Elementary school and middle school grade levels are a critical time in a child’s education and skill development. I have helped children in grades 1-8 (ages 5-14) aim for strong numerical literacy and language arts skills through regular practice and review. I’ve worked with 1st, 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th, 6th, 7th and 8th graders on math, writing, reading, grammar and vocabulary.
Outside of lessons, I assign worksheets and extracurricular assignments – like fun online games and activities – and I ask parents to make sure their children complete this practice. I also drill my students about the material they’re learning with me and in class. This way, they can find the right answers themselves and strengthen their critical thinking skills. This results in the mastery of basic math and language arts concepts, creating a structured foundation for both subjects when students eventually enter high school. I am familiar with Common Core English and Common Core Math standards/curriculum, and I use Common Core-aligned resources/materials to help my students meet school standards and achieve academic success.
The bottom line: I want my students to do well in their homework, score high on tests, understand the concepts they study — and still enjoy learning!
Elementary Math
I have helped hundreds of frustrated children master addition, subtraction, division, multiplication tables, number operations, number theory, fractions, decimals, ratios, proportions, and percents. Applying these concepts to confidently solve basic, intermediate, and advanced word problems is another critical math skill that I teach. I try every method and “shortcut” until students really understand what they are learning and how to use this knowledge to help themselves outside of a classroom or test prep. My aim is to make the process as simple, straightforward, and painless as possible. Students also use many of my online resources, like Prodigy Game and SplashLearn, so math practice is always fun and motivating!
Writing coaching
Like a plant, writing skills need strong roots and the right foundation to survive and grow. This is the time when children are the most creative and curious, eager to tell their stories and listen to the stories of others. They need to know how to express themselves and explore the world around them. My writing coaching focuses on building strong, complete sentences and answering questions. Step by step, my students learn how to write paragraphs, essays and short stories. English grammar practice and vocabulary knowledge are also included. Resources like Quill, Quizlet, and writing assignments are the backbone of meaningful writing progress.
Reading comprehension
I try to use the Socratic method of teaching as much as possible. I ask many, many questions so children can find the answers by themselves and the right answers make sense to them. More importantly, I encourage them to enjoy reading and explore their own creativity. Critical reading and reading comprehension stem from critical thinking skills. We work on reading passages with questions, both with multiple choice answers and open-ended answers so students can practice writing as well. My favorite online reading tools —ReadTheory, ReadWorks and Dreamscape – help me assess their reading levels and see which key concept areas they are struggling with.
Prealgebra
Prealgebra is usually learned as part of 7th grade math, 8th grade math, or 9th grade math. It sets the stage for higher level math with signed numbers, order of operations, graphing, and solving equations — the heart of algebra itself. I use “tried and true” methods as well as helpful shortcuts to ensure middle school students truly understand the math they are learning and its practical application in real life situations.
Gifted child test prep
I provide tutoring for the SCAT and CogAT at all grade levels. Elementary school and middle school students have worked with me on related practice material and practice questions for math, logic, grammar, spelling, analogies, quantitative reasoning and reading. My CogAT and SCAT students score in the top ten percentiles.
SSAT and ISEE test prep
It’s hard to explain to younger students why they need to score high and work hard at test prep, so many parents have sought my help to make sure their children score in the top percentiles on the ISEE and SSAT. I help with prep for all sections of these tests. Whether students see me for several lessons to target specific struggle areas or for months to fully prepare for each section, they make progress and increase their scores when they are committed to their test prep. Even short-term students doubled their scores after just a few lessons!
What Parents Are Saying
ASHLEY, Elementary math
Natalie took her time to understand my kids needs and create lessons to fill gaps in their math knowledge and build from there. She gave some homework throughout the week to help my kids catch up in basic math. Natalie was great at communicating with me after every session. She always gave a detailed summary and the plan for next week. Thank you!
TONYA, Test prep
Natalie G. is a thoughtful, generous, and helpful tutor. She does an assessment for her planning of support. The content instruction offers a clear understanding to achieve measurable goals. In addition, she provides resources for continued learning and study. Extremely satisfied with this fantastic tutor for my middle schooler.
ROBYN, CogAT test prep
Natalie did a great job with my son during CogAT review. She helped from the get go by helping him access review material, honing in on which sections to focus on, assigning review materials etc. She also did a superb job connecting with me (mom) to address areas of concern and let me know how things were going. This meant there was consistent messaging for my son. He knew we were on the same page and that made a difference. Natalie is on point, communicative, and willing to go the extra mile.
Check out my hourly rate and more on my pricing page
Natalie G. Private Tutoring 
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