12+, in addition to general homework help (sorry, no foreign languages). I'm extremely proficient in ALL elementary and middle school subject areas, and high school language arts (reading & writing), the social studies, and math (up through geometry and algebra I).
Study Skills
I always teach study skills and incorporate students' awareness of their individual learning styles, personality and Gardner's multiple intelligence types, in conjunction with my subject matter instruction!
Elementary Math
I've tutored/taught this subject for the last fourteen years, both small group and individually, with a concentration in homework assistance and Ohio Achievement Assessment Test preparation.
Elementary Reading
Proficiency: Expert, and one of my top Subjects!
I have a Reading Comprehension Specialist (K-12) Certification, in addition to my BA in education, from the University of Dayton.