Shane Kraus (Independent Contractor)

Introduction: I also teach ACT, SAT, GRE, and TOEFL. In December, I completed my M.A. in English at The University of Southern California with a 4.0 grade point average, and I am currently a PhD student at USC in rhetoric, linguistics and composition. I recently received my Teaching English as a Foreign Language (TEFL) certification with an exceptional distinction in Florence, Italy. In the winter semester of 2010, I was a teaching assistant for USC graduate English Professors John Carlos Rowe, and Gabrielle Pina. Additionally, I’ have taught SAT, GRE and TOEFL preparation with incredible success. These qualifications have led to job offers from three nationally recognized tutoring companies which I have rejected for two reasons: (I) I believe the pedagogical methods these companies advance to be inferior to those I’ have practiced with marked success; (II) I see employment through these companies as financially senseless for my students and for me. My tutoring is about results. I train students to break down the study of English into its constituent parts and attack them systematically. This methodology has been particularly effective in teaching test-taking strategies. I know these tests comprehensively. I know how they’re developed, who writes them, how misdirection is built into their designs and how to avoid it. I know, for example, that the first question on both the SAT and GRE computer adaptive tests (CAT) is the primary score determinant, as it positions a test-taker within a mathematical range that is increasingly difficult to alter with each subsequent question. Further, I’ve developed systems for vocabulary expansion that have proven far superior to methods advanced by Kaplan and The Princeton Review. Strategic, results-oriented tutoring leads to English and test-taking mastery. Students struggling with English often simply need a fresh approach. This is precisely what I offer. I blend patience and compassion with high expectations for my students and myself. I am skilled at helping non-native speakers and beginning students achieve proficiency; and equally capable of taking honors-level students to the distinguished ranks of scholarship and publication. I am happy to provide a list of recommendations, resume, CV, and a list of publications on your request. Thank you for your consideration. Sincerely, Shane Michael Kraus