Tracy R

I’m a certified grade 1-8 teacher with a bachelor’s in elementary education and a master’s in mathematics education from the University of Missouri. I guide my students to discover how math works with hands-on manipulatives (yes, even online!) and careful instruction that builds on what they already know.

My tutoring style:

I love math! And I love kids! As a tutor, I get to combine those two things and help students meet their needs, whether that is to catch-up, keep-up or get ahead. Throughout my career as a tutor and as a classroom teacher, a lot of my students have told me they hate math. I always just smile and tell them we’ll talk about how they feel about math in a few weeks. Inevitably, every single one of them starts writing “I love math” on their papers or their white boards and expressing to me that math is their favorite class of the day.

My first step when working with any new student is to get to know them a little bit. I want to see where they are and who they are. Once I know those things, we can get to work! I use a lot of manipulatives and hands-on elements to facilitate kids’ learning and allow them to really engage with what they’re learning. My goal is to guide my students, using what they know already to help them discover something new.

Success story:

During my third year teaching, I worked with a young boy that I had noticed was having a hard time in my first grade class with his participation. He was shy and he didn’t like to read with his small group. He was afraid to give answers while we were doing math problems. He was smart but he lacked confidence. He absolutely blossomed while we were working together! He came out of his shell and I really got to know him as a goofy kid with a love of anime and cooking. I worked with him through the rest of the year and then the following year as well, even after he was no longer in my class. He made tons of academic progress but the boost to his confidence made the biggest difference! Leaving that school was the hardest thing because of the relationship I formed with that little boy and the progress we’d made together. He’s a sixth grader now and I still have a connection with his family. From what I hear, he still talks about me to this day and his parents reach out every once in a while to give me updates or ask for help with things. Those are the kinds of connections and successes that really make my teaching worthwhile!

Hobbies and interests:

I am an avid gamer and I enjoy spending time with friends near and far, in game or in person. If I’m alone, I enjoy reading or creative writing. Fantasy and science fiction are my big go-to’s. I also love to play with my pets! We’ve got a dog, three cats, a snake and a tropical fish tank.