PrepNow Tutor - Celeste B.
A friendly and compassionate tutor, Celeste has a lifelong passion for learning. She holds a BA cum laude in physics with a minor in astronomy from Wheaton College. Since graduating, Celeste has worked as a Course Facilitator in the astronomy department at Boston University, holding office hours, leading labs and discussion sections, operating astronomical equipment, and grading assignments.
Celeste's very first, very informal tutoring role was helping her younger sister with her school work in high school. “She always told me I was very good at explaining things and I made her work feel manageable,” Celeste recalls. “Then, in college, my physics professors suggested that I get a job tutoring introductory physics through my school's peer tutoring program, which I began at the start of my junior year and continued until I graduated two years later.” Beyond the pride of her students improving their grades or becoming a regular at her office hours, Celeste’s proudest moments are when her students have their “aha!" moment after struggling with a concept.
“I take pride in my ability to tackle questions from many different angles and adjust my teaching style to fit the student,” Celeste says. “When a student tells me their teacher's explanation made no sense, and I'm then able to help them work through the problem from a different angle and help it suddenly click into place, those are the moments that make the work so fulfilling for me.” In addition to tutoring physics, Celeste is excellent at helping students with algebra, calculus, trigonometry, and test prep. “I try to help students identify the learning styles and study habits that work best for them, and help them develop a strong foundation for tackling academic work beyond the scope of what we cover in our sessions,” Celeste says.
Celeste describes her tutoring style as “entirely adaptable depending on the needs of the student.” She values two-way feedback and encourages her students to voice any and all questions or struggles so that she can adjust her teaching style to suit their learning style, rather than the other way around. “My personal philosophy regarding education is that, above all, it must be accessible to everyone, and that means that it must be flexible,” Celeste says. “I believe that everyone has the potential to learn, and that the biggest barrier to education is unmet support needs. I always do my best to ensure that my students have access to the resources they need and that they feel comfortable asking questions and speaking up for themselves."
In high school, Celeste played JV soccer and JV softball, practiced figure skating, and worked as a figure skating coach, Hebrew classroom aide, and a volunteer at an elderly day care center. In college, she was involved in ultimate frisbee and physics club; plus she was the recipient of numerous awards.
Lately her hobbies include reading, drawing, outdoor activities, traveling, and photography. “Although my primary interests have been in physics and astronomy, I also really enjoy learning about religion, philosophy, history, and art,” Celeste says. “I have traveled to 28 national parks in the United States and 5 in Canada!”
