Unconventional Minds By Jackson Bartlett
Walking into a small room tucked in the back of a parking lot complete with a lizard cage devoid of its late occupant, an array of geometrically assembled furniture, and snow white walls littered with the scrawling of various hands may not seem like the stereotypical place for students to learn, but then again life is full of oddities. A newcomer might be slightly taken aback by the unexpected arrangements, but anyone who has worked with or familiarized themselves with one Phillip Roberts would swing the sticky glass door open and plop down comfortably in their favorite of numerous chairs. While most writing upon a vertical surface is committed as an act of vandalism, scrawl of desperation upon penitentary walls, or preadolescent doodling, the collection of handwriting adorning the walls in this unique office serve a valid purpose. Each word, sentence or phrase written upon the whiteboards, attached to either the wall or ceiling above, are quotes from various tutoring pupils, which Mr. Roberts has found amusing as well as educationally beneficial. Like a pneumonic device. Each of these are applicable to certain academic subjects, and due to the fact that they are comical, students can easily draw upon them from memory as opposed to blankly staring at the same content on the pages of a dusty textbook and absorbing nothing.
These small devices speak volumes of Mr. Roberts and his success as an educator and mentor in all aspects of life. His infallibly magnetic charisma, razor-sharp intellect, and educational background are compounded in his work as a private tutor. Employing all three aspects, he fosters a learning environment that draws students beyond their perceived comfort zone, and yet allows them to speak their minds freely and utterly without judgement. Specializing in the implementation of strategies and systems designed to overcome or combat the obstacles presented by Attention Deficit Disorder and Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder, which he himself deals with daily, he utilizes the keys to his own successes, a mastery of human psychology, a mind of staggering proportions, a magnetic personality, and a clear passion for helping others succeed to embody an unparalleled resource. Phillip Roberts is a critical component to numerous academic endeavors throughout the bay area. Without his readily available base of knowledge and assistance, dozens of students would be rendered extraordinarily unprepared to succeed in the coming years. Restructuring the thought process, and methods of completing day to day tasks is a formidable challenge, not one that can be completed in a few weeks. In attempting to foster the ability to achieve sustained success throughout their lives, Mr. Roberts works tirelessly with his clients, sometimes for years.
Mr. Roberts in his natural environment His relevance is paramount, without that structured support, many of his students would nose-dive into a cyclone of mortally wounded motivation and the unfinished skeleton of what they were on the path to becoming. Attending Independence High School, Roberts struggled with obstacles presented to those afflicted by ADD, with a less than desirable support network to help him cope. He did manage to graduate, but struggled with the time-honored teaching methodology of being presented information in a static manner and being expected to absorb and regurgitate that same in-