Sean completed his M.S. in Physiology at Georgetown University after earning a B.S. at the University of Michigan – Ann Arbor. This led him to extensive research experience in the areas of MRI (brain-imaging) and Drosophila (fruit flies!). In particular, his research projects examined the emotional regulation of PTSD (including the effects of mindfulness-based stress reduction), thermoregulation in relation to pain modulation, and the neurometabolite profile of traumatic brain injuries. The work was as tedious as it sounds.
Sean’s interests, however, are broader than pure science. He has been a private, one-on-one test prep and academic tutor for over 13 years, with students including psychiatric patients at St. Elizabeth’s Hospital and underserved children in the nation’s capital. He currently teaches full-time at a therapeutic school for teens with emotional disturbances and/or substance abuse disorders. Sean grew up in The Mitten (i.e. Michigan) before moving to Washington, D.C, where he’s been living in the heart of the city for the past 9 years. When not doing standardized test problems for fun (this is serious), Sean is bicycling around the city, jamming on the piano, soaking up the internet, or boppin’ front rail at a live music venue.
I feel that standardized tests measure exactly one thing: how good one is at that particular standardized test. Never does a test actually measure intelligence or aptitude. Hence, preparation with SAT and ACT test strategies and familiarity with one’s foe (the dastardly test) is the key to defeating it. I will urge students to practice, practice, practice, but I’ll also teach them a few tricks along the way to make the experience less excruciating!