Micheal Brown is academically renowned for being accepted and receiving scholarships to the top 20 colleges in the USA, including four Ivy League universities. He has a thorough and adaptable teaching style and fosters a love for learning in all his students.
What subjects and classes do you help our students with?
As an English IV and Texas College Bridge Teacher, I am most keen on supporting students who need help with English and college counseling. I also have the experience and knowledge to be able to assist in mathematics and social studies through a high school level. Furthermore, given my experience with teaching and my knowledge of standardized testing, I am comfortable working in a variety of content areas and am capable of providing tutoring and instruction for students who need support for exams like the SAT or ACT.
What is your educational background?
After graduating with an IB Diploma from Lamar High School in 2018, I earned a degree from Stanford University in 2023, where I completed a B.A. with Honors in African and African American Studies and a minor in Political Science. I am currently working as a teacher within HISD and eventually intend to pursue graduate study, with plans for a joint JD/PhD in law and political science/Black Studies.
What is your favorite subject to tutor?
Although I enjoy tutoring in English and Math, my true passion is History and the Social Sciences. I love learning about the past, exploring global politics, and making connections between historical events and the world we live in today. Studying these subjects helped me discover my academic passion for Black Studies, which has shaped much of my research and career goals. I also genuinely enjoy watching Crash Course and other videos about history, the economy, and politics in my free time—it never feels like “work” to me.
What does a typical tutoring session with you look like?
A typical session with me looks like
- Minutes 0–5: Check-In & Student Priorities
I begin with a check-in and ask if the student has anything they would like to prioritize. This gives them autonomy and ensures their needs shape the session. If not, I move forward with my planned agenda. - Minutes 5–15: Homework Review
I review the student’s homework with them, highlighting what went well and addressing areas of difficulty. This reinforces prior learning and helps identify what we should focus on next. - Minutes 15–30: Core Instruction
I introduce the main concept or strategy for the day, modeling step-by-step approaches and asking questions to keep the student actively engaged. - Minutes 30–50: Guided & Independent Practice
The student applies new skills through guided and independent practice. I provide real-time feedback, ask them to explain their reasoning, and help them refine their strategies. - Minutes 50–60: Reflection, Goal Re-Evaluation, and Homework Planning
I close each session with a reflection, asking the student to share what clicked and what felt challenging. Together, we re-evaluate their goals and priorities, then collaboratively decide on homework or independent practice to support continued growth.
Each session mirrors the lesson cycle while emphasizing engagement, participation, and student ownership of learning.
What’s your typical approach with working on executive functioning with your students?
My typical approach to working on executive functioning with students is both structured and flexible. I start by identifying the student’s specific challenges—whether it’s organization, time management, task initiation, or sustaining focus—and then tailor strategies that fit their individual needs. For example, we might build routines around using planners, breaking assignments into manageable steps, or developing checklists to track progress.
I also emphasize teaching students how to reflect on their own habits and adjust when something isn’t working. That way, they aren’t just following a system I’ve set up, but actively learning how to create systems that work for them long-term. Over time, this helps them build independence and confidence in their ability to manage academic and personal responsibilities.
Finally, I make sure to keep communication open with both the student and, when appropriate, their family. This way, we can reinforce strategies across different settings and ensure consistency, which is key for building strong executive functioning skills especially in younger students.
How do you view your role as a tutor?
My role is to give students a boost and help them reach their full potential. I believe it is essential to approach students with empathy while instilling self-confidence and a strong sense of efficacy. I want my students to feel sufficient, self-reliant, and capable of realizing their goals. Students often need guidance and mentorship from someone who has been down the road they are now sojourning, and I see part of my responsibility as walking alongside them while helping them unlock what is already within them.
Beyond mastering content, I aim to empower students to become autonomous learners who can carry themselves, take care of themselves, and chart their own paths to success. This means not only helping them develop academic skills, but also cultivating the mindset and habits that will sustain them in the long run. I emphasize the importance of self-discipline and a strong work ethic, because these qualities are essential for independent success. Ultimately, my role is both to teach and to mentor—to equip students with the tools, confidence, and resilience they need to thrive in school and in life.
Tell me about one of your favorite sessions you’ve had.
Recently I met with a student who had been struggling with writing clear paragraphs for essays in my English class. She often jumped from one idea to another without transitions, which made her writing hard to follow. She also had trouble using correct grammar, and was altogether not fairing well in the class. At first, I took it upon myself to speak with her and help her work through these issues, as I wanted to see a more intermediate understanding of writing formatting from her.
Together, we reviewed how to organize thoughts using a simple structure: topic sentence, supporting details, and a concluding sentence. We practiced this step by step, breaking down the original draft of the current essay assigned and rebuilding it with stronger connections.
By the end of the session, she was able to rewrite her paragraph with confidence. Her ideas flowed smoothly, and she even added her own transition words and grammar corrections without my prompting. Seeing the immediate improvement in both her writing and her confidence was a powerful reminder of how effective focused strategies and guided practice can be. She was open to feedback and willing to receive help, and even went back on her own accord to ask me for further guidance after the confidence boost received by her improvement!
What is your favorite part of being a tutor?
My favorite part of being a tutor is seeing students grow in confidence. I love the “aha” moments when something finally clicks and a concept that once felt confusing suddenly makes sense. Those moments remind me why I tutor and why I teach.
Outside of tutoring for us, what do you like to do for fun?
Outside of tutoring, I enjoy watching tennis and cheering for all the Houston teams across the NBA, NFL, and MLB. I also love writing poetry and creative fiction, listening to music and podcasts, and unwinding with Netflix. For more mindless fun, I’ll often end up down a TikTok or YouTube rabbit hole.
If you could have dinner with anyone, who would it be and why?
If I could go to dinner with anyone, I would choose SZA. I love her music, and I think we’d have amazing conversations about artistic expression, creativity, and life.
Tutoring with General Academic
General Academic’s subject and test prep tutors provide the structured support to accommodate your student wherever they’re at. We help our students with a wide range of materials, ranging from 1st through 12th grade subject prep, ISEE, and SAT. To get the ball rolling, give us a call at (713) 838-7774 or fill out our tutoring request form.
