Who we work with
We offer one-to-one and small-family tutoring in Great Books, classical literature, Socratic seminars, and college-level writing for families in Tucson and Oro Valley.
Our work is best suited to what is called the “dialectic” and rhetoric stages of learning — middle school, high school, and college-age students. We work with students who are ready to read demanding books, talk through ideas, and write with care.
What we tutor
- Great Books and classical literature
- Academic and college-ready writing
- Essay coaching from thesis to revision
- Socratic discussion that forms judgment
Reading difficult texts with confidence
Many capable students freeze when they open Homer, Dante, Shakespeare, Dickens, or Faulkner. They groan when they have to read poetry. The sentences are long. The references are unfamiliar.
They start to believe literature is “not for them,” or worse, that they are not “smart” enough to understand or enter into the great conversations.
Tutoring changes that. We read difficult passages together. We explain context and syntax. We explain who the author was; what in life interested or troubled him or her; what the author is actually saying; what the hard word means in a particular sentence; and how one idea or scene leads to the next. Students learn they do not have to understand everything on the first pass. They learn how to mark a page, ask a real question, and follow the story.
Over time, the fear eases. A student who once skipped the hard book begins to expect that difficulty is part of the work, and that he or she can complete it. That confidence carries into class discussion, high-school seminars, and college classes.
That confidence itself leads to taking actual joy in literature and the universal ideas great works present.
How it works
- Contact us with your student’s age, needs, and goals.
- We schedule a brief family conversation.
- If it is a good fit, we set a regular tutoring plan.
Tuition
Private tutoring is billed by the session. Rates depend on whether the work is one-to-one or a small family group, and on the length of the meeting.
As a guide, tutoring typically begins around $75 per hour.
Private tutoring begins at $75 per hour for one-to-one work. We offer discounts to siblings.
We confirm the fee before the first meeting.
Arizona ESA funding is accepted through Class Wallet.
Background clearance
Dr. John and Dr. Helen Freeh each hold an Arizona Level One Fingerprint Clearance Card. They have also been cleared in prior years by schools and Catholic dioceses in other states to work with minors.
To inquire: 505-413-7879 · drhelenfreeh@protonmail.com
Or use the Contact page.