TESTIMONIALS
“After a rough year in college, Semester for Change gave me the tools I needed in order to get back on track and be successful going forward. I applied for Semester for Change on a whim, not knowing exactly what to expect, and I'm so happy I did. I am so grateful to have had the opportunity to work with John and Monica. They guided me through thinking about my next steps with school and my career, while also supporting me in my creative endeavors. Returning to college after Semester for Change, I’ve noticed I feel a lot more comfortable with talking to teachers and asking questions. The program also helped me learn how to change my mindset about school work. I’ve been putting more effort into assignments I normally would deem easy or boring and try to make them more fun by going above and beyond what’s necessarily required. I also feel less anxiety about my future plan because now I know how to plan and replan when I reach set backs. I hope anyone considering this program decides to go through with it because it's truly a worthwhile experience.”
“As I took time off from college, doing Semester for Change allowed me to explore an independent project while consulting with John and Monica. This past semester has been the perfect break from traditional schooling and has allowed me to learn a lot more about myself.”
“Working with John my freshman year of college was absolutely amazing. He taught me so much in such a short amount of time. His personality is great, and he really did act as not only a teacher, but a mentor as well. He reasonably accommodates his students with the tools that they need in order to succeed and rise to their full potential, which really helped me throughout the year. John highly encourages engaged discussion, breaking assignments down piece by piece and taking things one step at a time. Even at my lowest point during the year, when I felt like giving up, John was there to help me with my work and motivate me to get back on track. John was by far one of the best teachers I've ever had, and I have a very strong strong feeling that he will leave a big impact on his next students.”
“I became equipped through John’s class with the essential skills one needs to be successful in college and further endeavors. Through great attention to detail and rigorous work, I mastered the skills needed for success. I had constant support, which allowed me to thrive during my freshman year. I can truly say I would NOT have had the success I did freshman year if I wasn't challenged day in and day out to not only reach my potential but to push past obstacles.”
“During my sophomore year of college, I gradually began to realize that I needed a serious change. My current college situation was not what I was looking for and I was struggling to find the right path. Luckily for me, John had been in a teaching and advisory role for me in my freshman year, and I reached out to him once again for guidance. With his help, I was able to diagnose the biggest issues I was facing and create an effective plan to change my learning environment. I ended up transferring to Boston University, a school that fits me both academically and socially. I could not be happier with the result, and I certainly could not have done it without John’s support.”
“The kind of relationship that is bonded between a teacher such as John and his students helped me excel as I transitioned from high school into college. John is able to spend quality time with each individual student. He would separately assess where each student was in the learning process, and help that student develop the next step they should take on that task. He treated every student as an individual, and understood that all students aren’t going to be drumming to the same beat. These one-on-one sessions taught me how to take on work at my own pace, and to be proud of the amount of work I was capable of doing. I owe many thanks to John because he helped me develop into the student I knew I was capable of being.”
“John is unlike any teacher or guidance counselor that I have had in the past. He took the time to get to know me. His character is what makes him the best guide one will ever have. At anytime I could walk into his office and see him smiling because John truly cares about the students he works with. He doesn't only want his students to receive good grades, he strives for his students to understand why they are learning a certain topic and how it relates to the course work. John taught me countless lessons and shared many life experiences with me that I will carry with me through life. Whether it be on a paper for his class or an issue I was having at school, John always guided me the right way. To this day I don't know where I would be without him. He truly made my freshman year spectacular. I will continue to use him as a resource when I encounter an issue that I need help with.”
“Our family of three children has been incredibly fortunate to work with John over a four-year period to achieve many goals, including college admissions, exploring alternative academic programs, academic readiness, planning independent study with travel, and time management and study skills for academic demands. John brings a wide range of capacities -- personal, academic, and administrative -- to every endeavor. He works with a high degree of follow through, creativity, and dependability, not in the least, humor, to characterize the work process. He succeeds because he crafts, with the parent and student alike, an understanding of the process and the steps required to produce authentic, expressive and unique material in essays, applications, and projects. John is agile in the academic milieu, navigating on so many different levels. He authenticates the student -- never sells. When teaching writing, he engenders confidence by connecting the student to what she intrinsically cares about. His process features working directly with our children to articulate their goals and support the completion of tasks and assignments with thoughtful and accurate reflection. He elicits from them what they actually care about, creating with them, never for them -- engaging to the extent that they are validated and reassured that they can perform to the requirement. This is a very dynamic experience. His methodology is based on building a bridge to the student that is about having fun, and is in fact thrilling for the student to experience.”