Academic coaching for students looking to build consistency, confidence, and independence.
With more than a decade of experience as a teacher and advisor, I take a thoughtful, relationship-based approach to academic coaching and tutoring.
Who I Am
I hold a degree in Chemistry from Virginia Tech and a Master’s in Secondary Education from William and Mary. Over the past decade, I’ve worked with students in both public and independent school settings, supporting a wide range of academic needs and learning styles. My background includes classroom teaching, one-on-one tutoring, and academic coaching, with a focus on helping students develop stronger understanding, organization, and confidence in their work.
A big part of why I connect well with students is that many of their struggles feel familiar to me. I was the kind of student who relied heavily on natural ability for a long time and didn’t develop strong study habits until much later. Even then, consistency and follow-through didn’t always come easily. That experience shaped the way I think about learning and motivation. I understand how frustrating it can feel to know you’re capable of more, while still struggling to put the right habits into practice.
Outside of education, I enjoy running, weightlifting, cooking, gaming, and spending time exploring Richmond with my wife, friends, and dog. These interests have shaped the way I think about growth and consistency in everyday life. Fitness taught me the value of routine and discipline over time. Gaming gave me an outlet to challenge myself, connect with friends, and spend time doing something I genuinely enjoyed, while also giving me firsthand experience with the balance many students struggle to find between school and digital distractions. I aim to bring lessons learned from my own experiences into my work with students.
Who I Work With
I work with students who…
Are capable, but not always consistent in their approach to school.
May understand the material, but struggle to stay organized or follow through
Feel overwhelmed by workload, even when they know they’re capable
Avoid getting started, procrastinate, or have difficulty working through resistance
Want to improve their habits, focus, and overall approach to school
Are ready to take more ownership of their learning, but aren’t sure how to get there
My work is focused on helping these students build the skills and habits needed to feel more confident, capable, and in control of their academic lives.
How I Support Students
My work is tailored to each student, but typically falls into a mix of these core areas:
Executive Function & Study Skills
Developing organization, time management, and study habits that make school feel more manageable. This might include planning, prioritization, breaking down assignments, and building more consistent routines.
Accountability & Academic Coaching
Ongoing support to help students follow through, manage workload, and work through resistance. Sessions often focus on building momentum, reducing overwhelm, and creating a more structured approach to school.
Subject Tutoring
Support in academic subjects with a focus on building real understanding, problem-solving skills, and confidence rather than simply completing assignments or preparing for tests.
I am capable of supporting students in all subject areas, but my content expertise is in STEM, particularly chemistry and math.
My Approach
Start with understanding
I start by getting to know each student as they are. Many of the students I work with are capable and thoughtful, but may feel frustrated, overwhelmed, or stuck in patterns that make school more difficult than it needs to be. Taking the time to understand how they think, what they’re experiencing, and where they tend to get stuck is an important first step.
Identify patterns
From there, our work focuses not just on the material itself, but on how the student approaches their work more broadly. We might look at patterns in organization, follow-through, procrastination, or task initiation — areas that often have a major impact on performance, but aren’t always directly addressed.
Build practical systems
Together, we build practical systems for managing workload, staying organized, and approaching work with more consistency and less stress. This may involve using tools like a digital calendar, the students’ digital learning platform, and other organizational tools. I aim to create a space where students feel comfortable being honest about what’s working and what isn’t, without pressure or judgment.
Move toward independence
Over time, the goal is for students to feel more confident, capable, and in control of their work and to rely less on external support as they become more independent.
Rates & Structure
Ongoing Support
Most students I work with meet on a weekly basis to build consistency and maintain momentum over time. Sessions are typically 60 minutes and occur over Zoom, though scheduling can be adjusted based on the student’s needs; some students prefer to meet biweekly for shorter sessions and additional accountability.
$150/hour
Most students meet weekly
Sessions are billed monthly based on time scheduled
I generally recommend beginning with consistent weekly sessions, as meaningful changes in habits and systems tend to develop gradually over time.
Scheduling Flexibility
Some students benefit from splitting time across shorter check-ins during the week, particularly when support with planning, follow-through, or workload management is needed.
No Long-Term Commitment
My goal is to create support that feels sustainable and genuinely helpful. Families are never locked into long-term contracts, and scheduling can be adjusted as needs evolve.
Testimonials
“On the one hand, our two sons are different people: One is outgoing and ambitious; the other, reserved and artistic. And yet both had common struggles with long-term academic planning, note organization, and accurate self-understandings as learners. Jacob took the time to meet each boy where they were, both as students and as people, and was thus able to coach them to places of stronger studentship, more realistic self-assessments, and growth-minded dispositions. While both of our boys are still in progress, they have appreciably grown in terms of their resilience, adaptability, and self-honesty--and they smile more, too. We recommend Jacob's relational mentoring approach--high in both expectations and support--with great enthusiasm.”
— Parent of two high school students
Let’s chat!
If you’d like to talk about how tutoring might benefit your student, leave me a message— feel free to include a few sentences about them, but we can discuss their needs in conversation. I’ll personally reach out within 24 hours of your submission.