Our Tutors
Pavel Litvinov
Math and Physics Tutor
Former Math and Physics Teacher at Hackley School
Education:
MS in Physics - Moscow State University (1965)
Pavel Litvinov is a lifelong math and physics
teacher, a writer, and a former human rights leader. A physicist by training,
Pavel had taught math and physics for 30 years at Hackley, a private college
preparatory school in Tarrytown, New York. Hackley is also a member of the Ivy Preparatory School
League.
Before coming to the U.S. in 1974, Pavel Litvinov taught Physics
at Moscow's Lomonosov
University of Fine Chemical Technologies. Pavel was also an active participant in the Soviet
Union's dissident movement, publishing an underground magazine and openly
protesting against the regime's treatment of members of the political
opposition. In 1968, Pavel became a prisoner of conscience:
he was exiled to Siberia for 5 years for demonstrating against the Soviet
regime's actions in Czechoslovakia.
We are honored to have Pavel, a distinguished teacher and man of
rare courage and character, be a part of our team.
Courses Taught:
Mathematics: Calculus, AP Calculus AB, AP Calculus BC,
Precalculus, Algebra two and Trigonometry
Physics: AP Physics B, AP Physics C, any kind of regular physics
course including Regents.
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Asya Takken, Ph.D,
Math Tutor
Math Teacher at Green Farms Academy in Westport,
CT
Education:
Advanced Certificate - Mathematics 7-12, The City College of New York (2012)
Ph.D., Statistics, Stanford University, Stanford, CA (2001)
BA with Honors in Mathematics, Harvard University, Cambridge, MA, (1992)
Asya was born in Russia, but grew up in
Israel and in the U.S.
She received a B.S. in Mathematics from Harvard and
a Ph.D. in Statistics from Stanford. She worked as a statistician in the
finance industry before deciding to go into teaching.
Asya
is a certified mathematics teacher for grades 7-12 and has extensive tutoring
experience in high school and college math.
She is currently teaching at Green Farms Academy, a private K-12 school
in Westport, CT.
Courses Taught:
Math:
Algebra, Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, Statistics, AP Calculus,
Multivariable Calculus
Tests:
SAT and ACT preparation.
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Nelli Tkach
English and Humanities Tutor,
Academic Counselor
Education:
Certificate in Technical Editing -
University of Washington, Seattle, WA (2013)
Certificate in Editing - University
of Washington, Seattle, WA (2010)
BA in Psychology - University of
Washington, Seattle, WA (2002)
BA in Russian Language and
Literature - University of Washington, Seattle, WA (2002)
I am a college coach, an editor, and
an English teacher from Seattle, WA. I was born in Russia and immigrated
to the U.S. with my family in 1993. I have a background in psychology and
Russian literature, and I have worked in research, social service, and
education settings. I have been tutoring students for the past seven
years, both privately and through various local companies.
I work with a range of traditional
and non-traditional learners. Some of my students come from the gifted
programs, some are homeschooled, and some are adjusting to a new language
environment. Some relish their high-school experience, while others want
to jumpstart their academic careers through dual enrollment and other college
prep programs. Many of my students hope to get into the Ivies and private
colleges, and just as many think of state colleges as their homebase.
I enjoy helping my students and
their parents go through the time-consuming and nerve-wracking steps of the
college application process: the planning and the research, the forms,
the personal essays, and the financial aid paperwork. My editing background
also brings out my research skills and my detail-oriented personality, both of
which are much needed aspects for helping to organize one of the most important
processes in the lives of high-school seniors and graduate school applicants.
If I am not editing documents or
explaining the intricacies of the college admissions process, I am probably
working with my high-school and college students on all kinds of writing:
narrative essays, analysis and research papers, Language Arts and Humanities
assignments, AP essays, and Document-Based Questions. As we write, we
learn Greek and Latin roots, read and discuss various texts, and edit jumbled
narratives. We also learn what makes a good thesis statement and a good
argument, why comma splices and run-on sentences should be avoided, how to find
and formulate supporting points, and how to reference sources. My
students appreciate that I am always available online to explain the homework,
answer questions, and work closely with them on developing the essays --
something that their teachers may not have the time for. The parents are
often grateful to have a partner-in-crime to monitor the assignments and
"be in the know" about the class.
I also help my students with the
reading, grammar and essay sections of many standardized tests.
In my other life, I enjoy the
standard list of hobbies -- reading, solving puzzles and finding answers to
questions, hiking, cooking, traveling, and getting thank-you notes from my
students.
Courses taught:
English: high-school and
college-level courses, including IB and AP courses
Tests: SAT, SAT II Literature, SAT II World History, ACT, ISEE,
SSAT, AP tests, GRE
College counseling:
applications, personal essays, scholarships
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John Cutuli
Science Tutor
Education:
Graduate Coursework towards PhD in Paleontology at Montana State University, Bozeman, MT
BS in Geology, State University of New York at
New Paltz, New Paltz, NY (2012)
Growing up as a young boy in Westchester, New York, I’d
often make trips to the American Museum of Natural History. Naturally, I was obsessed with
dinosaurs. Now a recent graduate of SUNY
New Paltz with a B.S. in Geology, I’m still obsessed with dinosaurs!
I plan on pursing a PhD in Paleontology to
make a career out of something I’ve loved my entire life.
Last summer, I had the opportunity to be part of a
month-long excavation in the wilderness of Montana, digging for vertebrate
fossils and dinosaur eggs. After this
incredible experience, I took graduate courses at Montana State University and
conducted research on Hadrosaurs (the ones with the duck bills).
Although my own professional interests are in
ancient life, I have a great appreciation and thirst for knowledge in all areas
of science.
And there is nothing I enjoy more than passing on what I
have learned! I have been tutoring
students in various science courses throughout my college career. Now, I am looking forward to
tutoring with Libra Learning.
Courses Taught:
Sciences
(high-school and college-level):
Physics, Biology, Earth Science, Geology, Astronomy
Tests: Regents Earth Science, Biology, Physics; SAT
II Biology
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Elena Borovitskaya, Ph.D.
Physics Tutor
Associate Professor at Temple University,
Philadelphia, PA
Education:
Ph.D., Institute of Applied Physics, Nizhnii Novgorod, Russia (1987)
MS in Theoretical Physics, University of Nizhnii Novgorod, Nizhnii Novgorod, Russia (1981)
I started teaching Physics as an 18 year-old physics major. I was only a couple of years older than my
students, and there I was, teaching an advanced physics class at my former
high-school. Since then, I have teaching Physics with no breaks for… a lot of
years… in different universities all over the world.
But even now, many years later, I remember my “introduction”
to Physics. I remember how scary and intimidating the subject seemed to
be. And I am grateful to my high-school
teacher, who carefully led us though this new world – Physics. Suddenly, we realized
that we could trust this unknown world.
Instead of getting harder, the classes became easier: after all, physics was already our world.
Since then, I have been
trying to follow in the steps of my teacher by showing my students that there
is nothing to be scared about when it comes to physics. It is a very friendly, interesting
and simple world.
As a university professor, I see a lot of
students are approaching physics with fear. This fear interferes with their
understanding of the subject and consumes a lot of their energy. Moreover, physics ends up serving as an awful
obstacle for these students, an obstacle standing in the path of their dreams.
I want to teach because I feel that I know how to destroy this obstacle. If students succeed in physics,
they will have many more possibilities for their dreams.
Courses Taught:
Algebra-Based College Physics I and II
Calculus Based General Physics I and
II
Regents Physics
SAT and AP Physics
Physics Section of MCAT
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Pat Salvatorelli
Science Tutor
Biology Teacher at Cardinal Spellman High School in Bronx, NY
Education:
Professional Teacher Certification in Biology for NYS, Grades 7 - 12 (2013)
MA in Secondary Science Education, Lehman College, CUNY, 2012
BA in Biology, Concordia College, Bronxville, NY (2008)
As
a young boy growing up in the Bronx, Pat had two loves: baseball and cookies.
He very seldom thought about biology. This became very evident during his
freshman year of high school as his biology midterm approached rapidly. Pat did
not pay much attention during the class, which was the first period of the day.
It was too late to study his entire notebook, so he went to the nearest
bookstore and bought himself a biology review book. Pat read through the book
and, in the end, he received a 91 on his biology midterm.
After
this, Pat’s friends asked him to help them get better grades in biology. He met
with them once a week in the cafeteria and soon, their grades improved.
Next
year, he helped other students in chemistry. In college, he continued to tutor
students in courses such as microbiology and zoology. In graduate school, he
assisted his peers in developing theses about secondary science education and
developing creative presentations.
Today, he teaches high-school biology and
continues to…well, you get the idea.
Pat’s
story is one that many students experience: some students have trouble in
certain classes, and the only way they are going to get out of that trouble is
by working hard to improve their grades. If you need help with your science
classes and projects, Pat can help you. Oh, and he still loves baseball and
cookies.
Courses Taught: Biology, Living Environment, Anatomy
and Physiology, AP Biology, SAT II Biology
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Anton Raskin
Math Tutor
Education:
BS in Mathematics - NYU-Poly, Brooklyn, NY (Jan 2013)
My name is Anton, but many of my
friends call me Math Guy.
I recently graduated from NYU-Poly
with a B.S in Mathematics and minors in Finance and Computer Science. I am also
a graduate of the Chemistry program at Saunders Trade and Technical High School.
In addition to my math and science
background, I have been involved in many formal and informal teaching
activities. I started teaching because I
happen to have an 11 year-old sister who has gone through the PEARLS math
system. I have been her personal tutor ever since she first started school, so
I have ample experience with preteens and their stubbornness. While at
NYU-Poly, I helped friends by organizing and leading study groups for difficult
math courses
I also served as a
teacher's assistant at NYU-Poly, leading classes of students and working with
them on a particular subject area. On a side note, I am also a certified
swimming instructor, and I have been teaching kids and adults how to swim for
the past 5 years at Yonkers’ Mark Twain pool.
Some of the courses I specialize in
include all levels of high school math and the math section of SAT. In college, I took many Probability courses (including
the actuarial exam math). I also achieved high scores on the AP exams (5 in Calculus,
4 in Statistics), the SAT (740 in Math) and SAT IIs (710 on both Math I and II),
and Regents exams (98 in Math A, 97 in Math B). Needless to say, math has
always come easily to me and I love to help others master the subject through
fun examples.
Some of my hobbies include swimming,
ping-pong, chess, and watching sports on TV. I also love stand-up comedy, and I
like to make jokes to lighten the class and relieve test anxiety. My
hobbies (especially stand-up comedy) have come in handy when relating math and
life for my students.
Courses Taught: Algebra, Geometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus,
Statistics, SAT (the math section)
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Yuri Kavalerchik
Math, Science and English Tutor
Education:
BA in Illustration- School of Visual Arts, 2009-2012
Dean’s List
Parsons New School of Design, Illustration Foundation
Year, 2008 Dean’s List
School of Engineering at Cooper Union from Fall 2004 to
Spring 2007, Full Scholarship
Yuri's family left Belarus when Yuri
was three years old, ultimately settling down in Fair Lawn, New Jersey. Despite
his protestations, Yuri found himself attending a slew of extra tutoring and
test prep programs, which probably contributed to his acceptance to the Bergen
County Academies and to his perfect scores on a number of standardized tests.
After high school, he studied electrical engineering at Cooper Union for two
years before completing a B.A in Illustration at the School of Visual Arts.
Yuri has been tutoring for six years
now, and has helped countless middle and high-school students excel at classes,
extracurricular study programs, and standardized tests. Though his favorite
subjects are math and physics, he's ready to help with any challenge a student
might be faced with, whether it's a college essay, an upcoming midterm, or a
looming standardized test.
Yuri wrote this bio himself, so take
it with a grain of salt.
Courses Taught:
Math: Algebra, Algebra 2,
Geometry, Trigonometry, Pre-Calculus, Calculus
Science: Biology, Chemistry,
Physics
English: Essay Writing, Literature
Standardized Tests Taught:
SAT: Math, Verbal, Writing
SAT Subject Tests: Math (IC and
IIC), Biology, Chemistry, Physics
ACT: English, Math, Reading,
Science, Writing
Regents: Biology, Chemistry,
Physics, Geometry, Math A, Math B
AP: Biology, Chemistry, Physics
(AB and C), Calculus (AB and BC)
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Melanie Perez
Special Education and Elementary School Tutor
Special Education Teacher at Department of Education, Bronx, NY
Education
Graduate Coursework:
PhD in Educational Leadership, Capella
University, Minneapolis, MN 6/09 - Present
M.S. School Building Leadership, Mercy College, Bronx, NY, 9/10 - Present
NYS Inital Teaching Certificate in "Birth-Grade 2 Special Education" (2009)
MS in Early Childhood Birth - Grade 2, Special Education Focus, Mercy College, Bronx, NY (2009)
BA in Behavioral Science; Special Education Minor, Mercy College, Bronx, NY(2005)
When I was a second-grader, I fell
in love with school. This love was inspired by my teacher, Ms. L., who walked
in every morning with a huge smile, always happy to see the class and to make learning
fun. She introduced me to my first chapter book, Matilda, and after that I spent my weeknights and weekends reading.
I even started collecting books and created a small library in my bedroom.
Very soon, I wanted to be just like
my teacher. Ms. L gave me a small chalkboard
as a gift for being the student of the month. This was the best gift in the
world! With my own library and now my new chalkboard, my mini-classroom was
complete. I started playing “school” with my younger brother, imitating the way
Ms. L taught us. I even created star charts for him and, unlike Ms. L, bribed
him with prizes for playing with me. My
brother loved it when I read to him – especially Eric Carle’s “The Very Hungry
Caterpillar.” Since we were learning about the lifecycle of
the caterpillar in school with Ms. L, I would bring extra materials home to my
little “school.” One afternoon, my brother’s teacher told me that during a
field trip to the zoo my five-year old brother had pointed out a cocoon at a
caterpillar exhibit and said, “The butterfly is popping out of the cocoon!” I
told her that I was the one who taught him about the caterpillar life cycle. “You have a very special talent,” said the
teacher. I ran home that day to tell my
mom that I was a good teacher. “I’m just
like Ms. L.”
Today, I am a certified special
education teacher at a New York City public school. I work with children who have a variety of
needs, implementing learning plans and teaching core skills in
a group setting and through one-on-one sessions. I am also trained in Crisis Intervention,
Positive Behavioral Intervention Supports System, and Emotional Literacy Curriculum.
Like Ms. L., I am privileged to inspire students and to help them grow
up into citizens in their own right. I am here to help my K-5 students mature and move
forward into their future through all-subject support and test
preparation.
Courses Taught:
Elementary School Courses
Elementary School Courses for Special Education Students
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Sofia Kozlova, Ph.D.
Chemistry and Math Tutor
Instructor at the Math and
Science Resource Center of John Jay College of Criminal Justice, CUNY
Education:
Professional retraining program: “The Laboratory
Technology using Modern Analytical Methods” College of Staten Island, CUNY. (1997)
Ph.D. in Chemistry. Belorussian Technological Institute, Minsk,
USSR. (1988)
MS in Chemistry, minor in Microbiology. Belorussian Technological Institute, Minsk,
USSR. (1976)
Chemistry became my passion in eighth-grade. Fascinated
by the experiments that my chemistry teacher had shown to us, I was overjoyed
when I got the chance to follow him and perform the same experiments during my
labs. I made a discovery: it seemed that the burning of a candle, the
rusting of a nail, and the process of cooking food are all an example of a chemical
reaction. It was then that I understood
that chemical elements come together to create everything I could see, touch, taste, smell, and even hear. My excitement about chemistry and research
still persists, fueled by the curiosity of my students and of my own kids.
Like
many of my colleagues at Libra Learning, I switched to teaching after a long
career in science. For over 25 years, I
worked as a Research Chemist -- first in the industry and then in academic institutions.
As a result of this work, I am an author of more than a dozen scientific
publications and patents. I enjoyed my work at Columbia University, where for
over seven years I conducted research and supervised undergraduate research
projects. In particular, I worked on chemistry
of building materials, fire protection of building constructions, and the beneficial
uses of recycling materials.
At
the same time, it was tremendously fun to tutor my son and daughter in
chemistry and math. I enjoyed
introducing my kids to natural numbers and Archimedes progressions, and they,
in turn, were interested in my inventions and how they worked. My teaching career
started in 2004, and since then I have taught chemistry courses at Lehman College,
Yeshiva University, and College of Mount Saint Vincent. Currently, I work as an Instructor in mathematics
and chemistry for John Jay College of Criminal Justice.
Courses taught:
General
Chemistry,
Organic
Chemistry,
Analytical
Chemistry,
Algebra,
Pre-Calculus
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Yulia Kirichenko
Piano and Voice Teacher
I was originally trained as a choral
director at Moscow Musical College of Sergey Prokofiev.
For the past twenty
years, I have worked as a piano and voice teacher in public schools, after-school
centers, and on a private basis.
My
students come from different backgrounds and proficiency levels, and it is my pleasure
to encourage each student to discover his or her full artistic potential. I have
been privileged to offer my students two major recitals a year, as well as additional
smaller concerts. I also help them prepare for the challenging New York State School Music Association’s
(NYSSMA) examination every spring.
Finally, I organize various volunteer opportunities for my students in Westchester
County.
Services provided:
Private piano and vocal instruction
Preparation for NYSSMA examination
Piano and voice recitals - biannually
Organization of volunteering opportunities
Coaching for music festivals, concerts, talent
shows, etc.
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