Welcome to Lighthouse for Learners
Lighthouse for Learners is a small group of tutors in Philadelphia, PA whose work focuses on helping K-12 students experience success in school. By providing tutoring in academic subjects, preparation for standardized tests, and lessons in student/learner development, we make it possible for students to successfully navigate their schooling and prepare themselves to function in the wider world.
Services
We offer services in the areas of subject tutoring, standardized test preparation, and student/learner development. However, the list below does not adequately capture the extent of our work. For a more comprehensive idea of what we do, see The Scope of Our Work below.
Tutoring:
Math
Chemistry
Physics
Writing
Reading Comprehension
Latin
Spanish
Learner Development:
Note-Taking
Study Skills
Test-Taking
Time Management
Self-Advocacy
Organization Skills
Standardized Test Prep:
ISEE/SSAT
SAT/ACT
GED
ASVAB
GRE
Policies for Current Parents and Students
The Scope of Our Work with Students
Below is a sample of the work we have done with students over the years, as well as some of the comments that the results have engendered.
Long-Term Support
“A highly motivated student, my daughter needed a tutor-educator who would identify her learning styles, take the time to understand her personality, and guide her evolution as a learner. [The lead tutor] effectively did all of this—and more. What I appreciate most was her deep commitment to ensuring that my daughter would develop learning strategies that would sustain her academic development beyond high school.” –MF, Germantown Friends School parent of 2019 graduate
“Having worked with [the lead tutor] for five years, I can unequivocally recommend her to anyone looking for a tutor, whether for schoolwork or standardized test prep. She always took the time to observe how I approached my work before suggesting more effective strategies, and explains concepts concisely and patiently, while searching for extra resources. Without her help, my preparation for the SAT would have been infinitely more stressful- and would probably have yielded worse results. Most importantly, she is incredibly kind and humorous and shows genuine interest in her student’s lives outside of school. Meeting with her was always one of the highlights of my week.” —CSF, Germantown Friends School 2019 graduate
“I loved working with [the lead tutor]. She helped me with the material I needed to learn but also made sure that I didn’t feel like a lesser person for not knowing it to begin with. [She] is a kind, caring person who is really positive. In my case she would come up with engaging stories and games to help me remember problem-solving strategies, and I would never leave a session feeling unclear about any of the material we’d gone over. Having graduated, I’ll miss [her] a lot. She truly gets to know her students and helps them figure out how they learn best.”–MG, Germantown Friends School 2020 graduate
Learning a Subject
“[My tutor] helped me better understand math by using different methods of explanation than my teacher. I did not get an ‘A’ at the end of the year, but I ended up with a better grade than I expected because of her, so I thank her for that.” –AD, Episcopal Academy 2012 graduate
Enrichment and Challenge
Elementary School student loved math and wanted to be challenged beyond his 5th grade class offerings. Worked with him on algebra and honing his problem-solving skills, and helped to prepare him for the SSAT as part of his CTY application. In addition, before transferring to a new school in the 6th grade, prepared him to join that new school’s 7th grade accelerated math section. After his family moved to a new state a year later, continued to work on enrichment resulting in him being placed in Advanced Geometry.
“[The lead tutor’s] positivity and passion for what she teaches is infectious and was a perfect match for my son who LOVES all things math. She is amazing– her depth of knowledge and ability to challenge him are exactly what we were hoping for.” — NK, Boston 2018
Middle School student in 2015 wanted to be challenged beyond his 7th grade class offering. Worked with him on honing his problem-solving skills, before teaching him Algebra I. In 8th grade he moved to the accelerated section of the 9th grade Geometry class. Earned an A for the school year.
Assist with Transitions
High School student in 2010 wanted to move to the accelerated section of his 11th grade math class in Pre-Calculus. He spent his two-week winter break learning the concepts he needed to join the class. Earned an A at the end of the school year.
High School student in 2013 began the 10th grade in a new school and needed help understanding the culture of the school. Encouraged her to seek help from teachers and helped her figure out how to approach each teacher.
Improve Standardized Test Scores
“…Because of [her tutor], my daughter was placed in higher level English and History classes in high school. Her 8th grade placement test scores soared as a direct result of her tutoring.”– DM, Bishop McDevitt parent of a 1999 graduate
“My child came from a school that did not use any standardized tests. She is a bright student but needed support in her test taking strategies. One week with [her tutor] increased her SSAT math percentile score by 40 points!” — EH, Project Learn School/Penn Charter parent
Injury and Illness Recovery
Student in 2009 needed to study Algebra II over the summer after a concussion forced a reduction in the number of her classes that school year. Prepared her to take the end-of-year cumulative exam.
“Math has always been a struggle for me and after a head injury it was even worse, but [my tutor] changed that completely. She knew exactly how hard to push me and when to back off and with her help I got my highest score ever: an A.” — KGS, Germantown Friends School 2011 graduate
“[The lead tutor] was first recommended to us when our daughter was in middle school, was recovering from a concussion, and needed support with catching up in her math, science, and history classes. [The lead tutor] strives to work in collaboration with school faculty and families and has done so for many years. She knows teaching styles and class content, and provides excellent and supportive instruction that is tailored to the student’s learning style. She is clear, kind, and effective. Working with [the lead tutor] was so helpful for our daughter that she wanted to continue from time to time even after she had recovered from her concussion, which we encouraged. [The lead tutor] not only clarified concepts but also taught organizational skills and strategies for executive function, which was extremely valuable as our daughter’s high-school academic demands increased. She graduated from GFS with top grades, feeling confident about her ability to focus and organize herself to master academic material. Now we are reaching out to [the lead tutor] again, this time to arrange for organizational help and quantitative reasoning enrichment for our middle-school son. This past spring, with all-online instruction, we realized he could use some help getting organized and learning how to approach scheduling and academic timelines more methodically and thoughtfully. We’re grateful that [the lead tutor] is available to work with him and we recommend her highly and without reservation.” — JS and JG, parents of Germantown Friends School 2020 graduate
