10 Little-Known Contributions by Women in History
When you have misperceptions of history, you may in turn develop skewed perspectives of your potential—for instance, in regards to what women can achieve. Because, really, we look to those who came before us when [...]
Energizing Study Snacks for Students
Happy National Nutrition Awareness Month! Often, when life gets hectic, we forget about the basics. For students, work can quickly become overwhelming as it starts to pile up—this tends to happen around midterms and finals week. [...]
Why are Schools Built for Extroverts?
Think about any of the classes you’ve ever taken in school. Like most classes, they probably involved a good amount of speaking—sharing opinions, asking questions, and raising concerns. In your classes, would everyone speak the [...]
Marvelous Women in STEM: Victims of the Matilda Effect
As a child, your mind is initially a blank slate. But as you mature, you gain insight into how certain men and women fit into different compartments of society, which is partially based on the [...]
Underpaid Teachers: A Critical Issue in Education
We tend to really remember our teachers. But not in a vague, oh, that person was pretty cool, sorta way. No, they make long-lasting impressions. As young students, we're very impressionable. And our teachers are [...]
Gladys West’s Contributions to the GPS
When you search on Google, “Who invented the GPS?” three male names come up. But in reality, there was much more to the story. Gladys West: a hidden figure in the making of the GPS [...]
Tips for Students Trying to Find Their Passion
“Passion” seems to be something to which we attach great importance. And evidently, when you feel like you don’t have one, having that passion may seem even more important. You always hear that the true [...]
10 Mistakes to Avoid While Budgeting as a Student
For college students, for whom fun opportunities seem endless, budgeting may not be a priority. Unfortunately, lots of these fun opportunities cost money. It can be very tempting to sign up for all the clubs, attend [...]
My Private Professor Launches Partnership With Illumination Foundation
Jan. 30, 2023 My Private Professor Launches Free Tutoring Initiative to Support Students Experiencing Homelessness at Illumination Foundation. My Private Professor (MPP) has launched an initiative to provide free tutoring to youth supported by Illumination [...]
Why is Recess so Important for Students?
Did you know that, since 2001, the average weekly recess duration has declined by 60 minutes? Meanwhile, only nine states currently require that schools provide daily recess. Why recess duration has been on the decline [...]
What is Genius Hour and How Does it Benefit Students?
Have you ever been so entirely immersed in something that, when you finish, it’s hard to believe that any time has gone by? Maybe it was a book, a movie, a project, or a lecture? When [...]
101 Tips to Improve Your Writing
Writing can seem like a waiting game. That is, when you’re waiting and waiting for the words to flow. Nevertheless, you can’t simply wait; the words won’t just happen. So rather than thinking of good writing [...]
How Does Healthy Eating Impact Academic Success?
Although first and foremost, we think of schools as institutions that mold students academically, schools also can and should empower students to develop healthy eating habits. In doing so, schools can help students to reach [...]
2023 Reading List for Students
Sometimes, as much as you may try, life can get in the way of our most beloved pastimes—like reading. The beginning of the new year, when you're making all your resolutions, this is a great time [...]
Should Schools Implement Mindfulness?
Mindfulness—is it something, like setting multiple alarms, that students should practice daily? Although mindfulness may seem like a fad that’s rooted in pseudoscience and the school of pop psychology, research says otherwise. What is mindfulness? [...]
Can Music Therapy Help Students With Autism?
Music, like the desire to attend Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour, is powerful. It can pump you up before your quarterly presentation, it can help you mourn a break-up, and it can unite your family when [...]
Why is Gratitude Important?
Thanksgiving, like most holidays, is one of those occasions where you might be really excited—or completely overwhelmed. Or maybe—both. Maybe you spend it with your family; maybe you spend it with your cat; or maybe you [...]
Much Ado About Book Bans
I keep reading about book bans—and significantly, the massive number that has occurred over the last year. Throughout my years in elementary through high school, I don't really remember ever hearing, to this extent, about [...]
Discussing Privilege in School
For a long time, I was trying to think of an article topic based on my personal experience in school. I was searching my mind. I was trying too hard, I think. I kept trying to [...]
Reframing the College Admissions Essay
The college essay. AKA, a huge weight on your shoulders. When you’re at this stage in your academic journey, you may feel all sorts of pressures. Pressure from yourself, your teachers, your parents, your advisor. And [...]
Writer’s Block? 100 Prompts to Jumpstart your Brain
With writer’s block, trying to get the words flowing can be harder than single-handedly putting a fitted sheet on the bed. Writer's Block: Foe Whether you’re writing a poem or trying to come up with an [...]
The Quest for Lifelong Learning
“Learn as if you were to live forever,” Mahatma Gandhi encouraged. While this might strike you as deep and heartfelt upon first reading, you’ll certainly think differently from time to time. For instance, when you've finally [...]
Can Exercise Affect Student Outcomes?
“Mind-body-soul”: we’ve all heard someone talk about this trifecta—probably someone who seems to have it all figured out. Maybe that one friend who sticks to their strict exercise regimen weekly? Most of us have heard it [...]
25 Historically-Accurate Movies for Students
Have you ever tried watching an educational movie to dive deeper into an A.P. History lesson? Although you might associate movies with your comfy-cozy chill time, you can also use them to prepare for your APUSH [...]
Is E-Learning Ideal for Introverts?
Calling all introverts! This one’s for you. In her TED Talk, ‘The power of introverts,’ Susan Cain notes that major institutions—schools, workplaces—are designed for extroverts. And she might be onto something. These institutions typically require ample [...]
5 Ways Music Plays a Valuable Role in Education
While you and your friends might have completely different music preferences, there’s one thing you probably have in common: music can ignite strong responses in all of you. It’s pretty much universal that this art form [...]
10 (Fun!) Ways to Avoid the Summer Slide
Slides are fun—except when you’re dealing with the summer slide. When summer rolls around, students are thrilled to have more time to get outside, play with friends, and just be free. Plus, you may have a [...]
Pratham Launches College Ambassador Program with My Private Professor
Pratham is thrilled to partner with My Private Professor (MPP) to provide a unique opportunity for exceptional college students to offer critical educational support and give back in a meaningful way. Pratham is one of the [...]
How to Stop Procrastinating
Author: Tiffany W. If you’re anything like me, fighting procrastination is a never-ending uphill battle—an almost Sisyphean task. It’s far too easy to pick up my phone and scroll through social media. Or, wander into the [...]
Social-Emotional Learning in Education: Friend or Foe?
Social-emotional learning is kind of like matcha. You hear about it, you notice it on your social media feed, and for a while, you think it’s just another trend. But later, you realize that the hype [...]
10 (FREE) College Prep Websites
College prep can feel like an endless task. One day you stumble upon a school that seems like a dream come true, and the next day you find its rival—which also seems pretty great. It’s seemingly [...]
How our Collective Declining Focus Affects Academic Performance
Throughout the past decade or so, the collective focus within the U.S. has been rapidly declining. Research shows that—shockingly—the average attention span is down from 12 seconds in 2000 to eight seconds in 2015. Nowadays, it’s [...]
Paper vs. Digital: A Student Debacle
Remember when you’d look up from your exam, wondering if anyone else’s hand was close to falling off? Fortunately (or maybe unfortunately), note-taking related pain is a thing of the past for many students. It’s now [...]
5 Studying Habits to Adopt
When you are countless hours into studying, it’s important to stay mindful of your health. Extended periods of screen time, sitting for hours, and focusing on just one thing can be more damaging than you may [...]
A Growth Mindset Can Boost Student Performance
When you hear “growth mindset”, you may roll your eyes and tune out. After all, you weren’t looking for the after-school special. In reality, though, this tool could change how you think about yourself, how you [...]
Coding: Math or Language?
When you think about coding or computer science, what comes to mind? Do you automatically go to math? Or do you tend to think about coding as a language? I’m guessing it's probably the former. If [...]
Classroom Management Techniques for Teachers
When you’re in charge of a classroom, it’s important to update, revamp, and modify your classroom management techniques. Actively taking charge and crafting the learning environment to cater to your students' needs will allow you to [...]
A Study on Using Online Tutoring to Reduce Learning Losses
A recent pilot study by Matthew Kraft—a Brown University Professor—shows promising potential around utilizing online tutoring to reverse pandemic learning losses and provide more accessible educational resources. Supporting students with supplemental academic resources is critical—now more [...]
Math and Literature Integrated: An Alternative Teaching Approach
You might be thinking, math and literature? Together? As educational spaces continue to evolve, it’s crucial to nurture areas where students need support. And an overarching belief is that one of these major areas is math. [...]
10 Educational Podcasts to Listen to Now
A useful product of modern technology, podcasts are excellent learning tools for students and educators. There's always a vast range of topics to choose from, you can listen to them on-the-go, and they can provide you [...]
Tricks for Mastering Fractions
Fractions are difficult—and this type of unit, similarly to most in math, usually just builds on itself. This means that if you don’t address your confusions right away, you might find that even after you move [...]
Expert Study Methods
Maintaining good study habits can be difficult—especially when you really would rather be doing, well, anything else. It can be frustrating to continue trying to retain information and then just finding yourself burnt out. We’ve all been [...]
Handy Tips for Tackling Homework
As the school year gets busier, completing all your homework assignments on time can be challenging. Plus, if you—like many students—still feel residual pandemic-related learning losses, you might feel like you’re drowning in homework and concepts [...]
Top 10 Studying Apps for Students
With all the advanced features of modern technology, there’s a multitude of apps available to help students study. If you’re a student struggling to effectively study and nail down those conjugations or memorize the periodic table, these apps [...]
Investigating Bullying in School
In 2014, the CDC and Department of Education published the first federal definition of bullying. This definition contains three key components: Unwelcome aggressive behavior Observed or perceived power disparity Repetition or high chance of repeated behaviors [...]
7 Ted Talks for Students
For all you students who feel like you’re in a rut, or simply bored of homework, Ted Talks are great educational resources. These videos can help you find some inspiration, insight, or just new knowledge. Or [...]
How to Pick Your Online Tutor
So you’re finally ready to work with an online tutor! Unlike in-person tutoring, with online tutoring, you may never actually meet the tutor face-to-face. And as we know, humans communicate largely through nonverbal communication (nonverbal cues). [...]
Zoom Fatigue: Covid-19’s Gift
Zoom fatigue is real. While you might be sick and tired of hearing “Zoom”, “virtual”, “remote”, and so on, people are still trying to figure out the whole work-from-home thing. Many people are still struggling to [...]
ACT vs. SAT: Which to Take?
When your high school years are coming to a close and you’re ready to hit the ground running, you may have to push through one more task before applying to college: making the decision of taking [...]
How to Identify Your Learning Style
Have you ever sat in class feeling as though you were paying attention, only to later realize that the information didn't stick? If you’re a student, I’m sure you have, since we're all only human—but if [...]
Dear College Students: Go Outside!
It's one of those beautiful spring days, and you feel like you should be outside in the sun, tanning and enjoying the day. If you’re a college student, going outside may not always seem like an [...]
Math Anxiety: Subtract It!
While students face challenges all sorts of areas, math, particularly, poses somewhat greater difficulties: introducing math anxiety. Among all ages, backgrounds, and skill-levels, students suffer from “math anxiety”, the angst and physiological reactions that math can [...]
Pandemic Learning Losses: Consequences for Students
Over the last two years, the global pandemic has resulted in changes in nearly every aspect of life. So it's time to recover. In many cases, pandemic consequences have been losses. One of the most prevalent [...]
6 Tips for Nailing Your College Interview
While the college interview can feel looming, everything is temporary, and you will get through it. Although some students grimace at the thought of writing the college admissions essay, others dread the interview. An interview can [...]
How to Write a Polished Thesis Statement
Thesis statements can be a challenge when students aren't sure how to get started or what "a strong thesis statement" even entails. Fully grasping the thesis statement is a great way to get one step closer [...]
4 Energy-Boosting Alternatives to Coffee
Opting for something other than your hazelnut oat latte might seem like a laugh, but you'll never know until you try! If you’re struggling to make it through finals week, or simply trying to get through [...]
Seasonal Affective Disorder and COVID-19: Double Whammy
With the cold winter months upon us, let’s take a minute to think about mental health. Introducing seasonal affective disorder, which, unbeknownst to you, might be the source of your current mental or emotional state. [...]
Critical Race Theory in Education
Critical race theory (CRT), as a discussion topic, has been erupting in the past couple of years. Perhaps this is in part due to social and political changes that have occurred. Additionally, it's likely a product [...]
Online Teaching Tips
Online teaching: (kind of) the new normal Online teaching is weird. Let’s face it—for many of us, sitting in front of a screen all day, everyday, is not ideal. Whether you’re becoming an online tutor, teaching [...]
Homeschooling: Pros and Cons
Homeschooling is no new concept, but with mounting concerns around Covid-19, it may be more on parents’ radars than ever. In the past, people have believed that homeschooled kids don’t receive proper education. But as life [...]
Tips for Living With Roommates
It’s a big change to go from living in a room by yourself, in the comforts of your own home, to waking up to another person next to you every day. However, having a roommate is [...]
Essay Writing Guide
Writing essay after essay can feel redundant–and if you don’t enjoy the process, it's not only redundant, but downright unenjoyable. Particularly when you don't feel positively about any given subject, seeking help may seem brutal. But [...]
Holiday Reading List for Students
Whether you’re a sucker for fantasy, fiction, or mystery, this reading list has it all. With the holidays coming around, lots of us look forward to a relaxing break in our busy lives. Have you been [...]
How to Beat Burnout
What is burnout? If you’ve ever put all of your energy into work, or school, or anything, maybe you've experienced something called burnout. Burnout is the product of excessive and enduring stress that can arise [...]
How to Become an Online Tutor
Many students are taking to online tutoring in an effort to battle covid-19’s challenges. Online tutoring—which offers both students and tutors the opportunity to work from home—is surging. And its impacts are significant. Studies demonstrate that tutoring [...]
Remote Work: 7 Tips for Focusing
Remote work, for some of us, is the new normal. For some people, this is a dream come true: you can work in your sweats, customize your office, and there’s no daily commute. For others, not [...]
Are Educators Stifling Creativity?
If this past year brought us anything, it showed us that the world can drastically change before our eyes–and we need to be ready. Creativity is key here—how we cope and think of ways to thrive [...]
Giving Back This Thanksgiving
Thanksgiving. I think of hours spent over a turkey (which, in reality, we never finish). I think of my Grandma drinking (maybe one too many glasses of) champagne like a pro. I think of mashing potatoes [...]
Meal Prep for The School Week
Life can get super busy, and it can often seem like there’s not nearly enough time for everything—like meal prep. For both parents and students, the school week can get hectic, and many of us prioritize [...]
Finals Week: How to Get Through
Let’s be real: who enjoys finals? It can feel like a never-ending week where all you want to do is slow down, relax, and take a big fat nap. And studying can seem like a nightmare. [...]
Ser and Estar: Mastering Spanish Conjugations
Ser and estar: a classically challenging plight for Spanish learners. Conjugations can be difficult, and ser vs. estar is a particularly hard one. That is, the two verbs seem to overlap, but ~technically~ always have some—at [...]
How to Reduce Test Anxiety
You studied all night–no, you studied all week–going over and over each geometric formula and drilling the characteristics of each shape into your brain. As soon as you wake up, though, you’re flooded with fear and [...]
How Does Social Media Use Affect Academic Performance?
You’re at your desk with a fresh cup of coffee, ready to get cracking on the long–and fascinating, as your teacher put it–physics worksheet. Oh, and it's due bright and early the next day—you've got a [...]
Welcome Back to School, Friends!
By Sona Shah, MPP's Chief Empowerment Officer As I joined the last-minute frenzy of frantic parents & children snatching up the few remaining backpacks & binders left in the Target "Back to School" aisles, I couldn’t [...]
Tutor Spotlight: Matthew I – University of California, Irvine
Interviewed by: Cassidy, Administrative Liaison at My Private Professor Meet our amazing tutor, Matthew I., and learn about what got him into tutoring, how he feels about the challenges facing education, and some tips on how [...]
The 5 Paragraph Essay Crash Course
It’s 9:50 PM and your final, 1,000-word essay is due at midnight. You already know what you want to write about, but where do you start? How are you supposed to even reach 1,000 words? [...]
How to Solve 3rd and 4th Grade Word Problems
When students reach 3rd and 4th grade level math, they will begin to learn multiplication and division, two of the most essential mathematical operations. Students will also learn how to use these operations for learning other [...]
I Am Not Throwin’ Away My Shot
“Let me get this straight. You gave up your career as a lawyer to tutor kids?” “You cannot focus on giving back until you’ve made enough money first.” “This will never work.” Add a quizzical look, [...]
How to Solve 5th and 6th Grade Word Problems
As students hurriedly attempt to finish their assignments or exams, students can make some crucial mistakes due to misinterpretations. For example, students may have calculated the volume of a beach ball instead of its surface area [...]
Office Hours: An Interview with Dr. Segun Gbadegesin
By Seyi K., MPP Tutor Professor Segun Gbadegesin was positioned in the Department of Philosophy at Howard University from 1992 through 2016, when he retired. He has always been dedicated to the growth and significant development [...]
Tips for Writing Persuasive Essays
By Seyi K., MPP Tutor Persuasive essays are an essential literacy skill that can be the difference between success and failure in a wide variety of fields. When I was in high school, my mind was [...]
Navigating Disability Accommodations in College
By Karly B., MPP Tutor You’ve made it to college. Congratulations! Starting college is a big accomplishment and shouldn’t be taken lightly. Maybe you think that you can navigate college without the disability support you received [...]
College Conundrums: Should College Seniors Apply for MA or PhD Programs?
By Karly B., MPP Tutor You’ve made it to senior year and decided that you want to go to graduate school, but should you apply for MA programs? PhD? Both? MA and PhD programs present some [...]
Get to Know the ACT Essay
By Tiffany W., MPP Tutor So you've decided to take the ACT. After making your way through the English, science, mathematics, and reading sections of the exam, you've still got one more hurdle to jump over: [...]
Pandemic College Admissions and Equitable Approaches to College Admissions
By Karly B., MPP Tutor Test-optional or test-blind? These two terms appear frequently in discussions surrounding college admissions during the pandemic. What’s the difference between them and what are the implications for college applicants this year? [...]
Five Tutoring Strategies to Increase Relevance in Online Learning
By Karly B., MPP Tutor Imagine being thrown into a foreign country where you don’t understand the language or culture. You don’t know how to ask for food or where to get local currency. You find [...]
5 Great Books For Young Adults
By Seyi K., MPP Tutor Reading is essential in the development of any person’s psychological, academic and emotional development. I became an avid reader in middle school and it quickly became one of my hobbies. When [...]
Demystifying the Essay Writing Process
By Tiffany W. Sometimes essay writing is just really hard, okay? And I say this as someone who writes and teaches writing for a living. I wish I could tell you that there’s a magic trick [...]
Should School Be Year-Round?
By Katherine McCarthy, When kids think of summer, one of the first things that often comes to their mind is the absence of school. Summer is associated with warm weather, beach days, picnics and of course [...]
Battling COVID-19 as a College Student
By Seyi Kaja-Gbadegesin, MPP Tutor When I first heard about COVID-19, it was certainly not something to which I was giving much attention. Hey, it was seemingly causing some serious issues in China, but it would [...]
Top 5 Most Useful Apps to Gain Knowledge During the Pandemic: A Student’s Perspective
By Sophie, MPP Student Staff Writer We all know that in order to learn efficiently, it is helpful to make learning fun. Now apps are the epitome of making learning fun and easy for kids. Now [...]
I need to do better. We need to do better.
My heart is heavy. I have found myself at a loss for words. Words do not do justice to describe the injustice. From the horrific murders of Breonna Taylor, George Floyd, Ahmaud Arbery, & so many [...]
8 Steps For Mastering A Foreign Language
At My Private Professor, we receive many requests for students seeking one-on-one tutoring for foreign languages such as Spanish, French, and Mandarin. We meet students where they are. Whether you're starting in French 1 or trying [...]
Crushing The College Admission Essay
When I was applying to New York University’s dramatic writing program, I knew that the essay portion of my application would be especially important. My submitted pieces would be read by amazing writers who would determine [...]
The Best Way To Support Our Students? Support Their Teachers
Our children spend approximately 180 days a year under the stewardship of their teachers. In California, students spend an average of 5-7 hours every weekday in school. During this time, we entrust teachers to nurture our [...]
8 Bombshell Changes For The SAT, ACT, & College Admissions
Dear high school students & parents, we are in the midst of uncharted terrain right now when it comes to schools closing, remote learning, & planning ahead for college. But there’s no need to light any [...]
Top 7 Things You Need To Know About AP Exams This Year
1. Are the APs still on this year? Yup, the APs are still on. Although schools have been closed across the country (many for the rest of the year), the AP exams will still be administered [...]
Algebra, Rainbows & Parmesan
One week into helping my children navigate remote learning with their respective schools while simultaneously trying to coordinate free online tutoring sessions to help students while schools are closed, I found a moment to hit pause [...]
We had a Dino-Mite Time Supporting TPSF at the Dino Dash
We appreciate every one of the over 250 people who stopped by our booth to play games & win prizes with us at the Tustin Public Schools Foundation Dino Dash. What a fun way to support [...]
Our Grants for Teachers Challenge raised $10,000 in funding for innovative programs!
Earlier this year, My Private Professor kicked off a Grants for Teachers Challenge in which we matched all funds raised by the Tustin Public Schools Foundation for two weeks to support innovative grants for teachers in [...]
50 Hours of Tutoring Sponsored to Help Homeless Children in Southern California
We are pleased to sponsor 50 hours of tutoring to homeless youth through the nonprofit Schools on Wheels this year. School on Wheels provides academic tutoring to children living in shelters, motels, cars, group foster homes [...]
My Private Professor Supports the College Bound program at Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast
My Private Professor is delighted to support the Boys & Girls Clubs of Central Orange Coast & its College Bound program, which prepares children for high school graduation, college enrollment and successful adulthood through daily academic [...]
Over 30 Hours of Tutoring Donated to Learn to Be Foundation
My Private Professor is happy to support over 30 hours of tutoring last month for underserved students through the nonprofit Learn to Be Foundation. www.learntobe.org.
28 Mentoring Hours Donated to CollegeSpring
My Private Professor is pleased to share that our donations have covered 28 mentoring hours for students through the nonprofit CollegeSpring, a national nonprofit that gives students from low-income backgrounds the academic skills and mentoring they [...]
Houston, We Have a Problem
Think you've got what it takes to nail this official LSAT problem? Post your answer on our Facebook page for a chance to win $10 off your next tutoring session. Letter to the editor: Sites are [...]
Your One-on-One Sessions Now Have an Even Greater Impact
We are excited to announce that, starting March 1, for every hour of tutoring that we provide, we will make a donation in support of academic resources for underserved youth. Since its inception, My Private Professor [...]
3 Essential Facts to Make you a Pro On Your Child’s Testing that You Didn’t Know
If you are noticing that your student has a new spring in his/her step this week, chances are it’s because your student has just finished, or is about to finish, the marathon of testing that has [...]
Testimonials
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This tutoring has been the best gift I could receive. My daughter was struggling in math that we both were getting frustrated. As a single mom is not easy for me to work and take care of all my responsibilities, so to have access to this benefit is the greatest thing for us. I can tell you that my daughter is in Honor Roll and is doing much much better in math.
Many thanks to My Private Professor for the excellent tutoring and college app and essay help.
Totally rocking all the questions in class. Thanks, My Private Professor!
Thanks a million to My Private Professor because seriously without you I wouldn’t have been able to achieve the 96th percentile, and just a few sessions helped me to become a better logical thinker and writer.
The experience with My Private Professor has been a total pleasure from a parent’s perspective. The tutor’s patience, command of the subject matter, and overall demeanor made the sessions a total success!
My tutor targeted my areas of weakness and was patient and thorough in explaining how to address the problems. Thanks to My Private Professor’s help, I saw an 11 point improvement on the actual exam!
After working with My Private Professor for a little over a month, my confidence level soared and I found myself making a 10-point jump. I would recommend My Private Professor because they can definitely help you overcome your test anxiety and much, much more!
My tutor was familiar with the material, prepared to answer any questions I had, and remained patient through difficult and tedious problems. I 100% recommend My Private Professor.
My Private Professor made it clear that if I did not like my tutor’s style of tutoring, they would help me find another tutor. However, that was not needed because my tutor was amazing.
My tutor far surpassed my expectations. If you are looking for a genuine and knowledgeable tutor, then I recommend My Private Professor for you.
By the end of our sessions, my tutor had turned my greatest weakness into my greatest strength! I will be forever grateful to My Private Professor and their dedication to my success.