the one-on-one difference
Our Story
The right tutor can be a life saver for a student with an academic problem, or for those needing relief from school stress. Conversely, the wrong approach can be expensive and may not get the desired results – and there may only be a small window of time for parents to get it right!
The Tutor A Team Founder
Jim Waldman
Tutor A Team was established by Jim Waldman, President and resident of Chesapeake, after 40 years in educational administration and talking to hundreds of school teachers and parents of children/young adults from all grade levels. The common thread in these conversations is that the right tutor can be a life saver for a student with an academic problem, or for those needing relief from school stress. Conversely, the wrong approach can be expensive and may not get the desired results – and there may only be a small window of time for parents to get it right!
Jim often deals with the question of finding the right tutor, both for students who struggle and those who are looking to get ahead. Tutor A Team is not exclusively for the student who is behind in his studies. Many parents request tutoring for their honor roll students who want to exceed expectations, pass their SATs with a high score, and be positioned for a college scholarship at a top-rated college or university – and also as a stress-reliever for the hard working student.
Jim is an Army veteran and proud to collaborate with military families to support their children.
The Tutor A Team Founder
Jim Waldman
Tutor A Team was established by Jim Waldman, President and resident of Chesapeake, after 40 years in educational administration and talking to hundreds of school teachers and parents of children/young adults from all grade levels. The common thread in these conversations is that the right tutor can be a life saver for a student with an academic problem, or for those needing relief from school stress. Conversely, the wrong approach can be expensive and may not get the desired results – and there may only be a small window of time for parents to get it right!
Jim often deals with the question of finding the right tutor, both for students who struggle and those who are looking to get ahead. Tutor A Team is not exclusively for the student who is behind in his studies. Many parents request tutoring for their honor roll students who want to exceed expectations, pass their SATs with a high score, and be positioned for a college scholarship at a top-rated college or university – and also as a stress-reliever for the hard working student.
Jim is an Army veteran and proud to collaborate with military families to support their children.
our team
Members who support our success
tutoring team coordinator
Carter Esch
Dr. Carter Esch, M.Sc., Ph.D., is the Tutoring Team Coordinator and a veteran tutor with Tutor A Team. Carter works with tutors and families to ensure a “just right” fit for the student’s continued success.
She also checks in periodically with families to ensure the student is making progress and address any questions or needs the family may have. Carter is committed to our students and passionate about their growth!
Read Carter’s recent article in Tidewater Family: The Right Tutor
VP, administration
Joan Waldman
Joan Waldman is the Vice President of Tutor A Team and Jim’s wife of 56 years. In addition to taking client phone calls, Joan handles the invoicing of clients and the payments for our tutors.
She is meticulous and hardworking, and has kept the administrative end of Tutor A Team together for many years.
In memory of
Dr Sam Leary
Dr. Sam Leary was a dear friend and colleague who worked to build and support Tutor A Team with Jim.
Sam was a retired principal from Chesapeake City Schools who maintained his passion for education. He was an avid history buff who never stopped learning and teaching. Sam passed away unexpectedly in June of 2019.
His contributions to Tutor A Team are immeasurable, and he is greatly missed.
“Tutoring can be expensive, but it is a necessary expense. The concerned parent understands that the student’s future depends on what happens in his/her school years and, when the approach works, then the money is well spent. It is truly an investment in the student’s future.”
The One-On-One Difference
The vast majority of teachers and parents agree that the best and most accommodating method to provide tutoring to a student is on a one-on-one basis at the kitchen table!
There are many alternatives available to the parent/student, but nothing has proven to work better and be more cost effective than the one-on-one approach without distractions.
Group sessions, even just two, three, or four students with one tutor, can only be truly effective for one of the students at any given time. “Mind-wandering” or lack of relevant material will be a distraction to the other students. In addition, group tutoring rarely leaves time for the tutor to work with the child in an essential area – the homework.
Finding the Right Tutor, Every Time
How does Jim match every child with a tutor suited to his or her individual needs? The decision is based on several factors: the age or grade level of the student, general academic school performance, outside interests, the parents’ availability to assist, and many other factors such as ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, and other learning difficulties.
These issues are generally addressed with the Tutor A Team specialist at the first in-home meeting with the parent(s). Tutor A Team has many tutors who are certified to work with students with a variety of special needs, including those with identified learning disabilities, medical conditions such as ADD/ADHD, those identified as gifted, and those stuck in a cycle of underachievement. Tutor A Team is committed to recommending the RIGHT tutor for your child’s learning needs.
Our Strategy
Begin with Homework
A crucial part of our tutor’s work with your child is to tackle the current homework assignments. If we do great work in our first session but don’t immediately touch the homework, then the student goes back into the classroom without feeling confident that he/she is making progress. With many tutoring services, the student’s homework is set aside in favor of general lessons and review, especially in group settings where the personal time per student is limited.
At Tutor A Team, we take the opposite approach. We start by helping the student tackle current homework, and then we prepare for the work ahead. In our approach, the student returns to the very next class with the homework completed and an understanding of the material. The result of this plan is a relaxed and confident student who is then motivated to move on to the new material with the class.
This is what our happy clients are saying!
Rev Guillread more
Tutor A Team, LLC
serving all Southside communities:
Chesapeake
Virginia Beach
Norfolk
Portsmouth
Suffolk
(757) 630-3044
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