Hi! I’m Keili Raven, the creator of Keili Raven - Get Smart. Stay Smart. I show parents how to help their kids meet their academic goals and become confident learners (without getting tuned out and called “old” and “clueless”).

Nope! I get it. As a parent, I have been there. The first progress report that my daughter received (at 2 years old) took my breath away. We were doing all the things we knew to do at home (reading to her every night since birth, talking to her, exploring our city with her, taking her to yoga class, music class, and story time for the education as well as socialization, etc.).

How could she possibly be behind? What did we miss? We did a bit of reflection to see what we could have done wrong, and we immediately made efforts to help our daughter find more success in the classroom.

I also used to be a classroom teacher, and I had to write some of those disappointing-to-parents progress reports. Of course, I taught material in different ways so that I would be able to reach students with different learning styles and at different levels of understanding. This was no small feat when my class size was as large as 34 students.

Some of my struggling students were not applying themselves. Others were trying hard and still not getting the grades that they (or their parents) wanted. In any case, parents were concerned and talked with me about their options. 

What I found to be most effective was working with struggling students individually. That way, I could get a solid understanding of what was unclear for them and help them comprehend the material in a way that worked for them. 

While teaching 5-6 classes per day, grading homework, preparing lessons, going to meetings, communicating with parents, starting and leading the school step team, and trying to get a few hours of sleep each night, I did not have as much time as I wanted to work with students individually and help them develop a firm grasp on class material. 

As far as I can remember, I have been passionate about teaching children. What really excites me is the moment of understanding that students have with new material. They visibly change their facial expressions and posture. The best way to see this change is when working with students one-on-one. 

Since I knew that many students would benefit from individualized instruction, I left the classroom and started a tutoring business. This is one of the best decisions that I have ever made!

I was able to create my own job that allowed me to only do my favorite parts of teaching (working with students until they “get it” and getting to know them and their parents in the process). I have found that a love of what you do (combined with considerable skill and expertise) helps you be really great at it. 

My mission is to help parents and students by working with families to achieve students’ academic goals and feel confident in school. I do this by providing premier live customized tutoring online and, in some cases, in person (locally).

I am also creating an online platform that students can access anywhere at any hour, one they can rewind and revisit and get supplemental tools to help support them in their classroom learning (math classes in middle school and beyond). 

In my 8 years of classroom teaching and 18 years of tutoring, I have worked with hundreds of students. On average, they have improved by 2 full letter grades in each subject, increased their ACT scores by 4 points, and increased their SAT scores by 150 points. My students have been accepted into prestigious schools like Harvard, Yale, Princeton, Cornell, UVA, and Washington University, to name a few. And they all have increased confidence and self-esteem.

What’s the secret sauce? I meet kids where they are and customize their learning experience; I also get to know my students and families and make learning relevant and fun.

• Honesty (academic and otherwise)
• Guidance (helping students grasp concepts rather than doing their work for them)
• Helping students reach their potential and feel good about school
• Showing kids how to use school as a tool to help them reach their life goals (and their parents’ goals to get them out of the house- lol!)
• Supporting my students as they learn how to make decisions, solve problems, and communicate effectively 
• An environment where students feel safe to try, make mistakes, and learn from them

I wasn’t always an online tutor. I used to exclusively travel to students’ homes, schools, and local libraries. When my daughter was born, I took maternity leave from tutoring; I provided substitute tutors for all of my students and that allowed me to stay home with my baby.

Even though I was totally in love with being a mom (still am 😉 ), I missed working with my students. At the time, I did not see how I could physically be home with my daughter and work with my students. (Perhaps it was the severe lack of sleep that prevented me from seeing a solution then.) I have since come to realize that online tutoring is a great solution! 

I have found a number of benefits to online tutoring:

1. I can work with students from my home office and parents do not have to do any additional driving. The fact that no one needs to travel offers greater flexibility in scheduling. 
2. Parents do not have to spend their precious time waiting in a hallway or car until their children have completed their tutoring sessions.
3. Students can receive assistance while in their own work atmosphere. This is beneficial because students are most comfortable in their own environment, and a student’s comfort level enhances their learning. 
4. It’s also easy to implement. When we work together online, we use an online whiteboard and audio/video chat. You only need 2 things: a computer (with speakers, webcam, and microphone) and a good Internet connection.
5. In addition, because we use video, my students and I are able to see each other, which makes it easier for us to build a connection with each other.

I am so grateful for the life that I have now. I live in St. Louis, MO with my husband and 6-year-old daughter. I get to work with amazing students no matter where they are located. I am also privileged enough to provide readers like you with helpful knowledge that I have gained over the course of 19 years in education. I absolutely love what I do!

It’s great to meet you! 

Let me know how I can add value to your child’s educational experience. 

Schedule your complimentary strategy session HERE.