The Progressive Tutor Blog
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ABOUT ME
Biography
Christian M. McFarland is an educator, writer and musician who works full-time as a certified English teacher and maintains an active tutoring business. As a progressive teacher, McFarland’s lessons are grounded in social justice, prioritizing the voices of oppressed and marginalized people who make up the majority of his students. Many years teaching in NJ’s third-largest high school has trained him to prioritize trauma informed teaching and has earned him high marks from both students and administrators. Inspired by positive student feedback, McFarland teaches a social justice curriculum that is congruent with his democratic leadership style and social emotional activities that engage as well as instruct.
What My Students & Parents Say
Mr. McFarland is an awesome teacher and a great communicator. His ability to engage his students and his talent at explaining complex concepts in simple terms are both truly superb. I am lucky to have hired Mr. McFarland to guide my 14 and 12 year-old son through their ELA struggle.
Cheung Chau
Parent- English Lit Tutoring
Christian McFarland is a teacher that goes above and beyond for his students. Our daughter, Grace J had a memorable experience. He made learning fun and easy to understand. He was always there to help if needed and made the material interesting. She was very happy to have him as a teacher.
Samantha Boonstra
High School Parent
Courses
Holistic SAT English Tutoring
6-week class
In this course I help students identify areas for improvement and we collaboratively create a study plan over the course of 6 weeks, with 2 hour sessions twice a week which creates structure and accountability. Students who have already taken the test but have never had a tutor can expect a score +250 points or more, depending on their adherence to the plan. I take the mystery out of the SAT English section by walking students step-by-step through all the English and grammar concepts they can expect to see on the test. Every test question they will work on has been on an SAT test already and is approved by the College Board test prep. As in all my courses I encourage collaboration, camaraderie and introspection which allows each person to figure out how to measure and adjust their own performance. This is a major component of doing well on test day, August 28, 2021. Our number one resource is Khan Academy’s free SAT Prep platform along with the official College Board SAT Prep. Other suggested books include The Critical Reader 4th ed. The Complete Guide to SAT by by Erica L. Meltzer and The College Panda’s SAT Writing: Advanced Guide and Workbook by Nielson Phu.
The Radical King-Social Justice Theory & Practice
6-WEEK CLASS
“The radical King was a democratic socialist who sided with poor and working people in the class struggle.” – Cornel West, from his introduction to the 2015 anthology The Radical King. In this course we will examine Dr. King’s message to the world for which he gave his life. In this course we will examine Dr. Martin Luther King Jr’s message to the world for which he gave his life. From his radical interpretation of universal Christian love, brotherhood and non-violence to his controversial stance against the war in Vietnam, we will clear away the carefully crafted white-washing of King. Far from passive, King embraced militant nonviolent direct action and other organizing strategies that left an indelible mark on world history. Few Americans in living memory have had the impact and have been as misunderstood as King. This course is a solid foundation for students of history and modern politics who want to learn how to make change today through studying Dr. King’s theory and practice, from a man who literally embodied social justice. Our text is in King’s own words from the anthology The Radical King.
Howard Zinn’s People’s History of the US for Young People
4-WEEK CLASS
In my years of experience as a middle and high school teacher, I have found that 21rst century students want to know the true impact that historical injustices have on today. This course recounts some of the experiences of indigeneous, Black, Latinix and poverty stricken European immigrants in our country who are left out of prevailing narratives. A grounding and appreciation of our complex history and the interconnectedness of the international working class are a primary focus and serve as a foundation for a young person’s growth into a modern world citizen capable of challenging the status quo and making positive changes in the struggle for equality and social justice. The goal of reading Howard Zinn’s A Young People’s History of the US, Vol. One in this four week course is to unflinchingly look at injustice and to provide courage and confidence that we can contribute to change in the world today.
Private Tutoring Small Groups and 1×1
Available Summer 2021 and Year-Round
After students read any summer reading assigned by their school district, I will assign reading, moderate discussions and write about classic literature, essays, speeches and documents that are foundational for progressive movements today. For year round students my tutoring acts as a supplement to public or private school curricula. For example one fourth grader I’m working is learning writing fundamentals a year earlier than his school is teaching it. Another student of mine is a freshman at Stuyvesant High School in Manhattan and we discuss his weekly reading, I also assist with projects and essays while providing supplemental lessons.