Advantage Tutoring - Tampa, FL- Tutors in Tampa, Brandon, Clearwater, Zephyrhills

Products: Home Reading Program

All testimonials are about the founder. | Original Letters Available Upon Request.

Here's what some of the parents have to say:

"When I first met Cathy Pelzmann, my daughter was nearing the end of tenth grade. She was having difficulty passing her FCAT Exam. Her reading skills were the problem. Like most children (teens), she would resist everything I tried to do to help (other tutors, and learning centers). I lacked the patience and training necessary to help her properly.

Cathy and my daughter hit it off from the first meeting (got along splendidly). We started an intensive reading routine, and within three months of studying with Cathy, her test scores in reading jumped one hundred and eleven points! This is something that two full school years of reading classes were unable to do for her. Cathy is very patient with her. She was able to identify her learning disability, and adapt her teaching style to meet my daughter's needs, as well as educate me on how to help as well. I cried tears of joy when she passed her FCAT. Once she passed the FCAT, we could focus now on her regular schoolwork.

My daughter's junior year proved to be very challenging and Cathy noticed that with every bad test score, her confidence level dropped. She was really losing hope, and Cathy brought that back for her. Cathy taught her how to study effectively, and manage her time wisely. For this I will be forever be grateful, for now she is about to graduate, and has bright hopes for her future.

When we first started tutoring with Cathy, I thought I would not be able to continue for long (financially), but as time went by, and her grades and confidence improved, I made room in my budget for tutoring. I deeply regret not doing this sooner. My daughter has been tutoring with Cathy for almost three years now, anywhere from two to three times a week.

Cathy has helped my daughter through Geometry, Spanish, Algebra/Trigonometry, Anatomy, and the FCAT. She has always gone out of her way to help my daughter, and always made her feel like a priority, even when I know her schedule was full. Her advice and participation in teacher conferences and with the school has been invaluable. She has been a large part of my daughter's success. It has been the best investment I could have made for myself and for my daughter. I consider myself extremely lucky to have had Cathy helping me through these very difficult High School Years. I highly recommend Cathy Pelzmann as a tutor, and wish you the same success as I have had."

- B. C., Tampa

"I have reached over my AR goal! I thank you sincerely from the bottom of my heart."

- M. J. E., Tampa

"Cathy Pelzmann began tutoring our 6-year-old daughter in the fundamentals of reading and phonics due to poor grades, a lack of interest in school and difficulty focusing due to an Attention Deficit Disorder. Cathy was able to teach our daughter the skills necessary to read. She also taught our family how to cope and work with Caroline. We have been amazed at the results. At last, our child is headed on the right path for future learning. She is beginning to enjoy reading and is excelling in school.

Cathy's techniques are innovative and a fun way to approach learning. For example, we were using dull flashcards to learn sight words. Cathy suggested making giant cards and turning them into a jumping or tossing beanbag game. This simple change made a huge difference in our daughter's ability to focus and learn new words. It went from a monotonous task to an interactive fun experience. This is only one of the many methods and helpful tips Cathy has introduced during our tutoring sessions.

She has also helped out 4th grade son with reading comprehension and math. We feel it is vitally important to give children the necessary support and tools for learning and Cathy has done a remarkable job in helping us achieve this goal.

We highly recommend Cathy Pelzmann and her tutoring services without hesitation."

- S & JC., Tampa

"My experience with Cathy Pelzmann as a private tutor and a resource teacher for my daughter, Lauren, has been very professional and rewarding. She worked with us from Lauren's second grade year until this summer, the end of her fifth grade year.

Lauren was diagnosed with a written language disability in the middle of second grade. She was not reading yet and unable to keep up with class work. She disliked reading and anything associated with reading and fought all attempts to help her. Cathy immediately began working with Lauren on reading, writing and spelling skills.

Cathy designed a personal program for Lauren at school, including an individualized spelling program with her spelling words taken directly from her creative writing. She also showed us on how to help Lauren with her homework , spelling, and penmanship in addition to reading. Cathy helped us recognize appropriate work given Lauren's language disability. By the end of third grade Lauren was reading close to grade level, and her penmanship had improved tremendously. Her writing was now legible to her classroom teachers. Now, at the end of fifth grade, Lauren thoroughly enjoys reading, is a competent reader and is reading at grade level! Her spelling errors are now appropriate for her age and grade level. Lauren recently told me she felt "cured" of her spelling problems. She told me she no longer has to think very hard about how to correctly spell words; she just knows the correct spelling! I know if it hadn't been for Ms. Pelzmann, Lauren would not be as successful in school as she is now. I highly recommend her professional skills to anyone looking for a competent tutor."

- JG., Tampa

"We enlisted the services of Cathy Pelzmann for our daughter, a ninth grade student, who had been placed on academic probation due to failing grades in history, algebra and Spanish. We had approximately four weeks to mid term exams to bring her from an F to passing grades in all these subjects in order to avoid suspension.

Cathy has developed a wonderful working relationship with our daughter, displays tremendous amounts of patience and provides an abundance of encouragement and praise. The exams were passed!

To correct the weak area of study skills, Cathy designed a program that helps our child study and test in an ordinary manner. Cathy was instrumental in enlisting instructors at the school to participate with the new study program.

These efforts have resulted in dramatic changes in classroom participation, self-confidence and attitude. Over the past three months our child has gone from a failing student to achieving A and B grades in the above-mentioned courses.

Ms. Pelzmann is without question, the most capable, attentive, and supportive tutor that anyone could hope to find."

- MJ., Tampa

"Cathy Pelzmann has been an excellent tutor for my two children for several years. She tailored lessons to meet their academic needs, giving special consideration to each child's strengths and weaknesses. Both children brought home study materials. Ms. Pelzmann made a point of sitting with me after every lesson to explain the homework so I could supervise at home. I was especially impressed by the way she met with each of my children's teachers to chart progress.

My children looked forward to tutoring days because they knew they would receive the instruction they needed and they saw how that helped them in the classroom. Though my older child reached a point where he no longer needed tutoring, we continued with it because he shows great promise as a writer and Ms. Pelzmann encouraged that with lesson plans designed to enhance my son's skills.

From our experience we know Ms. Pelzmann can work successfully with very young students and teenagers alike."

- BV., Tampa

"Lauren's performance in Honors Math has improved from a C- to a B. In fact she now enjoys doing math and her overall performance in school has improved noticeably.

I am truly glad to have finally found a tutor (Ms. Pelzmann is the third tutor in 18 months) who really cares about her performance and strives to make her think independently and logically. This has done wonders for her overall disposition and her confidence in school. She's no longer scared of tackling tough problems and has the good sense to ask critical questions during class time."

- EP., Tampa