PrepNow Tutor - Carla J.
Carla has experience working with students of all ages and in various settings, from public and private schools to nonprofit organizations and universities. She has led writing workshops all over New York City and has edited three children’s books. She’s well-versed in a host of standardized tests like the Accuplacer, ACT, PSAT, SAT, GED, and TASC exams.
Carla earned her BA in English literature from the University of California at Berkeley. She later earned two master’s degrees, one in fine arts from The New School and another in education from Long Island University. She also holds a professional certificate in full-stack web development from George Washington University. She currently works as an editor for a news organization and a constituent representative for a United States senator in California.
Carla’s style is highly focused and tailored to each student’s pace. She likes to start each session with a quick warm-up exercise so the student can review what they covered in the prior session—such recall is key for deeper learning. She also honors each student’s individual thinking processes. “Instead of handing them answers or a single roadmap, believe in guiding a student's thoughts and following their lead. There are so many different ways to approach a problem or concept!” she says. Carla wrote a book-length thesis on her education philosophy, KEEPS: knowledge, empathy, enquire, pluralism, and social commitment. “Through my teaching, I have to make my community and the world a better place,” she says.
In 2004, Carla was awarded a Fulbright Scholarship to study and conduct research at Hanoi University in Vietnam, where she studied Vietnamese writing and art. It was there, working as an ESOL instructor, that she fell in love with teaching! While at UC Berkeley, she enjoyed performing in plays with the Black Theatre Workshop.
When she’s not teaching or learning more about coding, she’s practicing yoga, biking, writing fiction, or solving puzzles. She also regularly carves out time to laugh at her favorite goofy shows!
