Tag Archive for: our educators

Rachel Hodis
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Educator Spotlight: Vaso K.

Vaso K Educator Spotlight

What subjects do you teach?

  • Music: Accordion, Piano, Trumpet, Composition, and Music Theory.

What’s the most rewarding part of being an educator?

I think it’s seeing the progress that my students can make, going from not having any skills to being quite good. And the confidence I see them gain is really rewarding.


What are the most common areas you see your students struggling in?

I think it’s establishing a practice routine outside of lessons. Many students struggle with this, either because they’re intimidated by practicing by themselves, or they don’t know how to make time for it. When it comes to instruments, early on it can be discouraging if you think you sound bad, and that can reinforce not practicing. But you just have to remember that you’re learning!


How do you help them improve in those areas?

I try to provide structured approaches to practice to make it less of a mystery and a “repeat until it’s perfect” activity and more of a learning and experimental one. I give the students a thought process, and questions to ask themselves while practicing, along with specific goals to achieve.


What do you enjoy doing outside of teaching students?

I enjoy going on walks in parks, jiu-jitsu, rock climbing, and cooking.


What do you think makes Hodis Learning & Music a great service and company to work for?

So far, it’s been the diversity of students, especially my accordion students!

Learn more about Vaso.

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Rachel Hodis
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Educator Spotlight: Flora V.

Flora V. Educator Spotlight

What subjects do you teach?

  • Art: Painting, Drawing, Illustration, Sculpture, Photography, Videography, Video Editing, Graphic Design, Portfolio Planning & Development
  • Academics: Art History, Creative Writing, Screenwriting

  • Music: Ukulele, Guitar

What’s the most rewarding part of being an educator?

The most rewarding part of being an educator is when my students express a desire to learn or practice a subject more! As an educator, it is my job to inspire enthusiasm, and I know I have succeeded when a student asks to spend more time experimenting, initiates a project, or shows a deeper curiosity about what we are learning.


What are the most common areas you see your students struggling in? How do you help them in those areas?

Although all my students have unique strengths and weaknesses, the most common area I see them struggling in is their self-confidence. Many of my students are ambitious and highly creative, and with this, mistakes and self-doubt naturally occur.


How do you help them improve in those areas?

To help my students overcome issues with self-confidence, I encourage mistakes through playful experimentation and always ask them to analyze their work to discover areas of improvement. I find this helps them see that making mistakes is part of the process of learning and that their self-confidence should be determined by their desire to learn and grow!


What do you enjoy doing outside of teaching students?

Outside of teaching, I enjoy making art, short films, and music; I always have a project or two I am working on in my free time. I also love to cook and take walks with my dog Dusty!


What do you think makes Hodis Learning & Music a great service and company to work for?

I love working for Hodis Learning & Music because they encourage dynamic and individualized education. I appreciate that HLM does not confine educators to a generalized lesson model, as this allows me to tailor each course I teach to my student’s needs. Additionally, I feel valued as an educator and part of a greater community at HLM!

Learn more about Flora.

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Rachel Hodis
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Educator Spotlight: Muan M.

Educator Spotlight: Muan M.

What subjects do you teach?

  • Academic Tutoring: AP Physics (Mechanics and Electromagnetism+Waves), Lower and Upper Division Physics (Solid State Mechanics, Thermodynamics, etc), Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry, Trigonometry, and Calculus.

What’s the most rewarding part of being an educator?

For me, by far the most rewarding aspect of being an educator is the relationship that is fostered with not just each student, but their families as a whole. You learn about the struggles each family goes through and get to experience a wide variety of cultures and ways of life. That is what makes it so meaningful: the process of gradually understanding their difficulties and being able to help them from the inside out, watching the students grow, and sharing in the relief and pride of each wonderful family. It’s something really special.


What are the most common areas you see your students struggling in? How do you help them in those areas?

I feel like a component of academic success that is oftentimes overlooked is the student’s confidence in their abilities. Obviously their aptitude is a major factor, but the goal should be to learn as much as possible. From that will come the ability to solve problems and get better grades. The thing to start with is getting students to really enjoy the process of learning and school in general, and that comes with confidence in their ability to figure things out.

That is where I feel many of the students I have worked with have had their motivation stalled. They may have had a bad string of tests or had someone in their academic life disapprove of their efforts. Regardless of the reason for it, that lack of self-assurance is a very common issue, and one that everyone faces at some point. It just takes time, and sometimes someone (like an HLM tutor) to help you along the way sometimes.


How do you help them improve in those areas?

The first steps toward achieving confidence and the sort of upward spiral of enjoyment and ability are not complicated. It is a combination of a lot of things, but fundamentally, hard work will do wonders to start students on that path. It is important that hard work is met with results though, to start that positive feedback loop. When first starting out with a student, it’s of paramount importance that they feel as though they have control of what they’re doing. I think that’s really what the value of tutors and teachers in general are: to provide guidance and tailor material so that the proper difficulty balance is struck to keep the student motivated as well as learning.


What do you enjoy doing outside of teaching students?

I graduated with my BS in physics last year and now spend a lot of my days pouring over math problems with students, so I’ve discovered some more artistic hobbies. I’ve recently gotten into making music (I have a synthesizer and everything, which is fun) and film production/editing. I love to read, mostly fantasy books at the moment, like The Kingkiller Chronicles. I also spend a lot of time either in the gym or playing pick-up basketball. It’s a nice balance.


What do you think makes Hodis Learning & Music a great service and company to work for?

I can honestly say that, over the course of my admittedly limited work experience, Hodis Learning & Music is the best company I’ve worked for thus far. Because it was founded and is based in the South Pasadena/Pasadena area, HLM is a very close-knit community of students, families, tutors, and school districts. It makes everything a bit more comfortable and easy. With this also comes an immense amount of experience with the California education curriculum.

I also have to give props to the president of the company, Drew Hodis, and the rest of management. They run a really tight ship and make every effort to make it an easy process for us tutors and for the students and families. I’m really happy to be working for HLM!

Learn more about Muan.

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Rachel Hodis
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Educator Spotlight: Staci W.

New post! Read this educator spotlight on Staci W., an English, ESL, History, Korean, and elementary and middle school tutor.

What subjects do you teach?

  • Academic Tutoring: English up to college level, ESL, History, AP History, Korean, Math and Science up to Middle School level

What’s the most rewarding part of being an educator?

I love helping students gain confidence in subjects they used to struggle with. It’s very rewarding when a student starts understanding a difficult concept and realizes their capability. A lot of my students struggle in the same areas I used to when I was in school and I enjoy teaching them healthier study habits that helped me over the years.


What are the most common areas you see your students struggling in? How do you help them in those areas?

Most of my students struggle with a lack of confidence in their ability to do well. If a subject has proven difficult in the past, they may have developed negative self-talk that keeps them from doing their best. I do my best to show them the tools they need to accomplish their goals and to encourage them. I aim to make my lessons fun so that learning doesn’t feel like a chore and to give them a positive environment to make mistakes and learn.


What do you enjoy doing outside of teaching students?

I enjoy making music as a singer/songwriter, going to cute coffee and boba shops, and catching up on TV in my spare time.


What do you think makes Hodis Learning & Music a great service and company to work for?

Everyone who works here not only wants to help students succeed but genuinely wants to make learning fun and enjoyable for their students. Learning shouldn’t have to be dull and I appreciate Hodis Learning & Music’s mission.

 

Learn more about Staci.

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Rachel Hodis
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Educator Spotlight: Jacky H.

New Blog Post: Educator Spotlight. Jacky H. is a math, physics, and Chinese language tutor at Hodis Learning & Music.

What subjects do you teach?

  • Academic Tutoring: AP Physics 1, 2, and C (Mechanics + Electricity & Magnetism), Lower Division Physics, Multivariable Calculus, AP Calculus BC, Algebra 1 and 2, Geometry, AP Chinese Language, and Mandarin
  • Art Lessons: Painting- acrylics, oil, and watercolor

What’s the most rewarding part of being an educator?

The most rewarding part about being an educator is seeing my students improve and succeed in the subjects that were once nightmares for them.

Having had the same experience as many struggling students, I understand that it can be extremely challenging to conquer these academic barriers. Having the ability now to help them overcome their weaknesses is so rewarding!


What are the most common areas you see your students struggling in? How do you help them in those areas?

Though my students are in different grade levels, and vary in subject focus– from science to mathematics– they all seem to struggle in a similar fashion. It’s not that they are incapable of understanding the material, it’s that they don’t have a key or trick to understanding the foundational science or math behind the problems.

It is my job to guide them towards discovering their own trick that helps them remember the information, and help them see that learning is fun.


What do you enjoy doing outside of teaching students?

I enjoy painting outside of teaching students. It helps me to relax and destress from schoolwork, provides me with a fresh perspective on this world, and most importantly, allows me to encapsulate moments and memories in a physical form.


What do you think makes Hodis Learning & Music a great service and company to work for?

The teachers and mentors at the company are all passionate about their studies and teaching. We also all want to make learning easier and more fun for our students!

Schedule Your First Session with Jacky Today!

Call or email us to speak to a representative and sign up for sessions now.

 

Learn more about Jacky.

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Rachel Hodis
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Educator Spotlight: Wu L.

New Blog Post: Educator Spotlight. Photo is of Hodis Learning & Music's math tutor and Mandarin tutor, Wu L.

What’s the most rewarding part of being an educator?

Having immediate positive feedback is one of the most exciting things about being a math tutor. Witnessing the impact I have on a student’s success makes me incredibly happy and satisfied. When students begin to understand concepts in our sessions, they will often excitedly ask me to give them another problem to solve. Watching them solve the problem completely on their own is almost always the most rewarding part of the session – for the student and for me.


What are the most common areas you see your students struggling in? How do you help them in those areas?

One thing I noticed is that students tend to have an abstract, all-encompassing fear of math. Students often say that math is hard for them but have trouble pinning down exactly what is difficult for them. I believe knowing the timetable plays a very important role in students’ liking of math. Having this integral foundation makes the whole math process a lot smoother and it also gives people a sense of confidence to deal with whatever comes next, a sense of readiness. Although it may be daunting for some students to learn their times tables up to 10, it pays off tremendously. I also see many students struggling with fundamental algebra rules such as adding/subtracting fractions, multiplying decimals/fraction etc. With students taking algebraic courses, I like to go through math problems that use all of these basic rules to refresh their memories. Going through these fundamentals can help students identify and tackle their areas needing improvement. And doing so will set them up for success.

What do you enjoy doing outside of teaching students?

I love the outdoors. Camping, hiking, biking or even simply driving on the freeway in wide open country. It helps me to think and connect with myself and helps me cultivate a different perspective. I also love music, especially the music from the late 70s through the 90s. I recently began teaching myself the guitar to learn my favorite song, “Landslide.”


What do you think makes Hodis Learning & Music an excellent service and company to work for?

The company treats its employees well and pays them better than most other tutoring companies while also offering some of the lowest rates around to students. With the rising cost of living, the company is even raising the pay for all of us in August. And on top of that, the company also donates 20 percent of its profits to local nonprofit education organizations such as SPEF and PEF. Giving back to the local community and prioritizing employees’ wellbeing is something I believe in and I am grateful that the company and I are on the same page.

 

Schedule a Session with Wu Today!

Call or email us today to learn more and start sessions.

 

Learn more about Wu.

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Drew M. Hodis
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Preparing for Music School: Advice From Experts (Part 3)

Hodis Learning & Music brass instructor, Alex, shares insights on the music school admissions. Alex earned his B.M. in Trumpet Performance from the Oberlin Conservatory of Music.

What goes into preparing for music school auditions and applications?

Preparing for music school auditions is a unique experience. Learning the music for the audition is not enough. The student needs to constantly work to improve their overall musical skills so that their baseline level of performance is higher, rather than simply being good at playing the pieces asked of them.

I think a lot of students get caught up in trying to learn the music they are asked to perform extremely thoroughly, but forget that most of their performance will depend on their overall level of musicianship rather than just the audition preparation.

How can you specifically help students prepare for music school auditions? Can you help with the application itself?

I can certainly help students applying to music schools, and could give advice on the application part. I can help students applying to music school by not only helping them break down each specific piece and tackling the challenges that come with them, but also by continually pushing them to improve their overall musicianship and craft.

What advice would you give those applying to music programs?

The best advice I can give students applying to music school is to understand that you will get out of it what you put into it. No school is going to guarantee success or failure with music, and most of your career will not be spent in music school. So, try to use the time there as an opportunity to learn and collaborate and soak up as much as you can because you will be using that information for a very long time.

I would also suggest not worrying too much about feeling that you are not good enough, or that others are better than you, but instead focus on what you think you need to improve on and create a long-term plan for getting there. It is much more important to trust the process and keep trying to be creative, rather than just trying to compete with others.

Are you planning on applying to music school? Schedule your first session with Alex today!

More about Alex:

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Rachel Hodis
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Educator Spotlight: Alex P.

New Blog post! Educator Spotlight on Hodis Learning & Music tuba, trombone, French horn, and trumpet teacher, Alex P.

What subject areas do you teach?

  • Music Lessons: Trumpet, French Horn, Trombone, Tuba, Voice
  • Academic Tutoring: Music Theory

What’s the most rewarding part of being a music teacher?

The most rewarding part of being an educator for me is watching a student make progress and seeing how it excites them to learn new things.

What are the most common areas you see your students struggling in? How do you help them in those areas?

The biggest struggle I see for students is simply a lack of motivation. Sometimes students aren’t interested from the beginning and with those students, it can be very challenging to get them interested. I like to help them explore their musical interests and other instruments to see if another area of music piques their interest.

What do you enjoy doing outside of teaching students?

I enjoy playing basketball outside of teaching, as well as making my own music.

What do you think makes Hodis Learning & Music a great service and company to work for?

I enjoy working for Hodis Learning & Music because of the culture of mutual respect and kindness.

More about Alex:

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Drew M. Hodis
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Preparing for Music School: Advice From Experts (Part 2)

Preparing for music school: advice from experts. Gain insights on applications and auditions. This part of our series gains insights from guitar teacher, Bruno B.

Hodis Learning & Music guitar instructor, Bruno, shares insights on the music school application and audition process. Bruno earned his B.M. from the Berklee College of Music in songwriting.

What goes into preparing for music school admissions?

The same that goes into becoming a professional musician. Making music an integral part of who you are. It has to be one of the most important aspects of your life, otherwise you’re probably not going to put in the amount of work that it takes not only to get into music school, but to make a living out of music.

It’s also important to become a well rounded and versatile musician. Being really good at your primary instrument isn’t enough. For example, students should also work on other areas of music such as aural skills, music theory, music production, and songwriting.

How can you specifically help students prepare for music school auditions? Can you help with the application itself?

I’m a graduate from Berklee College of Music. I can help not only with the preparation and application processes, but I also have many thoughts about good habits that will make your music school experience more rewarding, pitfalls to avoid, what to expect after you graduate, etc.

What advice would you give those applying to music school?

Understanding the school you are applying to is vital.

You want to research all of the facets of the school’s culture and educational environment such as who teaches there, what kind of musician usually goes there, and what their values are. The people, not the institution, will make or break your experience. Different colleges have different music scenes, and tend to favor certain styles, genres and even personalities.

Make sure the school you pick isn’t just great on paper, but is the best fit for you.


Are you planning on applying to music programs? Schedule your first session with Bruno today!

More about Bruno:

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Rachel Hodis
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Educator Spotlight: Bruno B.

New Blog post! Educator Spotlight on Hodis Learning & Music guitar teacher, Bruno B.

What subject areas do you teach?

  • Music Lessons: guitar, voice, piano, songwriting, and music production.
  • Academic Tutoring: music theory

What’s the most rewarding part of being a music/guitar teacher?

Teaching is learning twice. I get to make a living out of studying and exploring music along with my students. I love seeing their fresh perspective as they learn new musical concepts and use them in ways I wouldn’t have.


What are the most common areas you see your students struggling in? How do you help them in those areas?

Music theory seems to be a very common one. I believe that a lot of the standard approaches to theory are a bit disconnected from the music the student loves.

Music theory is a lot more than just harmony, but these terms are used interchangeably by teachers quite a bit. Music theory encompasses melody writing, lyric writing, sound design, story structure and more. Harmony is one of the ways to create tension and release in a piece of music, but it’s definitely not the only one, and hasn’t been amongst the most used ones in popular styles of music for decades.

You can’t expect a student to care about harmony if it doesn’t explain the music they love. A theory teacher must be able to identify the driving elements in the music the student is interested in, and explain how those create tension and release.

For the students who are, in fact, interested in studying harmony, It only makes sense to do so in conjunction with ear training. Analyzing chords on paper has little use if you can’t hear the effect it has in the music.

I strive to get my students to the level where they don’t just know music theory, they hear and understand it.


What do you enjoy doing outside of teaching students? 

I love composing, producing tracks for artists and playing live.


What do you think makes Hodis Learning & Music a great service and company to work for?

Hodis Learning & Music pays well, treats their teachers well, and cares about how much their students are evolving, rather than strictly focusing on retaining students at any cost.

More about Bruno:

Schedule a session with our expert guitar teacher today!

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