Award-Winning 3rd Grade Reading Tutors

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Award-Winning 3rd Grade Reading Tutors

Molly

Certified Tutor

Molly

Master of Science in Education
Molly's other Tutor Subjects
3rd Grade Reading
1st-8th Grade math
1st-8th Grade Writing
Pre-Algebra

Teaching 3rd grade reading is personal territory for Molly — she's been a classroom teacher at this level and knows the pressure students feel when reading assessments ramp up and chapter books replace picture books. She zeroes in on fluency, comprehension monitoring, and the transition from decodin...

Education

Northwestern University

Master of Science in Education

Columbia University in the City of New York

Bachelor in Arts, History

Test Scores
SAT
1480
Allan

Certified Tutor

Allan

Bachelors, Biological Sciences
Allan's other Tutor Subjects
3rd Grade Reading
1st-12th Grade math
1st-12th Grade Writing
3rd-8th Grade Science

Third grade is where reading stops being about decoding words and starts being about understanding what they mean together. Allan works on skills like identifying the main idea, making predictions, and using context to figure out unfamiliar vocabulary — the building blocks that make independent read...

Education

Northwestern University

Bachelors, Biological Sciences

Test Scores
SAT
1540
Paula

Certified Tutor

Paula

Bachelor in Arts
Paula's other Tutor Subjects
3rd Grade Reading
1st-12th Grade Writing
2nd-8th Grade math
3rd-8th Grade Science

Paula approaches third-grade reading by zeroing in on fluency and story structure — helping kids recognize beginnings, middles, and endings so they can retell what they've read with confidence. Her psychology background means she understands how eight- and nine-year-olds learn, and she adjusts pacin...

Education

Vanderbilt University

Bachelor in Arts

Test Scores
SAT
1520
ACT
32
Angela

Certified Tutor

Angela

Bachelor of Science, Psychology/International Relations
Angela's other Tutor Subjects
3rd Grade Reading
1st-12th Grade Writing
Calculus
Algebra

At the third-grade level, reading starts to demand more than just decoding — kids need to understand story structure, compare characters, and answer questions using evidence from the text. Angela makes these skills click by choosing stories that spark curiosity, then walking through comprehension st...

Education

University of Pennsylvania

Bachelor of Science, Psychology/International Relations

Test Scores
SAT
1430
Hasan

Certified Tutor

Hasan

B.A. in Literary Arts and Visual Arts
Hasan's other Tutor Subjects
3rd Grade Reading
1st-12th Grade Writing
1st-8th Grade math
3rd-8th Grade Science

By third grade, students are expected to read to learn rather than just learning to read, and that leap trips up a lot of kids. Hasan tackles this transition by building fluency alongside comprehension — connecting vocabulary in context, asking prediction questions, and making sure students can expl...

Education

Brown University

B.A. in Literary Arts and Visual Arts

Test Scores
SAT
1540
Michael

Certified Tutor

Michael

Bachelor in Arts, Public Health/Pre-Medicine
Michael's other Tutor Subjects
3rd Grade Reading
Calculus
Algebra
AP Physics 1

By third grade, students are expected to read chapter books and start answering questions about character motivation and story structure — a big leap from early readers. Michael walks kids through strategies like rereading for clues and using context to figure out unfamiliar vocabulary. His backgrou...

Education

Johns Hopkins University

Bachelor in Arts, Public Health/Pre-Medicine

Dakota

Certified Tutor

Dakota

Master's degree
Dakota's other Tutor Subjects
3rd Grade Reading
1st-12th Grade math
1st-12th Grade Writing
3rd-8th Grade Science

Third grade is where reading shifts from learning-to-read to reading-to-learn, and that transition trips up a lot of kids. Dakota breaks down skills like sequencing, cause and effect, and retelling in ways that click, using stories and passages that keep young readers genuinely interested. Her backg...

Education

Vanderbilt University

Master's degree

Vanderbilt University

Bachelor in Arts

Test Scores
ACT
33
Jennifer

Certified Tutor

Jennifer

Masters, Theatre Directing
Jennifer's other Tutor Subjects
3rd Grade Reading
1st-5th Grade Writing
Calculus
Algebra

Third grade is where reading shifts from decoding words to actually understanding stories — making inferences, identifying main ideas, and connecting what's on the page to what a child already knows. Jennifer's theatre background gives her a knack for bringing passages to life through character voic...

Education

Trinity College Dublin

Masters, Theatre Directing

Allen

Certified Tutor

Allen

Bachelor in Arts, Mathematics
Allen's other Tutor Subjects
3rd Grade Reading
1st-11th Grade math
1st-10th Grade Writing
AP Calculus AB

Third graders make a critical shift from learning to read to reading to learn — tackling chapter books, making inferences, and identifying main ideas in nonfiction passages. Allen's love of books and reading, combined with his experience teaching younger students in volunteer tutoring programs, mean...

Education

Vanderbilt University

Bachelor in Arts, Mathematics

Test Scores
SAT
1580
Nima

Certified Tutor

10+ years

Nima

Bachelors, Physics
Nima's other Tutor Subjects
3rd Grade Reading
1st-7th Grade math
1st-6th Grade Writing
3rd-7th Grade Science

Reading fluency and basic comprehension come together in third grade, and many students struggle when passages get longer and questions start asking "why" instead of "who." Nima uses his patience and creativity to walk young readers through strategies like rereading for clues and visualizing scenes,...

Education

Duke University

Bachelors, Physics

Test Scores
SAT
1580

Meet Our Expert Tutors

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Jessalyn

6th Grade math Tutor • +78 Subjects

I am “HQ” (Highly Qualified) certified to teach Social Studies for grades 7-12. I currently teach a sophomore level ethics class at St. Edwards University. I taught several classes at The University of Texas at Austin as a Doctoral Candidate, where I also earned my M.A. in Philosophy. At the University of Southern California, I earned my B.A. with Departmental Honors along with the Discovery Scholar’s award for excellence in independent research. I have been tutoring and teaching for eleven years, with a primary emphasis on developing my students’ writing and critical thinking skills.

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Felice

8th Grade math Tutor • +57 Subjects

I am a graduate of Rutgers College - Undergraduate Business School. I received my Bachelor of Science in Finance with a minor in English. I believe that students learn best when taught in an engaging and energetic way but also believe that it is only through patience and an individualized approach that you can you truly understand the way that a student comprehends and retains that knowledge. I work hard to encompass creativity, energy, and patience in the ways that I teach. My passion for education and learning began in high school where I regularly tutored Math and English to students of all ages. For the past 9 years, I worked in the Financial Services industry in various finance and human resources roles. This experience allowed me to work with all different types of people and helped me develop my skills for understanding unique personalities and how different individuals are motivated. Throughout my career post-college, I continue to be involved in the Learning & Development of my colleagues and often create training guides and conduct training sessions on various relevant topics such as computer skills and financial applications. I am extremely excited and fortunate to have the opportunity to work with students again and in an area where my true passion has always been: education. In my spare time, I love being with friends and family, discovering food festivals around NYC and finding any excuse to travel.

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Sarah

12th Grade math Tutor • +66 Subjects

I am a graduate of the University of Kentucky's College of Engineering with a Bachelor's Degree in Chemical Engineering and a minor in Classics giving me a strong background in mathematics, language and the hard sciences. Hobbies: art, outdoors, reading, writing, books, music

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Orlando

12th Grade math Tutor • +86 Subjects

Hobbies: reading, music, running, art, books, writing

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Brianna

10th Grade math Tutor • +149 Subjects

I am a currently a high school mathematics teacher. I graduated from the University of Richmond majoring in Business Administration with a concentration in Marketing Analytics and a minor in Mathematics. I have worked with kids of all ages, ranging from elementary school to college students through various subjects. I have also worked extensively with special needs children, doing everything from teaching special education to one-on-one in-home mentoring. Through my experiences, I have continued to carry my passion for working with children and have developed my skills in making successful and individualized learning fun. Math, science and test prep are the subjects I'm particularly passionate about tutoring, as I've always loved those subjects myself. Additionally, I've worked extensively with adults on business skills, marketing and social media.

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Leonid

5th Grade math Tutor • +49 Subjects

I am a motivated Mechanical Engineering student at UMass Amherst, with a strong passion for teaching. In my free time, I rock climb, dance, and build crazy robotics projects. I love helping students of all ages build understanding and excitement for various subjects. I believe that, with patience and the right set of tools, you can grow to enjoy any subject. As someone who used to be terrible at math and was taught to love it, I can attest to the fact that the right teacher can make a world of difference. I hope to work with you and help you accomplish whatever you set your mind to. Hobbies: reading, music, writing, art, books

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Tara

10th Grade math Tutor • +71 Subjects

I'm sure of, it's that I genuinely enjoy tutoring. I'm also a "professional" student. I say this because absorbing, analyzing, and integrating knowledge from my medical courses are necessary skills for my own academic success. And so, I am more than happy to share my study strategies, techniques, and tips with students.

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Adrianna

Elementary Math Tutor • +68 Subjects

I am a 7th grade English/Language Arts teacher at Gary Comer College Prep Middle School in the Greater Grand Crossing neighborhood of Chicago, IL. I have also taught math in self-contained and remedial setting. Hobbies: running, art, books, reading, music, writing

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Taylor

4th Grade math Tutor • +67 Subjects

I am currently a lead preschool teacher. I received my Bachelor's in Psychology from VCU and am looking to return to school to further my education. While in college, I worked as a Supplemental Instruction leader, teaching general biology and anatomy. I have also worked in an after school program with elementary age children, but I have my fondest memories volunteering as a counselor for Camp Kesem. In my own experience, I loved school and now I love teaching even more at all age levels! I especially enjoy the challenge of getting creative to discover what approach and mediums work best for each student. I am available for in person as well as online tutoring.

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Joyce

8th Grade math Tutor • +71 Subjects

I am currently in a Physician Assistant program at University of North Texas Health Science Center in Fort Worth and am loving every minute of clinical practice! I earned my Bachelor of Science in Biology with a minor in Philosophy from University of St Thomas. While an undergraduate student, I enjoyed leading fellow pre-health professional classmates as campus President of HOSA-Future Health Professionals. One of my most unforgettable health care experiences was a two-week medical missions trip which involved extensive teamwork for fundraising and bringing medical supplies to serve a remote and underserved village in Huancayo, Peru. I also received a Master of Science in Biomedical Sciences from University of North Texas Health Science Center and am pursuing a career as a Physician Assistant. While pursuing my master's degree, I learned to ask for help from teaching assistants and tutors, and am immensely grateful for their guidance! I am interested in academia after gaining several years of clinical experience as a PA. In my free-time, I enjoy cooking, dancing, and spending time with my two lovely poodles. I am also passionate about rescuing animals!

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Frequently Asked Questions

This is a common challenge in 3rd grade, where students transition from learning to read to reading to learn. A tutor helps bridge this gap by teaching comprehension strategies like predicting what happens next, asking questions while reading, and making connections to prior knowledge. Tutors also work on building vocabulary in context and breaking down complex sentences into manageable parts, so students can focus on meaning rather than just word-by-word decoding.

Inference means reading between the lines—using clues from the text plus what you already know to figure out something the author didn't directly state. Many 3rd graders struggle because it requires holding multiple pieces of information in mind at once and making logical connections. A tutor teaches students to identify "clue words" in the text, ask themselves "What does this tell me?" and practice with guided questions before moving to independent inference work.

By 3rd grade, students should recognize most common sight words automatically, but some students need extra practice to build automaticity. A tutor can assess which words are causing slowdowns and use targeted strategies like repeated exposure, word families, and contextual reading to help sight words become automatic. This frees up mental energy for comprehension rather than struggling with individual words.

Rather than just defining these terms, tutors use concrete, interactive approaches: asking students to draw or describe characters, act out scenes to understand plot sequence, and create story maps that show how events connect. Tutors also teach students to find evidence in the text for their answers—for example, "How do you know the character was scared? What words did the author use?" This builds both comprehension and analytical thinking skills.

Tutors personalize instruction to meet each student where they are. For students reading below level, tutors focus on foundational skills like phonics, decoding, and building confidence with appropriate-level texts before advancing. For advanced readers, tutors introduce more complex texts, deeper literary analysis, and critical thinking questions that push their skills further. The goal is steady progress from the student's current level, not forcing grade-level material that doesn't fit.

Tutors start by finding books and topics that genuinely interest the student—graphic novels, books about favorite animals or hobbies, or high-interest series—rather than forcing grade-level texts the student finds boring. They also build in success by choosing appropriate reading levels, celebrating small wins, and using interactive techniques like partner reading, dramatic reading, or stopping to make predictions. When reading feels like a choice rather than a chore, motivation naturally increases.

Reading speed varies widely in 3rd grade, and slower reading isn't necessarily a problem if the student understands what they're reading. However, if slow reading is paired with difficulty comprehending, a tutor can work on fluency through repeated reading of engaging texts, chunking words into meaningful phrases, and building automaticity with high-frequency words. The focus is always on balancing speed with accuracy and understanding—rushing through text without comprehension defeats the purpose.

The most powerful thing parents can do is read together regularly and ask open-ended questions about the story: "What do you think will happen next?" or "Why did that character do that?" rather than just checking if they understood. Let your child choose books they're interested in, listen without correcting every mistake, and model reading yourself. A tutor can give you specific strategies tailored to your child's needs, so home practice reinforces what happens in tutoring sessions.

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