Hi, I’m Nathan.

Math, reading & writing tutoring for grades K–8, online and in person.

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15 minutes

Nathan Leslie standing among yellow wildflowers on a sunny day.
Tap or swipe to turn over to learn a little about me

A little about me

Hey! Thanks for clicking! I hope we get a chance to connect, but here’s a little about me in the meantime. I grew up in Roseville, a suburb of Sacramento, and moved to Southern California to attend UC Irvine. I graduated with a degree in Business Administration and an emphasis in marketing. While I was there, I met my girlfriend, who grew up in Brooklyn and wanted to move back. It didn’t take much convincing. A year and change later, I couldn’t be happier here.

Lately, my hobbies include Ultimate Frisbee (maybe the greatest sport invented), reading, app development, and biking. All This Could Be Different is my favorite read this year, and recently I’ve been loving the Dungeon Crawler Carl series. I’m also working on a platform for discovering books, with the goal of eventually including other forms of writing. And I’ve ridden 1,300 miles on Citi Bikes this year!

I’m a pretty analytical person and I believe I'm a better educator for it. I like having the details and the context behind them, and I find vague explanations frustrating. That carries over into how I try and communicate, explaining my reasoning and giving people enough context to follow it. I love explaining something I know well, especially when we can get specific about what isn’t making sense and work through it together.

How I approach tutoring

The support changes with your child’s understanding. Later sessions reconnect with earlier learning before extending it.

During a lesson

I learn how they think

I’ll use questions and short tasks to understand what your child already knows and where they need help.

I choose the support

Support depends on what your child understands and what’s getting in the way.

A questionA chance to explain a choice.
A hintA starting point to get unstuck.
An exampleA step modelled and explained.
Time to exploreRoom to investigate, with guidance.
If they need support

We practise together

We plan, try and check an approach together, with less help as understanding grows.

Adjust as neededIf they’re ready

They try on their own

Your child works through a similar task on their own, explains their approach and checks their work. If they get stuck, we return to the support they need.

If they get stuck

I note what’s understood

A record of what your child can explain and use helps us decide what to revisit.

A later session

Can they use it on their own?

Your child recalls the idea and tries a fresh example without help.

Not yet

We revisit the tricky step

We focus on the gap, with support as needed, before your child tries a fresh example independently.

Check again
Yes

We build on it

That understanding becomes the starting point for a new idea or challenge.

Building over time

Connect and apply learning

We bring earlier learning into new work and use it in different contexts when your child is ready.

Review progress and choose what’s next

We review what’s remembered, used in different tasks and done with less help. Parent input can help shape what comes next.

Revisit

Work on a gap, then check again.

Deepen

Explore further or try a harder task.

Connect

Link a secure idea to a new one.

Into later lessons

This is a flexible structure, not a fixed sequence. I’ll check understanding throughout and adjust the order, pace and amount of support as we go. It draws on guidance about explicit instruction, supported exploration, self-regulation and spaced practice from the Australian Education Research Organisation, the Education Endowment Foundation and the U.S. Institute of Education Sciences.

I’m always open to feedback, advice, and detailed information about what helps your child learn. Tell me what’s worked, what hasn’t, and anything I should keep in mind so we can find the approach that works best for them.

What we can work on

Math

Understand the concepts, work through problems, and make sense of the steps.

How we’ll work on math

We’ll start with questions or a short task to see how your child approaches a problem. Their responses help me choose whether to explore an idea, offer a question or hint, demonstrate a step or practise together. As they become more secure, they’ll choose an approach, explain their reasoning and check their answer with less help.

In a lesson

  • We’ll use objects, drawings, number lines or diagrams where they help, and connect them to the numbers and symbols.
  • Your child’s responses guide the support: a question, hint, explanation, demonstration or shared practice. We’ll use feedback throughout and reduce prompts as understanding becomes more secure.
  • We’ll build accuracy and fluency alongside reasoning. With word problems, your child will identify relationships, choose a strategy, explain why it fits and check whether the answer makes sense.
  • Later sessions will include fresh problems based on earlier learning, before we look back at previous examples. An independent attempt helps us choose a targeted refresh or the next challenge.

These are examples of how we might work. Your child’s responses will guide the task, pace and support throughout.

Across K–8

These are useful starting points. Your child’s current skills, rather than their grade alone, guide the lesson.

Grades K–2

Number sense and early calculations.

We’ll work on quantity, place value, addition and subtraction. Counters, ten-frames and drawings can help your child connect an equation to what each number represents.

Grades 3–5

Operations, fractions and their connections.

We’ll work on multiplication, division, fractions, decimals and word problems. Arrays, fraction strips and number lines will help us connect calculations to the quantities and relationships involved.

Grades 6–8

Reasoning with growing independence.

We’ll work on rational numbers, ratios, expressions, equations and relevant geometry. Your child will choose a useful diagram, table or equation, explain the steps and compare methods once the basics are secure.

The approaches behind this

Explicit, systematic instruction
Lessons follow a connected sequence, with demonstrations, feedback and review of earlier learning. We’ll work on understanding as well as the ability to carry out a calculation.
Guided inquiry and problem solving
Your child will have room to explore, with questions, examples, feedback and explanations to support progress. Research distinguishes this guided discovery from leaving a student to figure out an unfamiliar method unaided.
Mastery and visual models
We’ll spend more time on teaching and practice when a skill isn’t secure. Concrete–pictorial–abstract describes connecting objects, pictures and symbols; it doesn’t require every student to follow an identical sequence or establish one branded curriculum as best.

What the research supports

WWC rates systematic instruction, mathematical language, representations, number lines and word-problem instruction strongly for elementary intervention. Its grades 4–8 guide also strongly supports visual representations and monitoring the problem-solving process. Algebra-specific recommendations have more mixed evidence ratings; the broader mastery-learning evidence is limited.

Evidence ratings apply to the practices and students studied. A “minimal” rating means the guide’s evidence threshold was not met; it doesn’t mean a practice was shown to be ineffective. These guides inform the approach, rather than predict an individual result.

Reading

Identify what is getting in the way—reading the words, reading fluently, or understanding the text.

How we’ll work on reading

Listening to your child read and discussing the text helps me find the skill that needs attention: reading the words, understanding the language or both. We’ll adjust the teaching and practice as we go, helping them notice difficulty and choose what to try next. Later sessions will revisit taught skills using new words and passages to see what carries over with less help.

In a lesson

  • If word reading is the obstacle, we’ll work systematically on sound–letter patterns, blending, spelling and, where needed, longer words and meaningful word parts. Your child’s attempt shows what needs teaching; unfamiliar words won’t be treated as a guessing exercise.
  • We’ll build fluency through purposeful reading aloud, feedback and rereading. Demonstrations or reading together can help at first, with less support as your child reads more accurately and comfortably.
  • Vocabulary and background knowledge will develop alongside reading. Your child will explain interpretations, find supporting details and notice when meaning becomes unclear. We’ll practise useful responses, such as rereading or unpacking unfamiliar language.
  • In later sessions, your child will revisit taught patterns and ideas before a reminder. New words with familiar patterns and unfamiliar passages help us check what they can apply independently and choose what to refresh or extend.

These are examples of how we might work. Your child’s responses will guide the task, pace and support throughout.

Across K–8

These are useful starting points. Your child’s current skills, rather than their grade alone, guide the lesson.

Grades K–2

Connecting sounds, print and meaning.

We’ll connect sound awareness to letters, blending, spelling and short texts using familiar patterns. Stories, read-alouds and conversation will help your child build vocabulary and comprehension from the beginning.

Grades 3–5

Fluent reading and understanding the text.

We’ll work on longer words, vocabulary, fluent reading and understanding paragraphs. If reading becomes difficult, I’ll check whether the obstacle is decoding the words or making sense of them, then target that skill.

Grades 6–8

Understanding more demanding texts.

We’ll work on complex words, background knowledge, inference and evidence. Together, we’ll unpack unfamiliar language, summarize sections and support interpretations with the text, while addressing earlier word-reading gaps when needed.

What that could look like

If your child understands a paragraph read aloud but struggles to read the words, word reading may need attention. If they read accurately but struggle to explain it, we’ll look more closely at understanding the language. These observations guide teaching; they aren’t a diagnosis.

The approaches behind this

Structured literacy and systematic phonics
We’ll work explicitly and systematically on the language and word-reading skills your child needs, with review and adjustments based on their responses. Phonics connects letters and spelling patterns to speech sounds; it is one part of a complete reading approach.
Comprehension, language and knowledge
Understanding starts early, alongside learning to decode. Reading fluently, knowing words and the topic, understanding sentences, and discussing a text all matter. “Science of reading” describes a research base rather than a single curriculum.
Whole language, balanced literacy and word guessing
These labels cover different implementations. The key question is whether your child receives systematic instruction in the skills they need. Context helps interpret and check meaning; guessing from a picture or first letter doesn’t replace reading the printed word.
Named programs such as Orton–Gillingham
A program’s name alone doesn’t establish that it is best for a particular child. A 2021 review of Orton–Gillingham found limited evidence and non-significant pooled effects; that does not prove ineffectiveness or establish a tutor’s specialist training.

What the research supports

WWC gives strong ratings to sound–letter and decoding instruction in K–3. For struggling readers in grades 4–9, it strongly supports longer-word decoding, fluency work and a bundle of comprehension practices. Supported practice with challenging texts receives a moderate rating. Phonics research supports word-reading outcomes more clearly than treating phonics alone as a complete comprehension intervention.

Evidence ratings apply to the practices and students studied. A “minimal” rating means the guide’s evidence threshold was not met; it doesn’t mean a practice was shown to be ineffective. These guides inform the approach, rather than predict an individual result.

Writing

Learn manageable ways to organise ideas, build clear sentences and paragraphs, and revise.

How we’ll work on writing

We’ll start with what your child wants to communicate and how they currently approach writing. I’ll use their ideas, plans or drafts to identify what would help next—a question, a useful model, a demonstration or writing together. As they gain control, they’ll take more responsibility for planning, checking and revising their work.

In a lesson

  • We’ll set a manageable goal based on the reader and task. Your child will consider what they want to communicate, how to organize it and what would help them get started.
  • I’ll teach or model the skill that needs attention—forming letters, spelling, building a sentence, organizing a paragraph or explaining evidence—within meaningful writing. A model or writing together can help your child put it into practice.
  • As the writing develops, we’ll use feedback and reread from the reader’s point of view. Your child will decide what to improve, with fewer prompts as they become ready.
  • In a later piece, your child will have a chance to choose and use the strategy before a reminder. Their attempt helps us decide whether to refresh the skill or extend the task.

These are examples of how we might work. Your child’s responses will guide the task, pace and support throughout.

Across K–8

These are useful starting points. Your child’s current skills, rather than their grade alone, guide the lesson.

Grades K–2

From ideas to sentences.

Your child’s own ideas will stay at the centre as we practise saying thoughts aloud, forming letters, spelling and composing sentences. A modelled sentence can help them get started, and we’ll reread their writing together to check its meaning.

Grades 3–5

Developing clear paragraphs.

We’ll work on planning, organizing, elaborating, revising and editing. A short model or shared planning can help when needed. Your child will draft, check and improve a specific feature, such as an explanation that a reader needs.

Grades 6–8

Purpose, structure and evidence.

We’ll work on audience, explanation, argument, evidence and cohesion. Your child will connect claims to evidence and reasoning, organize the piece and develop increasingly independent revision habits.

The approaches behind this

Process writing and writers’ workshop
Planning, drafting, revising and sharing provide a meaningful structure. Explicit teaching can sit within that process, so your child gets both time to write and guidance on how to improve.
Explicit strategy instruction and SRSD
Self-Regulated Strategy Development combines writing strategies with goals and self-checking. Its sequence of modelling, supported practice and independent use can inform how we work. It is a well-studied model, with evidence that varies across students and studies.
Sentence and genre instruction
We’ll look at how sentences work and how different kinds of writing are organized. Models, sentence practice and discussion of purpose will connect those skills to your child’s own writing.

What the research supports

WWC rates teaching the writing process for different purposes strongly in elementary grades; handwriting, spelling and sentence construction receive a moderate rating. Its secondary guide strongly supports explicit strategies through modeling, practice and reflection. K–3 and grades 6–12 meta-analyses support combining useful practices. The WWC’s specific 2017 learning-disability review rated SRSD writing effects “potentially positive,” rather than universally strong.

Evidence ratings apply to the practices and students studied. A “minimal” rating means the guide’s evidence threshold was not met; it doesn’t mean a practice was shown to be ineffective. These guides inform the approach, rather than predict an individual result.

My experience

UC Irvine

–

I entered college not knowing what I wanted to do with my life and left with a career path I was excited to pursue. My B.A. in Business Administration exposed me to a range of fields, and I developed a particular interest in marketing. But my two marketing internships made me question whether I wanted to pursue it as a career.

My time in Prague changed what I considered a realistic path for myself. Teaching became something I could actually see myself doing, and I spent the rest of my degree finding a way into it.

English in Prague

–

Prague was a major turning point for me. I was volunteering at a school, teaching English to Czech elementary-school students, while also completing a marketing internship at a tech company. Having both experiences at the same time made the difference in how I felt about them hard to ignore.

Whenever I thought about what I could see myself doing for years, it was the teaching. That was a cathartic realization, and a moment of certainty during a time when a lot was changing.

Special Needs Teaching Assistant — Strategic Kids

–

Back in California, with about a year left in my degree, I started looking for my first job in education. Through Strategic Kids, I worked as a short-term fill-in special needs teaching assistant across Irvine Unified School District.

Being in a new classroom every few days meant getting to know new students, routines, and support needs quickly. I worked with children of different ages and with a wide range of disabilities. Later, I took longer assignments, spending about a month at a time in individual classrooms and working one-on-one with students, accompanying them through their classes and supporting them throughout the day.

Substitute Teacher — Irvine Unified

–

Moving into substitute teaching felt like the next step toward becoming a teacher. I wanted more responsibility and independence, and I felt ready to manage a classroom of my own. There was a learning curve, but I found my footing quickly and really enjoyed most of my assignments.

In Irvine, I was given real content to teach and had the chance to work across grade levels. I felt that my preparation and effort had a direct impact on the students I was teaching, and I found that fulfilling. I wanted to keep pursuing teaching after moving to New York.

Substitute Teacher — NYC DOE

– Present

Substitute teaching in New York has been formative, but often frustrating. Much of my work has involved assisting in classrooms or rotating between several classes to cover teachers’ prep periods. I’ve often arrived knowing little more than the school’s location, with no lesson plan or information about the students I’d be working with.

Those experiences have helped me get better at managing a classroom, but they’ve also clarified what I want to spend my time doing. My favorite teaching moments have been the ones where I had enough information to understand the students’ needs and could focus on helping them learn.

That’s why I’m moving toward tutoring. I want more of my time to go toward helping a student understand a concept and solve a problem independently. Having the time and context to work closely with a student is what appeals to me about it.

Pricing

60, 90, 120-minute sessions available. Totals below show a 60-minute lesson, rounded to the nearest dollar.

First 5 lessons

50% off$60/hour

$30/hour

$30 per lesson

$150 total (5 lessons)

Afterward

$60/hour

$60 total

1 session: $60/hour · 4 sessions: $57/hour · 8 sessions: $54/hour · 16 sessions: $50/hour

Bundles apply after your first 5 one-on-one lessons.

Lesson details

The introductory rate applies to each student’s first 5 one-on-one lessons. Sessions are charged at the hourly rate, prorated for your chosen duration and rounded to the nearest dollar.

Bundle rates don’t combine with introductory discounts. Bundle totals cover the selected number of lessons at the selected length.

Why the introductory rate

Over the past three years, I’ve taught and supported children in classrooms. One-on-one tutoring is newer to me, and I want to be honest about that. That’s why the first five lessons are half price.

Book one at a time, with no obligation to take all five or continue. A good fit for your child, for you as their parent or guardian, and for me helps us work better together.

Per student

StudentsFirst 5 · 40% offAfterward
2

$27/hr

$27 per lesson

$135 total (5 lessons)

$45/hr

$45 total

3

$24/hr

$24 per lesson

$120 total (5 lessons)

$40/hr

$40 total

4

$21/hr

$21 per lesson

$105 total (5 lessons)

$35/hr

$35 total

5–8

$18/hr

$18 per lesson

$90 total (5 lessons)

$30/hr

$30 total

How groups work

Groups depend on availability and students working at similar subject levels.

For now, you and the other families would need to put the group together. I’m not matching students into groups yet.

Group introductory rates apply to each student’s first 5 group lessons. They don’t combine with one-on-one discounts or bundles.

Let’s talk about your child.

Tell me the grade, subject, and what’s been difficult. We can talk about next steps and whether online or in-person tutoring works for you.

Book a free intro call

Free · 15-minute intro call · Google Meet

Monday–Friday, 9 a.m.–7 p.m. Eastern