Tutor Spotlight: Joe Fox

Meet Joe.

What is one aspect you love about tutoring?

I absolutely cherish the moments when I can tell that a new concept has finally clicked for a student. Or when they tell me that they have never understood something before and now they finally do – there is such a rush of satisfaction and excitement for both of us. It just makes the shared work so fun.

Do you have a favorite topic or discipline to tutor and why?

I really feel like I have a close relationship with all aspects of the SAT and ACT, at this point. But I am still an English teacher and a grammar nut at heart. The SAT Writing and ACT English sections are my favorite because the rules are concrete and finite. We learn the rules and what to watch out for, and then we just start consistently getting correct answers. Moreover, I appreciate grammar and punctuation because these core skills help students beyond a high score on the test; they also help them become better writers, readers, and thinkers.

How do you motivate students to become better life-long learners?

At every opportunity while tutoring, I am careful to point out the connections between standardized test preparation and the real lives of my students and to highlight the broad value of learning itself. Understanding the rules for comma use, for example, is a great way into the Writing section of the SAT, but it is also a vital part of academic and creative writing in school and beyond. I think it is important for students and teachers alike to put the SAT, ACT, or any challenging academic task in the context of the life we want to lead and the goals we want to achieve. There is a direct link there that often goes unnoticed.

Can you share a piece of advice or study tip that you would give to any student?

With any complex and intellectually challenging skill – whether playing the guitar solo from “Stairway to Heaven” or getting an 800 on the Math section of the SAT – it’s vital to understand that we must go slow in order to go fast. Humans learn at half speed first. We study the moves. We do our best to grow our muscle memories and confidence. And then (and only then!), after that slow practice has been perfected, do we move to the task of playing the solo at real speed, right along with the record. The same is true of the SAT or ACT. Furthermore, the ability to take a step back from that work and reflect upon it can be just as important in the midst our academic lives as it is in our personal lives.

Can you share an example of a time when you felt a concept finally “clicked” with a student?

I try to make this a daily occurrence for me as a tutor, to be honest. But I remember once a parent telling me that their son had learned more Geometry from me in 15 minutes than they had learned in their entire 10th grade year. And another student explained that they have never understood how to use commas correctly until they met me. These affirmations are wonderful – they help keep me going.

What have you learned from your students?

So much. I could probably say “everything,” in some ways, because the process of teaching begins with getting to know your students. Only after you understand who they are and where they are coming from can you begin to chart out a truly effective course of study. Sure, everyone must learn the same skills – eventually. But how those skills are approached and when they are brought into the mix is unique to every student.