About Me
McKenzie Senger
McKenzie is a passionate and enthusiastic tutor with over six years of experience teaching students of all ages from around the world, including students attending Ivy League universities and students with learning differences. She turned years of experience and student success into a thriving tutoring agency: Senger STEM Academy.
As a former pre-medical student, McKenzie specializes in teaching the science and math components of STEM including: Biology, Chemistry, Psychology, Physics and Mathematics. These subjects are often the most challenging subjects students encounter; they are also deeply intertwined with one another. McKenzie strives to break down the barriers between individual topics and help her students understand these subjects on a deeper level, which leads to greater retention and better grades for her students!
Although McKenzie specializes in science and math, her experience reaches far beyond the STEM umbrella as she also teaches subjects such as English, Business, and Geography. She also provides standardized test prep, college admissions support, executive functioning lessons. McKenzie is passionate about equipping her students with the tools and strategies they need to succeed. Her teaching technique and ability to connect with her students is unrivaled.
Ultimately, McKenzie aims to not only help her students overcome academic challenges, but lead them to becoming autonomous, independent learners so they can continue succeeding after the lesson has ended. She strives to empower each of her students and instill them with intrinsic motivation to learn so they can reach their full potential both in and out of the classroom.
My Education
McKenzie Senger is a former pre-medical student with a dual bachelors of science (B.S.) degree in Psychology and General Science, along with a minor in Chemistry. McKenzie received a full-ride scholarship and completed her dual degree in only three years. Her psychology degree has an emphasis on education, neuroscience, and developmental psychology, whereas her general science degree has an emphasis on Biology and Physics.
McKenzie has been involved in a variety of organizations which provided her with practical and invaluable knowledge about research, science, and medicine such as:
Volunteer Pediatric Palliative Care Provider (since 2019) - Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam - McKenzie is the program manager of an international NGO focused on providing pediatric palliative care in Vietnam. Pediatric palliative care is for children with life-limiting and life-threatening conditions. It is focused on providing holistic treatment that is focused on alleviating any physical, psychological or social distress by managing their symptoms throughout the course of their illness.
Research Assistant - Brain and Memory Lab (3 years) - The research aimed to study memory and attention processes and their impact on higher-order cognition, focusing on individual differences in attention and memory capabilities. The lab conducted computerized experiments to understand retrieval dynamics in recall, with McKenzie contributing to data collection, analysis, and coding the data. Learn more about the findings of this experiment here
Research Assistant - TAP Lab (1 year)- The lab's research focused on studying emotion regulation and dissociation, particularly exploring the neural processes involved in dissociation and their relationship with attention, emotion, and memory using a dense-array EEG with 256 electrodes. McKenzie was responsible for setting up the experiment, fitting the participant with the EEG, monitoring the EEG in real-time, and identifying any artifacts present in the 256 channels.
Research Assistant - Developmental Sociobiology Lab (1 year) -
Birth Your Way is a perinatal research and practice center focused on improving perinatal health outcomes. The lab conducted randomized clinical research trials, and McKenzie worked on recruiting and meeting with participants to assist with the trials.
Hospital Volunteer (3 years) - Neurology & Pediatrics
My Teaching Philosophy
As a tutor with years of experience in science, math, standardized test prep, and college admissions support, I believe in creating a personalized learning experience for each of my students. I understand that everyone has their unique learning style, pace, and strengths. Therefore, my approach to tutoring is to first get to know my students, their academic goals, and the challenges they are facing. From there, I design customized lesson plans that are tailored to meet the individual needs of each student. I even create customized notes and resources for my students for free!
My teaching philosophy centers on the belief that every student has the capacity to learn and succeed, thus it is crucial to teach them in the way that they learn best. As an educator, I feel it is my responsibility as an educator to create a learning environment that fosters growth, curiosity, and creativity. I approach teaching as a collaborative process, working with each student to identify their strengths, weaknesses, and learning styles, and tailoring my instruction to meet their individual needs.
At the heart of my teaching philosophy is also the belief that learning should be engaging, challenging, and fun. I strive to create a classroom atmosphere that is inclusive, supportive, and respectful of diverse perspectives and experiences. I believe that students learn best when they are actively engaged in the learning process, so I encourage them to take ownership of their learning by setting personal goals, asking questions, and pursuing their interests. I use a variety of teaching methods and resources, including real-world examples and interactive activities to ensure that my students not only understand the concepts, but also retain them for the long term. I aim to create a safe and nurturing environment in which students can develop their critical thinking, problem-solving, and communication skills, and feel empowered to take risks and explore new ideas.
Ultimately, my teaching philosophy is grounded in the belief that education has the power to transform lives, and that my role as a teacher is to empower my students to become lifelong learners, critical thinkers, and engaged members of their communities. I am passionate about helping my students reach their full potential, and am dedicated to providing them with the tools and support they need to succeed.
