1^st lesson free

Nicholas

5 (2 reviews)

Rate $25
Response 24h
Students
Number of students Nicholas has taught since their arrival at Superprof
1
Number of students Nicholas has taught since their arrival at Superprof

5 (2 reviews)

$25/h

1^st lesson free

ESOL
English speaking
English Vocabulary
English reading
Accent Reduction-English

Reading comprehension and metacognition teacher with nearly 20 years of experience in my field will help your 5-15-year-old child learn reading and self-teaching methods quickly, and naturally.

ESOL
English speaking
English Vocabulary
English reading
Accent Reduction-English

Lesson location

- online

About Nicholas

Hello families! My name is Nicholas Kontgas. Originally from Utah in the USA, I have a bit of a unique story as far as teaching goes. I graduated from high school early with credentials in computer network administration from the Cisco Certified Network Administrator program. I worked in the industry for a short time before deciding it just wasn't my thing. I had been working for myself as a private guitar and drawing teacher since I was 16, so I decided to enter that world full-time and never looked back. I left the US in 2005 at 19 years old and got my first full-time teaching position in Kitakyushu, Japan. I taught ESL at three primary schools. After a year of teaching, I went to China and established roots there before returning to the US for a short time to work and save money. After less than a year, I returned to China in March of 2008, where I resumed my work in ESL. I worked for about 4 years, earning award after award and growing my reputation within the ABC English School (the second-largest ESL training school in Beijing at the time). I had a knack for helping students understand and use their own natural thinking abilities, and my students excelled far beyond others. My classes were always booked full, and students from other classes transferred into my class at such a high rate that the school began keeping a regular waiting list for seats. I got my first formal teaching certification from the International TEFL/TESOL Training program in 2012, and began studying Mandarin Chinese at Beijing International Studies University. I blew past my classmates and won multiple scholarships from the school for my grades. I left the university in 2014 when I was contacted to help found the Calvert program at LiMai Chinese-American International School. I was not only responsible for teaching my 1st grade class, but also for recruiting new families to join the program. Within 2 years, I grew the Calvert student base from 9 families to over 300. From day 1 landing in China until the day I left, I had also been teaching privately and consistently had long-term students. With the experience I had gained between 2008 and 2016 working for schools and training centers, I decided to open my own program. In 2016, I founded my own private program called "Mr. Nick's Nightly Reading", in which I combined everything I'd learned from ESL in Japan and China, private tutoring in the US and China, and the Calvert Education Services program into a single, unified after-school program teaching children metacognition skills so they could be successful learners regardless of the quality of their schools and teachers. In early 2017, I expanded and refreshed my teaching qualifications with an advanced certification in TEFL/TESOL from the International TEFL/TESOL Training program. My after-school program quickly grew to include nearly 250 families. I left China in 2018 and returned to the US, where I turned my community-based program into an online program where I have served nearly 200 families until the present. I presently teach this program bilingually with my international students.

About the lesson

Attention Parents: Your Child's Learning Adventure Starts Here! My 5-to-15-year-old students love learning with me, and their families adore the remarkable results they achieve. As an experienced and passionate teacher, I have developed a unique teaching method that blends the best parts of ESL, American English Language Arts, and metacognitive training. Over nearly 20 years, I have honed this approach while teaching in the US, Japan, and China, earning numerous awards for its efficacy. A typical lesson with me is about 40-45 minutes of structured learning that feels free-form. We: 1. Start with some free talk to help get the thinking juices flowing. 2. Do a structured phonics review for around 5 minutes to help the kids switch into reading mode. 3. Read a worksheet together that outlines information on recent classes and talks about what we will do in today's lesson. 4. Preview some of the independent work the students will do outside of class. 5. Read a book and develop our reading and comprehension skills. All the while, we are expanding vocabulary, improving phonics skills, and developing independent thinking habits they can apply in any area of learning. What sets my teaching method apart is its focus on building up and utilizing students' natural thinking skills to empower them as self-learners. I have witnessed incredible success while working with Calvert Education Services in the LiMai Chinese-American International School blended learning program. My private after-school program has also achieved remarkable reading comprehension mastery for hundreds of children from diverse language, cultural, and educational backgrounds. Imagine your child engaged in thought-provoking lessons where they discover facts and details on their own. My approach fosters a love for learning and helps children overcome challenges, leading their confidence in their abilities to soar! With my "online classes with an offline feel," your child will experience the best of both worlds – the convenience of online learning and the tactile benefits of offline materials. That means physical worksheets and books, minimizing screen time while maintaining the convenience of online lessons. Experience the positive impact I can have on your child's learning journey. My classes are held twice a week, with each lesson lasting 40-45 minutes, ensuring an optimal balance of learning and engagement. Families who learn with me often stay for years, thanks to my consistent, high-quality teaching, balance between strict teaching and fairness, and mentorship-style guidance. I am thrilled to embark on this learning adventure with YOUR child. Contact me now and witness the transformation firsthand!

Review

All of our reviews are collected by us and are 100% reliable. They correspond to a real experience lived by students with Nicholas.

5 (2 reviews)

A

Aahana
- 5
Perfect! e’ve been so pleased with the progress our daughter has made since starting sessions with this tutor. She came in a bit hesitant about reading and writing, and it’s been wonderful to watch her confidence grow. The tutor has a real gift for connecting with 7th graders — patient, encouraging, and clearly passionate about ELA. Assignments that used to feel like a struggle now feel manageable. We’d highly recommend this tutor to any parent looking for thoughtful, effective support.
See the response from Nicholas Read more Read more

A

Aahana

Perfect! e’ve been so pleased with the progress our daughter has made since starting sessions with this tutor. She came in a bit hesitant about reading and writing, and it’s been wonderful to watch her confidence grow. The tutor has a real gift for connecting with 7th graders — patient, encouraging, and clearly passionate about ELA. Assignments that used to feel like a struggle now feel manageable. We’d highly recommend this tutor to any parent looking for thoughtful, effective support.

Nicholas's response
Aahana and Anurag have been fantastic to work with. Aahana is very smart. She is hard-working and responsive during lessons. Working with Anurag has been great. Very courteous and respectful.

I am looking forward to working with them again!
- Nicholas's response :
  Aahana and Anurag have been fantastic to work with. Aahana is very smart. She is hard-working and responsive during lessons. Working with Anurag has been great. Very courteous and respectful.
  
  I am looking forward to working with them again!
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Recommendations

Recommendations come from relatives, friends and acquaintances of the teacher

Jacob

I have known Nick for 3 years and he has taught my children, he is a great teacher! Highly Recommended!
Read more

J
Jacob
I have known Nick for 3 years and he has taught my children, he is a great teacher! Highly Recommended!
View more recommendations

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5h: $125
10h: $250

online

$25/h

free lessons

This first lesson offered with Nicholas will allow you to get to know each other and clearly specify your needs for your next lessons.

Reading comprehension and metacognition teacher with nearly 20 years of experience in my field will help your 5-15-year-old child learn reading and self-teaching methods quickly, and naturally.

Lesson location

Recommended

About Nicholas

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online

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Reading comprehension and metacognition teacher with nearly 20 years of experience in my field will help your 5-15-year-old child learn reading and self-teaching methods quickly, and naturally.

Lesson location

Recommended

About Nicholas

About the lesson

Review

Recommendations

Rates

Rate

Pack rates

online

free lessons

Other tutors in ESOL

Stefano

Aldo

Flannery

Armin

Ethan

Linda

Ria

Laurent

Jane

Clément

Sebastian

Mary

Cristina

Marty

Cécile

Marie

Kaoutar

Kate

Andrea

Vera

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