Emilio Flamenco - MA, MUP
History Teacher
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I am a Bay Area native, and I have been captivated by learning since as early as I can remember. As a kid, I grew up with either my nose buried in an Atlas or encyclopedia, and I was enthralled watching History and Discovery channel documentaries with my family. I have associated learning with fun my entire life, and by the time I began tutoring when I entered graduate school, I discovered how fulfilling it was to share this passion with others.
I attended high school at Bellarmine College Prep in San José. I earned my B.A. in History from U.C. Berkeley, where I graduated with Honors, and I also hold a Master’s in Urban Planning from Columbia University. During the pandemic lockdown, I re-evaluated my priorities and direction in life, and I rekindled my love for History and education. I fulfilled a lifelong dream of becoming a teacher, and taught middle school social studies for two years at St. Elizabeth Seton school in Palo Alto. I also completed my M.A. in Teaching from Santa Clara University during this time.
My time teaching in a full-classroom setting was incredibly fulfilling, and the most rewarding part was forming connections with students and families. Ultimately, however, my desire to engage with education on a personalized level, at a more thoughtful and deliberate pace with students, has led me to Cypress, whose one-to-one teaching model resonates with this vision.
Besides teaching in a full-classroom setting, I also have experience with AJ Tutoring helping students one-on-one meet their academic and test prep goals, including on the SAT and APs. The AP tests in particular remain a favorite area for me to teach, as my perfect scores on my eight AP tests helped earn me admission to my dream school of U.C. Berkeley on scholarship.
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Outside of teaching, I am an avid trail runner, backpacker, and reader.