Meet Brent!

Brent is a vibrant and imaginative Sunshine Method tutor who has been inspiring young minds for years! He brings energy, enthusiasm, and commitment to every session, making learning both effective and fun for his students.

Join our conversation with Brent below:

Hi Brent! Thank you for joining us. Can you tell me a little bit about yourself, like a fun fact, and how long you’ve been tutoring for?

l live in Southern California, which is where I’m from, but I’ve also spent almost 15 years working abroad in schools across Europe. I’ve taught in Spain, Germany, and France, and I’ve lived in different states here in the U.S. as well, including Seattle and Austin.

I’ve been tutoring with The Sunshine Method for now since 2024!  

A fun fact about me? I’ve had a lot of different teaching experiences, but at my core, I’ve always been a caregiver type. I think that comes from my family and my background, helping others has always been part of who I am.

Wow, that is amazing! What is it in particular that motivates you to tutor?

I think it comes from my family of origin. My mother was an immigrant from a very poor coal-mining family, and I grew up watching and learning from her example of always helping others. Even in high school, I volunteered and helped younger kids because I empathized with them.

By 10th grade I was already doing academic support as a teacher’s aide, and later at university I worked in my school’s writing lab. So, I’ve always been in these environments — teaching, tutoring, or supporting others. It’s just part of who I am.

Is there an experience that stands out to you that you’ve had since becoming a tutor?

I don’t think there’s just one single experience. For me, it’s more gradual, but I definitely look for milestones — those “aha” moments — and celebrate them.

Just last week, for example, one of my students suddenly grasped that multiplication and division are inverses of each other. I made a big deal of it — celebrated with her, told her parents, and made sure she knew she could be proud of herself.

That’s how I approach tutoring: I point out successes more than I criticize shortcomings. I stay with it, celebrate progress, and reward those accomplishments as they come.

Rewarding accomplishments is so important! What role do you believe education plays in a child’s life?

I think teachers and tutors are part of a child’s orbit. We’re caregivers too, and the way we present ourselves matters — especially to young, impressionable kids.

When they’re little, they tend to like you automatically. But as they get older, they start checking you out — seeing what kind of person you are. That means you really have to manage your presence. For example, I’m careful not to show up late or eat during a session. Kids notice those things, and they take cues from us.

I try to model the behaviors and attitudes I hope to see in them. Children pick up on the smallest details, even ones we can’t anticipate, so I’m always aware of what I’m putting out there.

What do you think it takes to be a Sunshine Method tutor?

This ties into my tutoring philosophy. I believe in a student-centered approach — feeding off of the student’s natural interests. That can go a long way, especially with Sunshine students, since many of them face additional challenges or disabilities.

Rather than focusing only on what they’re lacking, I look for their interests and build lessons around them. For example, if a student needs help with math or science, I’ll frame it through something quirky and engaging — like marine biology, coral polyps, or poison dart frogs.

With boys especially, who sometimes struggle with focus, I’ve found that letting them lead with what they find “cool” makes a big difference. From there, I work backwards, “reverse-engineering” the lesson so they’re motivated to learn the skills and concepts they need.

That sounds like a fun way to learn! What is one piece of advice you would give other Sunshine tutors?

Find a way to enjoy every class. Kids can tell right away if you don’t want to be there. If I’m not enjoying myself, chances are they aren’t either — and then you’ve got two people who don’t want to be there.

So, I look for ways to make it enjoyable. If I can’t connect through their interests, I share some of mine. For example, I'm a big outdoors person, and I love native plants here in California. So I once shared with a student about invasive species taking over local habitats. It was something I cared about, and the student got interested too.

If you show genuine enthusiasm for what you’re teaching, kids pick up on that. Interest is contagious.

Is there a piece of advice somebody’s giving you as an educator that’s really stuck out to you?

A long time ago, a teacher told me, “Never try to be a student’s friend.” That stuck with me. Now, don’t get me wrong — I joke around, I use humor, and I can definitely be a little quirky and childlike. But at the end of the day, I know I’m also an authority figure, and that matters.

If you come in trying to be the “cool teacher” right away, kids see through that. It doesn’t work. You end up lowering yourself just to win them over, and that’s not what they need. Instead, you start with structure and consistency. You show them you’re dependable, and you earn their trust. Over time, you naturally become friendly — but it’s genuine, not forced.

So, I let my personality show — the humor, the quirks, all of it — but I always balance that with being the steady adult in the room. That advice has helped me walk that line really well.

That is fantastic advice. What are your hopes for your students in the future?

My biggest hope is that they become self-learners. Most real learning happens on your own, not just in school.

I’ve played the “game of school” before — working just for the grade, not because I cared. But what really matters is learning for yourself, even if it means challenging yourself and risking a lower grade along the way.

I want my students to discover that shift — where they develop a true love of learning. When that happens, they’ll keep learning even when no one is watching. That’s when you know they’re on the path to becoming masters of their own education.