Tell me what’s going on with math and I’ll get back to you with availability and your rate.
Some students aren’t bad at math. They missed one idea.
Dyscalculia — a specific learning disability in math — affects up to 7% of people, roughly as many as dyslexia. It has nothing to do with intelligence, effort, or laziness.
When a student starts falling behind, it’s rarely the whole subject that’s broken. It’s usually one concept that didn’t land, with everything built on top of it quietly collapsing afterwards. The student doesn’t experience that as “I never really got fractions in fourth grade.” They experience it as “I’m bad at math.”
By the time a student is struggling in Algebra 2, the gap is often several years old — and the subject has been re-taught at them repeatedly without anyone going back to find the actual break. That’s the part I do.
I find the idea that didn’t land, and we fix that.
Students who learn differently aren’t missing anything. They’ve usually just been taught one way, and that way was never theirs. Most of them can do this — they’ve simply been given no reason to believe it.
How sessions actually work
We find the break first. Before pushing ahead with this year’s material, I want to know where understanding actually stopped — which is usually earlier than the class the student is sitting in.
Concrete before abstract. New ideas get built with something you can see and touch — objects, pictures, patterns — before they become symbols on a page. Jumping straight to notation is where students who learn differently get lost.
Small steps you can actually see. Work is broken into pieces small enough that progress is visible. A student who has felt behind for years needs to watch themselves get something right.
Paced for the student, not the clock. Attention and frustration levels set the rhythm of a session. Pushing through a bad twenty minutes teaches nothing.
Tools are tools, not cheating. Calculators, timers, written steps and notes are how plenty of capable people do real mathematics. They’re not a concession.
Working with schools and IEPs. If your child has an IEP or a 504 plan, I’m glad to work alongside what’s already in place rather than against it.
About
I’m AJ Maleski, and I’ve been teaching and tutoring math in the Capital Region for years — including fourteen years teaching math at Emma Willard School in Troy.
I have a double Bachelor’s in Physics and Astronomy from Smith College, a Master’s in Space Science from the University of Michigan, and I’ve been tutoring professionally since 2019.
What I teach
- Middle school — Pre-Algebra, Algebra 1
- High school — Geometry, Algebra 2, Pre-Calculus, Trigonometry
- Advanced — AP Calculus AB and BC
- Test prep — Regents Prep, SAT Prep
I work with students at every level — from rebuilding a subject that’s gone sideways to pushing a strong student toward a 5 on AP Calculus.
Rates
Online
| Per hour | |
|---|---|
| Math tutoring | $50 |
| Regents Prep or SAT Prep | $55 |
In person
Rate depends on the town:
| Town | Math tutoring | Regents / SAT Prep |
|---|---|---|
| Troy, Cohoes, Waterford, Green Island | $60 | $65 |
| Albany, Colonie, Latham, Loudonville, Mechanicville, Clifton Park, Rensselaer | $65 | $70 |
| Schenectady, Niskayuna, Ballston Spa, Saratoga, East Greenbush | $70 | $75 |
If your town is not listed, include that in your email and I will confirm your rate.
Getting started
- Email me. Tell me what’s going on with math, whether you’d like online or in person, and your town if it’s in person.
- I’ll reply with my availability and confirm your rate.
- We’ll set up a first session. Most students start with one session to see how it goes — no long-term commitment.
Sessions are usually an hour. I work with students weekly during the school year, and more often in the run-up to Regents and SAT dates.
maleskitutoring@gmail.com