Tutor Spotlight: Mason B.
Meet Mason.
Thoughtful and engaging, Mason is an SAT tutor who brings both structure and warmth to his sessions. He’s worked with students in one-on-one and classroom settings, including at a premium tutoring organization in NYC, where his instruction led to high engagement and measurable score gains. Mason particularly enjoys supporting students who benefit from individualized approaches and flexible pacing. He spends his free time writing creatively and seeking out live music.
What's one thing you love about tutoring?
I love watching students gain confidence and grow. It is one of the most rewarding feelings to see a student, even in a short period of time, change from a nervous beginner to a well seasoned expert. It gives me so much hope.
How do you keep students engaged During tutoring sessions?
I believe that, when tutoring, I am at my best when I am talking the least. In keeping the students engaged, I believe they need to hear their own voice and thoughts far more than mine, and it is my role not to teach but to merely guide them into figuring out the problems themselves.
What's one study tip every student should know?
Take a break! If you are stuck on a problem or feeling burnt out, distract yourself (not with technology) for 15 to 20 minutes. When I do this, I am able to think more clearly and solve whatever issue I can when thinking about it away from the structure of studying. I solve so many problems while thinking about them in the shower!
What was your favorite class in high school and why?
My favorite class in high school was history! I love detailed oriented study, and no matter how far back the topic was, I was always fascinated by its connection to the modern day. I took this fascination with me to college, where I ended up majoring in History as well!
Can you share an example of a student you were proud of for reaching their goals?
I have to say that I am so proud of my most recent SAT Intensive 6-week class. We met every Sunday in Lake Oswego for 3 hours per day, and watching them improve over the length of the course was amazing to see. They showed up willingly in every class, their practice test scores jumped significantly over the length of the course, and they worked incredibly hard, allowing us to dive much deeper into complicated material. I can’t wait to see how they do on the official test!
What do you admire about your students?
I admire how adaptive my students are. Learning, particularly for test prep, can be so difficult as it requires the brain to rewire itself and think in ways that are, in some cases, antithetical to how school has trained them for over a decade. And yet, my students are not only willing to learn this new way of thinking, but they are also so quick in picking up the strategic concepts and applying them uniformly going forward.
