Teacher Feature⼁Introducing Ellen P.
At Pacific Preparatory, we are so lucky to work with the most thoughtful and inspiring instructors, all who bring lessons to life with engaging connections to student interests and their community. This month, we are excited to celebrate Ellen!
Meet Ellen (she/her)! Ellen approaches teaching with warmth, kindness, and a great sense of connection and respect for her students. A jill-of-all-trades, she teaches and tutors all STEM subjects, as well as history and social studies including economics and government. Ellen earned her Bachelor of Industrial Engineering degree with a certificate in Industrial and Organizational Psychology from the Georgia Institute of Technology. Her journey in education began in 1991 when she started tutoring Trigonometry during her college years. After graduation, Ellen gained engineering industry experience before transitioning to homeschooling her four children. Over the years, she has taught and tutored a diverse range of subjects with students of all ages, including upper-level math and sciences, social studies, GED preparation, and English as a Second Language. Ellen firmly believes in the potential of all children to excel academically. Her passion lies in building confidence and nurturing a love of learning in her students. In addition to her teaching role, When she isn’t teaching, Ellen finds joy in reading, cooking, traveling, and spending quality time with her family.
What do you enjoy most about teaching with PacPrep?
I love being able to really get to know and connect with my students! Working one-on-one allows a unique opportunity to appreciate each student's personality and learning style. I have students all across the country and even in Europe! I also sincerely appreciate the support the PacPrep team provides to us as teachers. They consistently go above and beyond to make sure we have the support and materials that we need to make our students successful and that we know we are valued members of the PacPrep team.
How did you find your way to PacPrep?
I began on the tutoring side of the organization, tutoring some homeschool cases and GED preparation. Over time, a PacPrep class became available and I moved over to the teaching side although I do still have tutoring students as well.
What’s your favorite subject to teach?
Honestly, it is hard to choose! I teach a wide variety of subjects and I really do enjoy them all! I do have a soft spot for Algebra and Algebra 2. I think so many students (and adults) fear upper level math and I enjoy helping them see that it really isn't so bad! I also love to debunk the "I'll never need this in real life" myth about Algebra. Anytime you need to add a tip, calculate how much something is on sale, or figure out how much paint you need to buy to paint your bathroom, you are using Algebra!
Can you tell us about a time you saw a student thriving at PacPrep?
Last year I had a student in an American Government class. At first, it was slow going but before long the student was coming to class with topics she had seen online relating to the government. She had so many questions about how our government works and was eager to discuss current events. We investigated how her local government was set up and what she could do to get involved! It was exciting to see how she began to relate what she was learning in class to things that were important to her in her everyday life.
We asked one of Ellen's current Algebra students, Levi, to describe what it’s like to be in her class. Levi said Ellen is a great math teacher, describing her as “straight-forward and fast-paced,” and adjusting lessons to how they learn best.
Ellen, we and your students are so lucky to have you on our team!