Hi, I’m Isabelle!

I am a Scripps College graduate working locally in the Walnut Creek/Concord area as a tutor in math, science, and writing to students of all ages.

I have been tutoring for over 8 years, since I began as a volunteer peer tutor as a student at Northgate High School. While participating in this program that provided help to my classmates who were receiving failing grades, I saw firsthand that difficulty in academics often stems from an array of extenuating circumstances, not just simply misunderstanding class material. 

After high school, I went on to attend Scripps College where I received an honors degree in neuroscience. As a tutor, my experience as a scientist informs my approach to teaching math and science, with my ultimate goal being to teach these subjects through the lens of their practical applications. By working through problems collaboratively, I hope to equip students with a robust toolkit of strategies to solve problems in math and science. 

I also continued my work as a tutor at Scripps, where I was formally trained as a peer tutor at the Scripps College Writing Center, helping students with academic writing of all kinds. This work allowed me to engage with students in all academic subjects—from writing a chemistry lab report to a senior thesis in politics—and realize the power of writing in developing and expressing yourself as a student. I even took inspiration from what I observed with students in the writing center when writing my senior thesis, in which I researched how the act of writing emerges from and influences the brain. With my experience tutoring students applying to college, grad school, and for grants (Fulbright, Watson, etc), I have learned to demystify and simplify the personal statement writing process. I can help with any stage of the writing process, from brainstorming to making final edits. 

At Scripps I also developed an understanding of a rigorous academic environment—one that can be both enriching and overwhelming—driving me to learn ways to relieve academic pressure, both for myself and the students I work with. As a former student athlete at both the high school and collegiate levels, I am intimately familiar with demanding schedules and have accumulated tools for navigating academic responsibilities while leaving room for extracurricular fulfillment.

During a gap year I took when the pandemic started, I began tutoring middle and high school students over zoom, taking all that I have learned as a peer tutor but presenting it from the perspective of an experienced mentor. I approach tutoring not simply as an intellectual exchange but as an exercise in empathy, treating students holistically rather than just academically. Whether you are struggling academically and hoping to catch up, or already excelling and aiming to reach your highest potential, I am eager to help your students do their best!