Meet Breakthrough Tutoring’s Team!
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SAT/ACT Prep
ISEE/SSAT Prep
ELA and Writing (all levels)
Social Studies (all levels)
Math (through Algebra I)
Science
Spanish & Italian
Executive Function Coaching
Academic and Career Advising
College Application & Essay Support
Rachel Arky, Founder & Director
I have always been passionate about education and working one-on-one with students of all ages and backgrounds. I graduated Phi Beta Kappa and summa cum laude from Barnard College, Columbia University, received my Master’s in Music from Manhattan School of Music, and went on to pursue a Graduate Certificate in Academic Advising through the National Academic Advising Association (NACADA). As the founder of Breakthrough Tutoring, I bring over 13 years of experience as a tutor, adviser, mentor, educator, and administrator. Over the course of my career, I have worked with hundreds of K-12 students in diverse subjects, designing and implementing individualized syllabi and adapting lessons to the specific needs of my students.
Beyond foundational tutoring, I have extensive experience working in college access and higher education administration, which has given me a deep understanding of the challenges students face at all the major inflection points of their academic lives. I have developed curricula for school- and district-based initiatives focused on college and career readiness, and managed mentorship programs supporting thousands of alumni. My background includes supporting the strategic operations within the President's Office at Barnard College and serving as Chief of Development Staff and Director of Special Programs for a college-access nonprofit. I am also deeply committed to educational equity; I have mentored first-generation college students and advised young adults through every step of the complex college application process.
My approach to tutoring and advising is fundamentally strengths-based. I meet students where they are, build on the strengths they already have, and work together to come up with a rigorous yet attainable plan for meeting their goals. Drawing on the discipline, focus, and resilience required in my own parallel career as a professional opera singer, I understand firsthand what it takes to master complex material and perform under pressure. I believe in the power of hard work, encouragement, and perseverance, and I strive to instill a lifelong growth mindset in every student I have the privilege to teach.
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AP Calculus AB
AP Calculus BC
AP Statistics
AP Microeconomics
AP Chemistry
Pre-Calculus
Algebra
Geometry
Pre-Algebra
SAT and ACT (all sections)
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ELA (all levels)
AP English Language and Composition
AP English Literature and Composition
History & Social Studies (all levels)
Math (through Algebra I)
College Application & Essay Support
Executive Function Coaching
Josh Arky, Tutor
I love teaching, and I have been teaching professionally in classroom, small group, and one-on-one settings for the past decade. After finishing my B.A. in Sustainable Development from Columbia University, I spent the next years performing opera around the country. Along the way, I earned a M.M. in Classical Voice from Manhattan School of Music. I stopped performing as a soloist in 2022, moved to Germany, and earned a M.Sc. in Integrated Natural Resource Management from Humboldt University in Berlin. I am currently earning my California teaching credential, with the aim of teaching high school math.
I have discovered over the years that my background in the performing arts and interdisciplinary studies has helped me to communicate complex problems with clarity and enthusiasm, aiding learners across a wide spectrum of experience- and skill-level. My specialty is in bringing the abstract to life, blending analytical precision with artistic communication.
I model my teaching off those teachers who have inspired me to follow my curiosity, express myself, and connect the many faces of artistic and scientific knowledge. I strive, always, to bridge the knowledge gap, but also to equip my students with the learning tools they need to feel confident and courageous in the face of unknowing.
Clare Payton, Tutor
I believe in a student-centered approach when teaching any students regardless of level, age, learning abilities, learning styles, special needs, backgrounds, values and beliefs. Firmly rooted in the collaborative process and co-created solutions, I work with students to meet them where they are.
I spent many years as a writer and editor in the higher education divisions of three major book publishers: Pearson/Prentice Hall, McGraw-Hill, and St. Martin’s Press/Holtzbrinck. While there, I developed major titles (30+) in English language & literature. I also created Barnes & Noble University, an online learning venture for Barnes & Noble, Inc.
I bring all of these skills to the table when working with students on college essays, AP exams, History, organizational skills, and more. I enjoy helping young people enormously and use my interpersonal skills, natural passion for teaching others, and empathic nature to help them develop their true voices.
I received my A.B. in English Language & Literature from Smith College, pursued post-baccalaureate studies in Biology, Chemistry, Ecology, Economics, and Geology at Rutgers University, and received my MBA in Sustainability from Bard College. I am currently in the Alternate Route to Teaching (ART-CC) program at Brookdale Community College and also co-run a small TV production company with my spouse.