COME AND KNOCK ON OUR DOOR

Come and knock on our door,

We’ve been waiting for you, …

When I thought about welcoming everyone to our new website, this opening line to an 80’s TV show came to mind.

We would like to invite you to check us out. Determine if we would be a good fit for your tutoring needs.

Welcome to this website and blog.

Our first entry will serve as an introductory tool for those of you visiting MyTutorLesson.com for the first time or for returnees who have just discovered our blog.

CREATING THE NAME

Years ago, when Bill was thinking about starting his first business, he knew that he wanted a business name that told the entire story in just a few key words.  That is not as easy as it sounds.

He was reminded of a story a marketing friend told him.  He was handling a new account, and the business name was “Skinny Dip.”   He always took great joy in having people guess what business Skinny Dip was.  Bill’s thought it was an ice cream business.  Others said weight loss or building swimming pools.  Well… at least a pool was somewhat involved in the business venture.  Skinny Dip was actually trying to sell swimwear.

That’s when he realized that most businesses never communicate in their name what they actually do.  Looking at ads he saw:  Express Yourself – in the t-shirt biz; Second Time Around – nope not a marriage counselor, but a thrift store; The Computer Bank – wrong, not a bank or a computer sales organization, but rather a computer repair shop.

Think about it… and start reeling off company names that don’t mean what they say.  Why do people have to be so clever and miss the point?  A business name should describe the business you are in, not make a cute statement.

My Tutor Lesson was born. A name that communicates our love of teaching and providing lessons.

WHO ARE WE?

MyTutorLesson.com is Bill and Mary Lou (nee Hoffman) Patti. We are two teachers who have decided to open our own tutoring site.

Bill teaches classes that involve speaking – public speaking, accent reduction, voice-acting, etc.

Mary Lou teaches math, and she has been accredited from elementary through high school. She can also teach typing and Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint.

A MARRIAGE MADE IN HEAVEN

Bill says, “I met a lovely lady named Mary Lou online.  She, like me, was a teacher

online at TakeLessons and lived only a mile from my house.  It was love at first sight and we married 5 years ago.”

Recently, TakeLessons closed, and we both lost our teaching jobs. We decided it was time to start our own business.  Yes, it is true that some married couples like each other so much, that they want to work together, all the time.

WHERE DID WE GO TO SCHOOL?

Bill graduated from Butler University with a BA in Radio/TV. They have one of the best schools of Communication Arts in the country. He has worked as a radio DJ, a TV announcer, a voice-over talent, an emcee, a copy writer, a professor, and a tutor.

Mary Lou graduated from Indiana University of Pennsylvania. They are the premiere school for training teachers to be teachers. She has taught in public schools, private schools, homeschool, and she has tutored since she was 17 years old.

HOW CAN WE HELP?

Tutoring helps because it provides one-on-one support and instruction. Instead of the teacher’s time being split between 20(, 30, or more) students, the tutor is able to concentrate on one person and can work at that student’s pace.

For some students, it helps to have a different instructor explain a topic in a different manner, in order for them to understand it.

We can help because we can help to build up the student’s confidence and enjoyment of the subject.

Sometimes the student needs someone to spend an hour once or twice a week doing homework with them to motivate them to do their work the rest of the week.

Students who have a tutor, generally score higher in their subjects. Of course, tutoring is not magic, and success is not guaranteed. However, studies (Journal of College Reading and Learning) have shown that student achievement does increase with tutoring.

WHAT ARE OUR MOST POPULAR CLASSES?

Public Speaking                                     5                                          Jim

Bill is engaging, humorous and knowledgeable. I am getting every dollar’s worth of value from our sessions. It feels good to start gaining confidence in my ability to stand before people and try to persuade them to back my candidacy for public office!

Voice Acting                                            5                                          Jillian

Bill’s the best. Wouldn’t work with anyone else.

Accent Reduction                                  5                                         Boris

I’m slowly noticing improvement in my speech. I had a heavy Russian accent and monotonous speech pattern, but under the tutelage of Bill I’m noticing that I’m more easily understood, and my speech is clearer.

Algebra 1                                                  5                                           Tera

Mary Lou has been tutoring my daughter (11th Grade) in a College Algebra Course through the University of Texas, and it has been amazing. The online format works well, and Mary Lou reviews the week’s coursework with her to check for understanding. As a result, her confidence has soared, and she has only had a few lessons.

Geometry                                                5                                           Juan

Mrs. Mary Lou is awesome. My daughter has been receiving tutoring math classes with her for years and she learnt a lot. She improved her grade from C to A. I highly recommend this teacher.

Excel                                                         5                                           Marsha

Ms. Mary Lou is the teacher I always wished for! I started with zero experience in Excel, and after just three sessions, I’m already creating my own spreadsheets. She’s kind, patient, and makes learning fun. If you need help with Excel, do yourself a favor and take lessons with her!

Typing                                                       5                                          Lauren

Always prepared, professional, punctual. Great at sending follow-up emails after each lesson with feedback on my child’s class and homework for the next class.

 

TEACHING STYLE

Our teaching style is laid back and fun.

Mary Lou loves numbers and wants her students to enjoy the time they spend with her.

For Bill, a radio career was his lifelong dream from age 10, even before his voice changed. Now, he brings that experience to you to improve your voice and speech skills.

There are many words that are used to describe “teaching styles.”  The best words to describe either of our styles is student-centered (it’s all about YOU), student-led (this is your time), coached learning. We will guide you to do it right and then cheer like crazy when you can do it on your own.

Mostly, Mary Lou uses the EDGE method of teaching.  EDGE stands for Explain, Demonstrate, Guide, and Enable.  she will give examples as she explains how and why you are doing the current topic in the math course.  She will guide you through doing it yourself.  Then cheer you on as you do it yourself.  She also loves to provide “what’s wrong” type of questions.  When you can find the error, you truly understand the concept!

Bill uses carefully planned lessons that instruct, explain, and practice concepts with his students. The advantages of this style include active learning, real-world application, and the utilization of multiple senses to engage students.

As you can see, Mary Lou and Bill like to employ many different methods.  Sometimes a lecture is the only way.  Sometimes, giving examples until the student says “OH, I get it!”  Sometimes, sneaking up on the concept and you didn’t even know you were learning something new by doing something old.  Doesn’t all of that sound like fun?

WHERE DO YOU PICTURE YOURSELF IN 5 YEARS

We hope our website will be a window into your future.  It’s a chance for you to grow as a person and as a student.

Knowledge is the key to success, and we hope to share all of ours with you…if you will allow us.  It’s been a satisfying and pleasant journey so far.

Let’s make some memories that will give you a chance for success in your future business and personal endeavors by signing up for classes here.

Contact us and let us help you choose the course and schedule that best fits your schedule and budget.

WE ARE WAITING TO MEET YOU!

So, come and knock on our door,

We are waiting for you.