Nora Mantell, M.Ed., Director Specialties: English, social studies, study skills, ESL, HTML, JAVA & computer skills Nora Mantell, M. Ed., is the owner, creator and director of Lexington Tutoring, LLC which began in Lexington, Massachusetts in 2003. She is responsible for Lexington Tutoring, LLC's inner workings: matching students with tutors, preparing our custom learning games (which provide creative test and quiz prep.), putting together plans for our students which are then implemented by one of our tutors, running the marketing, advertising and billing, and consulting with our tutors to facilitate delivery of our services. Nora can be reached directly at 781-652-9649. Nora is currently telecommuting to our virtual office in Lexington, Massachusetts (our website) from Ascot, a small town near Windsor Castle in the London suburbs. There, her husband, a sleep scientist and devilishly adept Scrabble player, is engaged in an innovative drug-discovery project and their two cats, Wolfie and Moxie are engaged in studying the permutations of cat naps. Nora is a Massachusetts-certified Language Arts teacher with 34+ years of experience teaching high school and business college English, social studies, science, psychology, SAT prep, computer skills, telecommunication and English as a second language. She has a knack for narrowing in on problem areas, presenting the material in a relaxed, understandable manner and helping her tutors to prepare their students to become more confident in their abilities, eventually eliminating the need for future tutoring. Under Nora's guidance, Lexington Tutoring, LLC has served students from almost all of the public and private K-12 schools in Metro West.
Members of the Lexington Tutoring, LLC Team We have expanded and are currently seeking 2 additional tutors. Click here for details on our current openings.
	Batsheva Fenster, M.Ed. Specialties: Executive ESL, accent reduction, TOEFL prep; software training including Microsoft Office, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, HTML, CSS; organizational skills/time management/study skills, English literature & comp., history/social studies, Spanish, French & special needs Batsheva Fenster received her M.Ed. from Lesley and her BA from Friends World College with majors in intercultural studies and foreign languages, and her CTEFL (Certificate for Teaching English as a Foreign Language) from Worldwide Teachers Development Institute. She holds Massachusetts teacher certification for special needs education. Batsheva’s unique background includes many years teaching both in schools and private settings, as well as extensive experience in the corporate world. She is also a highly skilled business systems analyst and has facilitated JAD sessions, done technical writing, and designed computer systems and web applications for such companies as Fidelity Investments and BankBoston. As an executive ESL tutor, Batsheva brings to bear her extensive international and corporate experience to help executives and professionals from other countries achieve their goals in the U.S. business world. She is a specialist in pronunciation and accent reduction. She has developed targeted techniques to help each client successfully produce the sounds and rhythm of American English. She uses authentic materials and real-life corporate experience to help them master U.S. corporate and technological vernacular and adapt to the corporate culture in which they are operating. Besides working with executive clients to raise the level of their English language communication skills, she assists clients to prepare for such activities as PowerPoint presentations, conference participation, and telephone and in-person job interviews. Batsheva gains tremendous pleasure in meeting and working with people from all over the world. She has lived in France, Switzerland, Croatia, Israel, and Guatemala, and traveled in Asia (Thailand, Singapore, Indonesia, Viet Nam, Laos, Cambodia), Latin America (Peru, Guatemala, Costa Rica, the Caribbean), and Europe (Italy, Spain, Greece, Croatia, Serbia, Bosnia, and the UK). A lover of languages, she is a native speaker of English, speaks Spanish and French, and has familiarity with Hebrew and Serbo-Croatian. As an academic tutor, Batsheva specializes in ESL, Spanish, French, language arts, study skills and special needs. In ESL, Batsheva works with students across the skill spectrum including those who speak no English whatsoever, as well as those with technically competent English who want to raise their skill level to prepare for the demands of college or be able to speak and write in a more colloquial American English style. She has taught in bilingual Spanish/English classrooms, and has a command of Spanish and French, which she has both studied and used abroad. She is highly skilled in Language Arts having relied on them during her work as a business systems analyst. She also enjoys creative writing. As a software tutor, Batsheva draws on her experience as Business Systems Analyst where she used Microsoft Office, Dreamweaver, Photoshop, HTML, and CSS for presentations, technical writing, designing user-interfaces and developing websites. She has taught corporate employees to use highly complex software and has taught basic computer skills to beginners. Batsheva’s enthusiasm and positive, supportive style helps put her students at ease and gain the confidence to progress and achieve their goals.
	Elena Kerzner B.S. Specialties: SAT prep, GRE prep, general science, chemistry, biology, developmental biology, algebra, Calculus I & II, geometry, English, literature, history, & essay writing (basic/college/grad school applications), Russian, Hebrew, Spanish, piano performance, music history of the Renaissance, Baroque, Classical & Romantic eras, as well as basic music composition & theory Elena Kerzner graduated from Brandeis University, with a B.S. in Biology and Mathematics, as a member of the National Dean’s List and a Presidential Brandeis scholar. While an undergraduate, she completed an internship in Immunology Research at Baylor College of Medicine and one in orthopedic surgery at Texas Children’s Hospital. Elena recently transferred from Yale to MGH Institute of Health Professions, where she is pursuing a nurse practitioner degree. She has a strong background in math, and is skilled in teaching algebra, Calculus I and II, geometry, and trigonometry. Additionally, her undergraduate focus involved biology, chemistry, organic chemistry, developmental biology with a particular interest in marine biology and conservation. Elena is also fluent in Russian, Hebrew, English, and Spanish. Although Elena’s academic and professional background is mostly scientific, her true passion is in the arts, specifically classical piano performance, composition, and music theory. After spending four summers at the AFA Music Conservatory on scholarship, Elena was privileged to work as assistant piano teacher to the Head of the Piano Department, Craig Ketter, a distinguished American pianist of our generation. In addition to having taken over 18 years of piano instruction, Elena has 3+ years conducting private piano lessons to students of all ages/levels, and enjoys teaching piano performance and music appreciation above all else. Elena believes that effective interpersonal communication is a key factor in establishing any kind of mentorship. She is a strong believer that the arts facilitate cathartic self-expression and academic growth.
	Alison Shawver, Ed.M. Specialties: Pre-algebra, algebra 1 & 2, pre-calculus, geometry, computer skills, GED prep, SAT & GRE (math), college application support, biology & college admissions essay coaching Alison graduated from the Honors Program at Boston College with a degree in Mathematics and Secondary Education. She has her Master's Degree in Mathematics Education from Boston University. She is currently a teacher at Concord-Carlisle High School with a Massachusetts teaching certification in High School Mathematics. After school and on weekends she works with our students on a wide range on math skills, test prep, college application support ad computer skills. Alison's teaching experience is not limited to the classroom. As a tutor, she has worked one-on-one with students of all ages in varying subject areas. While at Concord-Carlisle High School Alison has used her positions as coaches of girls' basketball and volleyball teams to mentor and instruct students in non-academic pursuits. Alison also worked as an engineering intern in college, where she spent time teaching software programs to new users. Alison strives to develop student enthusiasm for learning with engaging and creative methods of teaching. She understands that students have different learning styles, and works to tailor her tutoring sessions to meet individual needs. Alison enjoys seeing her students gain the confidence and skills necessary to independently pursue knowledge and find success.
	Michael Bace, J.D. Specialties: GED prep, College application support, algebra 1 & 2, geometry, chemistry, English, history, government, computer skills, LSAT prep, SAT prep, law school application & essay writing & organizational/study strategies Michael is a licensed and practicing attorney in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts. He has a J.D. from New England School of Law in Boston and opened his own firm upon entry to the Massachusetts bar focusing primarily on criminal defense, civil litigation, and estate planning. While his new law practice is gaining momentum, we are very fortunate to have Michael working with us. As an undergraduate at the University of New Hampshire, Michael was a double-major and received a B.A. in both History and Political Science. He can handle a wide variety of academic subjects, including chemistry and geometry. Michael came to us in May of 2008 with a very enthusiastic recommendation from the principal of Manchester-Essex Regional High School, where he had served as a tutor and mentor to students with a variety of learning disabilities including ADHD and Asperger's Syndrome while he was completing law school. Since that time, Michael has worked with quite a few of our students and has proven himself to be extraordinarily patient, personable and creative at developing strategies to help students conquer their personal obstacles. Michael is also an ace at LSAT prep. His score of 161 on the LSAT afforded him a full scholarship to New England School of Law. The following comment is typical of the appraisals of Michael's work by the folks at Manchester-Essex and by the parents of our students: "Michael has an extraordinary rapport with our kids, boys and girls alike. He has a wonderful, quiet sense of humor, and a very encouraging style of working with kids. Best of all, he has and models extremely high standards of integrity, academic and personal honesty, reliability and cooperation." Michael is an exceptionally talented and versatile tutor. He is so accomplished and his skill set is so diverse that his school-year calendar is always tightly booked. If you would like to work with him, we suggest that you book your session schedule as far in advance as possible. Michael believes strongly in hard work and approaching difficult challenges with a positive attitude. He strives to encourage and convince all students that they are capable of creating the success they desire, and that they can formulate strategies to conquer their personal obstacles.
	Michael Cappillino, B.S. Specialties: General biology, molecular biology, cell biology, genetics, evolution, ecology, general chemistry, organic chemistry, physics (w/ & w/o calculus), algebra, geometry, trigonometry, pre-calculus, calculus, SAT prep, composition, literature, American history, HTML, CSS, Photoshop, Flash MX, Windows & OSX Michael Cappillino received his Bachelor of Science degree in Biology from the University of Massachusetts Boston, graduating summa cum laude. He currently works as a researcher in the Developmental Immunology laboratory at Massachusetts General Hospital, on an eventual path to his doctoral degree in Molecular Biology and tutors for us part-time. His previous professional experience as a web developer, technical writer, and SAT teacher offers Michael the opportunity to use a unique skill set to illuminate a wide range of subjects to students. Drawing on extensive tutoring experience over the past decade, Michael strives to help each student realize their potential by creating a positive learning environment, engaging students with questions designed to illuminate key points and working to ensure that every student leaves every session with a strong sense of accomplishment and progress. Sessions are designed to be interactive and fun, and are tailored to the needs of each student. Michael believes that a strong foundation of organization, time management, and critical thinking is necessary for success in any subject, and incorporates development of these skills in all lesson plans, in order to help his students succeed in any and all future academic or professional endeavors.
	Matthew Ghofrani, M.A. Specialties: Pre-algebra , Algebra I & II, calculus, advanced calculus, discrete mathematics, applied mathematics, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, advanced probability & statistics, physics, chemistry, SAT prep, computer skills (all levels), UNIX, LINUX, WINDOWS, MAC APPLE Matthew Ghofrani has his Masters in Computer Science from Worcester Polytechnic Institute and his BA in Aeronautical Engineering from Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University. He has strong academic background in mathematics and will soon begin teaching one or more of the following courses in Boston University's math department: Computers and Their Applications,Introduction to Discrete Mathematics and/or Applied Mathematics for Telecommunication. Matthew has held a senior position at Beth Israel Hospital’s IT department for the past 11 years. As such his computer skills include server administration for HP-UX UNIX and IBM LINUX but he is also proficient in the MAC OS, Microsoft Windows, MS Office and other Windows applications. Matthew handles all tutoring of computer skills with ease. His colleagues at Beth Israel say, “He is a patient teacher, an excellent system administrator, a thorough technical support documenter, and a generous colleague. He is the guy who makes you a sandwich when you forget your lunch.” “Currently he is bringing in a new hardware technology, blade servers, into our environment and creating a protocol for support on this environment in co-ordination with the teams whose applications will reside on these new blade servers.” We are indeed fortunate to have Matthew working with us part-time at Lexington Tutoring, LLC.
	Aaron Lemmon, B.A. Specialties: Writing (research papers & assignments, admission essays, scholarship applications & resumes), interview preparation, SAT I test preparation, SAT II test preparation (World History & US History), English/ESL, history/social studies, pre-algebra/algebra, geometry, trigonometry, pre-calculus/calculus, chemistry, introductory physics, introductory computer instruction, GED equivalency & studying techniques/time management Aaron is a cum laude graduate of Boston College with degrees in Communication and Theology. He has been tutoring and mentoring students in the Greater Boston area for more than four years. Aaron inherited a love of learning from his family - he's the son and grandson of teachers. He’s currently working as a news writer for New England Cable News. Aaron is well-versed in the subtleties of written and spoken English. He demonstrated his writing ability during a semester abroad at Australia’s Murdoch University, where he composed 13 research papers before returning home with a 3.89 GPA for the semester. Aaron’s international experience was made possible through the national, highly competitive Benjamin A. Gilman International Scholarship. That award was only part of the $22,800 Aaron earned in outside scholarships and grants as an undergraduate student due to his writing prowess. Aaron has been effective at providing feedback for experienced students as well as teaching the basics of grammar and writing structure to students of English as a second language. Aaron enjoys engaging students one-on-one. He works hard to earn students' trust and encourages them toward educational self-reliance with techniques he learned during years of home-schooling and tutoring from family members who are education professionals. Aaron appreciates working with students of diverse backgrounds, interests and abilities and always tailors his instruction to a student's individual needs. His broad knowledge base, passion for teaching and easygoing manner challenge students to fulfill their true academic potential. We frequently receive thank-you notes from Aaron's students and their parents expressing their appreciation for his excellent work.
	James Crall, B.A. Specialties: Biology, ecology, evolution, writing, algebra, geometry, precalculus, physics, introductory statistics, chemistry, social studies, English, Spanish, SAT/ACT prep, computer skills, college-level sociology or anthropology, study & time-management skills. James received his B.A. with High Honors from Swarthmore College in 2007, where he studied biology and sociology and anthropology. While at Swarthmore, James was a recipient of the Joel Dean Summer Research Grant, with which he traveled to Belize, Central America to research land use, agriculture, and social movements among Maya peasant farmers. As an undergraduate, James also conducted research on the role of specialized proteins in flexible insect wings and presented the findings of this study at the Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology. After graduating from Swarthmore, James spent a year teaching Biology to high school students at a private school in Quito, Ecuador. During this year, James developed a passion for the importance of engaging students in their studies in dynamic ways, particularly in the sciences. To this end, James founded a discussion group in Philosophy of Science, focusing on highlighting the connections between science and our everyday moral and social lives. James currently works as a research assistant in the Department of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology at Harvard University, where he focuses on the aerodynamics of insect flight and the evolutionary design of mechanical structures in the wings of flying insects and, tutors our students part-time. In the course of this inter-disciplinary research, James regularly employs a wide variety of methods from engineering and materials science, mathematics (especially algebra and trigonometry), statistics, and chemistry in addition to biology. His resume demonstrates his solid academic credentials, with excellent marks on both standardized testing and regular academic grades throughout his secondary and undergraduate education. Beyond academic excellence, however, what sets James apart as an educator is his passion for, and experience in, getting students thoughtfully engaged in their studies. James is passionate about working with students. He believes that the most successful students are those that combine hard work with self-confidence and curiosity, and this philosophy is reflected in his holistic approach to tutoring.
	Kerry Sullivan, B.S. Specialties: Algebra I & II, calculus, geometry, trigonometry, statistics, physics, biology, chemistry, science, American history, SAT I prep, GRE prep, college application support, term paper triage, research paper coaching, economics, technical composition, software training including Microsoft Office, intro to MathCAD, Dreamweaver, html, Unigraphics & computer skills Kerry Sullivan has her B.S. in mechanical engineering from the University of Massachusetts in Amherst.Kerry Sullivan she is a mechanical design engineer at General Electric Aviation. In addition, she is currently pursuing an M.S. in manufacturing engineering at Boston University and works with our students on everything from SAT prep to understanding fluid mechanics. As an undergraduate, Kerry worked as a teaching assistant in microeconomics, macroeconomics and fluid mechanics, and as an assistant supervisor for the university's Super Mileage Vehicle Team. She was a captain of the 2006 SMV team, and was selected to attend the Society of Automotive Engineering Leadership Development Program in 2007. She received three fellowships from the Massachusetts Space Grant Consortium to research self-diagnostic thermal protection systems for the space shuttle and future crew exploration vehicles, resulting in one publication. She was also chosen for a university research program funded by the National Science Foundation to survey condition monitoring techniques and materials for large wind turbines, resulting in two publications. In 2008, Kerry was nominated for GE's Ed Woll Young Engineers Award. Kerry is an ace at SAT prep and GRE prep, coaches technical writing, does a good deal of our software training, and offers homework coaching in almost all middle and high school subjects. In addition, she tutors engineering undergraduates in their coursework, including material science, statistics, strength of materials, basic engineering probability and statistics, manufacturing processes, thermodynamics I, fluid mechanics I, heat transfer, dynamic systems modeling, controls and thermo-fluid design. She is also available to help prospective graduate students select and pursue placement in research programs in line with their fields of interest and to provide guidance in planning college financing through scholarship, grants, and both private and federal student loans. Kerry thoroughly enjoys helping students to learn and use their knowledge effectively. She teaches material using a logical, appropriately paced approach and maintains a comfortable and positive teaching environment. She encourages students to ask questions and to draw confidence in their skills and ideas from their education.