The Math Astronaut: Laila Alieh

28 photos

Customers rated this pro highly for work quality, professionalism, and responsiveness.

Read reviews that mention:

• schools・11

• son・11

• daughter・11

• college・9

• communicated・3

• universities・2

• guiding・1

• prompts・1

---

Hannah M.

Aug 11, 2022

·

Hired on Thumbtack

Hired on Thumbtack

Working with Laila was exactly what we needed to help my niece sharpen her math skills! She loved when she got to meet with Laila and always felt so excited about math afterward. She feels ready and excited about going into math class this year and that is a priceless feeling for her and her parents! We couldn't recommend the Math Astronaut enough! She builds confidence and skill in her students and has great connection with them. Laila's services cannot be beat, she whelps the students, communicates with the parents, and provides resources as needed. We will definitely be back!

Details: High school • Pre-algebra • Algebra • 18 - 25 years old • Improve grades at school • Once a week • Remotely (phone or internet)

The Math Astronaut: Laila Alieh's reply

Thank you so much Hannah for your lovely review. I’m so touched. I have enjoyed working with your niece so much. She is a star math astronaut!!!

Math Tutoring

Suzanne R.

Aug 11, 2021

·

Hired on Thumbtack

Hired on Thumbtack

Our daughter was taking Honors Algebra when she started her sophomore year in high school (Fall 2020 semester). School started in late Aug 2020 and in October 2020 her grades were falling in Honors Algebra. She is a straight A student and in private school. She informed us that she received a C-/D+ on her last exam. She was devastated. We discovered that her Honors Algebra teacher only taught using videos. She had a hybrid schedule (two days on campus, two days remote learning). When she was in class, the teacher would only lecture if there were questions. Otherwise, the teacher made them watch the lecture videos in class…horrible! I immediately searched for an online math tutor and found Laila. We were impressed by Laila’s educational background and NASA work experience. We scheduled an ice breaker session (pricey but so worth it) which Laila, my daughter and I discussed the math challenge and the goal to get her grade up to a B/A by end of semester. I immediately sensed a great vibe from her, so did my daughter and husband. She is very energetic and passionate in what she does. She has a positive mind set and she makes it fun to learn math. She is one of those people that when you talk to her, you can feel the positive energy around you, and it is contagious. We felt very comfortable talking to her. She is very easy going, warm, caring and professional. She takes great pride in her work and really wants her students to learn math. She strives to get the goals achieved. With us, the goal was to get our daughter’s grade up to a B/A by end of semester in December. We basically had two months to do damage control and get her grades up. At first, we were concerned that she was three hours ahead from our time zone, but she was able to cater to our time zone schedule. It was a blessing finding Laila!!! She was able to help our daughter build some math foundation she lacked. Laila was able to build and gain our daughter’s confidence back and she was able to finish her Fall semester with a B+. We continued our math sessions with Laila Spring 2021. By this time, our daughter was in full time remote learning and finished with an A in her class. We can go on and on about how great Laila is. We LOVE her! She coaches 3rd grade up to college. After our daughter finished her sophomore and ended our sessions with Laila, we ended up hiring Laila for the summer for our soon to be 6th grade son. The goal was to enhance his math skills and be ready for 6th grade since he has been remote learning since March 2020. Again, she has helped our son gain confidence and speed in doing his math problems. Our son too got along very well with Laila. Her positive energy just makes math learning more fun and not a chore. We will definitely hire her again for any future assistance for our children. Laila is pricey, no doubt. However, you get what you pay for. Her quality of work is so worth it. If you are looking for a QUALITY math coach, look no further, Laila is worth the investment.

Details: High school • Algebra • Trigonometry • 14 - 17 years old • Improve grades at school • Learn new topics and techniques • Once a week • Remotely (phone or internet)

The Math Astronaut: Laila Alieh's reply

Suzanne!! I absolutely love your review and how honest you were. I appreciate your being 100% genuine and authentic about your experience. I’m so happy to read this review. I hope the investment made towards your children’s education working with me will level up to many years of success. Your daughter has excelled a lot and so has your son. They are ready to flourish and take on the world! One digital and number at a time!!!

Math Tutoring

Octavian M.

Jul 29, 2021

·

Hired on Thumbtack

Hired on Thumbtack

Laila is a wonderful and patient person. She is absolutely who you want to grow your childs confidence in math. I will continue to use her going forward until he graduates and in college

Details: High school • Arithmetic / general • Pre-algebra • Algebra • 14 - 17 years old • Improve grades at school • Once a week • My home, venue, etc. • Remotely (phone or internet)

The Math Astronaut: Laila Alieh's reply

Thank you so much Octavian for your lovely feedback! It’s been a pleasure so far supporting your nephew as he transitions into high school. I really appreciate your kindness and trust. Your nephew has so much potential. I’m actually excited for him as he desires to become an electrical engineer. I love it!!!!!

Math Tutoring

Bryan B.

Mar 31, 2022

·

Hired on Thumbtack

Hired on Thumbtack

March 12, 2022 My name is Bryan Benton, and it is with gratitude and sincere appreciation that I share my incredible experience with Laila Rahmatian, as she was my math coach for approximately the last 15 weeks. For context, I spent most of my professional career in the pharmaceutical and diagnostic industry but had transitioned to being a Leadership Instructor at a Military middle school in Jacksonville, Florida. Part of the requirements for certification in the State of Florida was for me to pass four parts to a General Knowledge Test. I was fortunate enough to pass the first 3 parts to the General Knowledge Test on the first try; however, it became apparent while taking the math portion that I was going to need help as it had been many decades since I had done the math required to pass the test. As I began my search for someone to help me with me with my math testing, I had set a goal of 6 months to complete this section. I felt this gave me time to study and to re-take the test several times if necessary. The biggest challenge I had going into this was that I needed someone that I could trust and be there for me when frustration set in. I knew this wasn’t going to be easy and would test my resolve, but I wanted someone who would really be a partner and not just my tutor. The working relationship, I felt, would be the key to my level of motivation and I wanted to feel some level of connection with the person. Aside from having a proper level of rapport with the tutor, there were several other things I wanted from a math coach/tutor. First, I wanted a professional. I did not want someone doing this part-time or as a hobby. I have always believed in looking for the best talent when you have something important you need accomplished. Second, I wanted someone with a strong background in my area and had a track record of helping clients like me. Having not done this math for many years, I knew there would be moments where I would have to admit, with some level of embarrassment, that I really didn’t know things – even though I probably should have. Finding someone with the right temperament to handle these moments was paramount. Finally, I wanted someone invested in my success and on my timeline. Speed was important and, if I was willing to put in the work, I wanted someone alongside during the process. I searched for several days beginning with friends locally and then looking at on-line tutors. I came across Laila’s contact information and read about her background with NASA and the diversity of clients she had. I was intrigued and contacted her to see if she could help me. I was impressed with her follow-up and the questions she asked me during our initial phone call. I could tell right away that her primary goal was understanding what my needs were and if she could help me or not. This was counter to several others that I talked to who only wanted me to buy or schedule lessons in bulk and ahead of time. As we started to work together the first few times (online/virtual), there were several things that stood out and made me confident that Laila was the perfect choice: • She was always on-time and prepared. Most of the time, she was more prepared than I was. My take-away was that if she was going to be this prepared, then I was going to have to match her level of preparation and it ended up helping with my own personal accountability to complete tasks/assignments/homework. • Her first step was to assess my level of proficiency and, once complete, we developed a plan of action with agreed upon materials to ensure that I was prepared for my next test date. • We set up short-term benchmarks to gauge how I was doing with the material and, whether review was needed or not. • She gave me homework and practice tests based on prior lessons and graded it for me. When the next call was scheduled, we would review and go step by step so she could understand my thought process and where the mistake was. • She had the ability to remain focused on the objectives and timeline without losing sight of the timeline. If I needed extra sessions to review, she would do her best to make herself available. • From a purely math perspective, it might have been the first time in my life that I truly understood some concepts. I went through 30+ years in the professional world not using or caring about PEMDAS, SLOPE-INTERCEPT, or FUNCTIONS, but she truly helped me to understand these areas. • There were many “Ah-Ha” moments for me, and I gained more confidence after each lesson. I had fun completing homework assignments because I finally understood how to do it. I even started helping some of my 7th grade students with their homework. I understood their frustration and felt like I could help them based on what and how I was being taught. • Personal Interactions: I felt like I got to know Laila as a person and that she wanted to know me as a person as well. She was 100% invested in my success and she took my progress personally. I was not just a client to her and that made a tremendous amount of difference when the moments of fatigue and frustration set in. She was right person for me in those moments and helped me move forward. In summary, I ended up passing my test several months quicker than originally scheduled. Laila was with me every step of the way with words of encouragement and instilling confidence in me that I could do this. When I shared with her my Passing Score, she was so excited and proud of what we had accomplished together. I could not have been blessed with a better person to help me through this period. If you are looking for a true professional and one that has the wisdom and skills to help you succeed, then I would wholeheartedly recommend Laila. You will not be disappointed. She is absolutely the best. Give her an opportunity to speak with you about how she can help you be more successful, and you will come to the same conclusion I did … that you won’t find anyone any better. Sincerely, Bryan Benton Bryanbenton123@comcast.net

Details: Undergraduate school • Geometry • Pre-algebra • Algebra • 45 - 64 years old • As recommended by teacher • At the pro’s location • My home, venue, etc. • Remotely (phone or internet)

The Math Astronaut: Laila Alieh's reply

Thank you Bryan for your lovely review. It was so touching and I am so proud to have supported you in passing your test and seeing you help the next generation.

Math Tutoring

Liza D.

Jan 26, 2022

·

Hired on Thumbtack

Hired on Thumbtack

Mrs Laila has been a tremendous gift to our family and helping our daughter Layla overcome her obstacles in math. She continuously exceeds our expectations and takes time to understand Layla as a person to tailor her lessons to her unique learning style. Would definitely recommend her to meet your math needs.

Details: Middle school • Arithmetic / general • Pre-algebra • 10 - 13 years old • Improve grades at school • Learn new topics and techniques • Once a week • Remotely (phone or internet) • My home, venue, etc. • At the pro’s location

The Math Astronaut: Laila Alieh's reply

Thank you Liza for your sweet words. It’s an honor to be able to support your daughter. Just seeing her blossom from not knowing math to entering honor Pre AP Math has been incredible!

Math Tutoring

FAQs

• What should the customer know about your pricing (e.g., discounts, fees)?

  My regular price is very fair given my background and understanding of where the student is in their level. I use to struggle with math and had to get a tutor to be where I am today and get my dream job at NASA. I do require to have a consultation with my student in person and online before we can discuss next steps. My initial meeting with the student is longer and will not over charge so the student gets to know who I am and we get a chance to learn each other's personality. Once we realize we can work together we can move forward.

• What is your typical process for working with a new customer?

  1. I do an initial consultation and go over the students work and areas of difficulty to ensure I know the subject 2. Then we review the students lesson plans 3. Go over a couple math examples slowly, breakdown the problems into sections to help the student dissect and gain a better understanding of the problem. 4. Finally I have the student workout the problem alone and I have them talk it through with me.

• What education and/or training do you have that relates to your work?

  I'm an engineer. I got my Bachelors in Civil Engineering from Purdue University and a Masters in Mechanical Engineering from Portland State. I worked for NASA Kennedy Space Center for 4 years. I have passed me Fundamentals of Engineering Exam and am now an entrepreneur.