As the new school year begins at Shepherd, students are adjusting to study mode after the three-month summer break. Since professors can’t be in their offices 24/7, they advise students to go to the Academic Support Center. Located on the first floor of Scarborough Library, the ASC offers academic help from peer tutors. Along with the ASC, a new tutoring business is growing in Shepherdstown: Three Trees Tutoring.
Three Trees Tutoring offers help in study skills, test preparation and essay editing to students in the Eastern Panhandle area. It was created in March 2014 by Shepherd alumnus Marianne Davis, whose career as a mentor started in the ASC.
“Having raised my own kids, and tutored Shepherd students, I often thought about what kids need to prepare for college and for life beyond school. I knew that our community had plenty of resources to help students, but that we needed to organize them in a new way. So, I gathered a bunch of instructors and others…and launched Three Trees Tutoring,” Davis said.
All tutors at Three Trees Tutoring are college graduates, some holding advanced degrees in their fields. Some are also educators working in the classroom.
Three Trees Tutoring offers help in all major topic areas. Subjects in mathematics range from basic algebra to probabilities and calculus. Science classes cover chemistry, biology, and physics, as well as the so-called “soft sciences” of psychology, economics, and geography. Historical topics range from U.S. and world history to civics and comparative government. English grammar and literature, including vocabulary, critical reading and reading comprehension, are also part of the tutoring program, along with courses on modern foreign languages.
Unlike the ASC, Three Trees Tutoring does not limit its tutoring to students — anyone can make use of their services. Tutors offer assistance on college applications, resumés, and PowerPoints. They also offer online tutoring as an option for those living far away, or for those who would rather keep on their pajamas.
Davis adds that Three Trees places special emphasis on the area of writing. “Three Trees leans hard on writing skills for all disciplines. We want to give our customers the tools to do in four hours what once took 10, and to do it well. I do a lot of developmental editing, particularly with people working on their master’s degrees. As everyone who knows me will say, I love footnotes!”
Three Trees Tutoring can be reached on the telephone at 203-273-7053, or online at http://www.threetreestutoring.com/. They can also be found on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/sanbongitutoring.