As a private academic tutor in Westchester, New York, Rebecca Antinozzi works with students in the K-10 range, both one-on-one and in small groups. While she has been a tutor for more than a decade, her expertise has been particularly sought-after in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, with her at-home sessions providing social skill development and hybrid learning support. Rebecca Antinozzi also provides directed guidance for Common Core testing, and personalized study plans to parents and schoolteachers to address student challenges.
Rebecca Antinozzi is a graduate from Syracuse University and Fordham University, and has earned degrees in child studies, general education, and special education. Her advanced certifications also cover students with disabilities and early childhood education. Rebecca Antinozzi’s volunteer involvement with child-centered causes also began in college. As a member of the Gamma Beta Phi sorority, she worked with students from underprivileged backgrounds and from families affected by trauma.
Alongside teaching, Rebecca Antinozzi continues to be involved in community initiatives. She has contributed hair to Locks of Love, which assists children experiencing hair loss due to medical reasons. In addition, Rebecca Antinozzi donates essentials and toys to charity organizations such as Toys for Tots and the Pacific House Shelter.
What is your typical day, and how do you make it productive?
• Organize and create a to-do list for what needs to be accomplished that day.
• Catch up on phone calls/emails.
• Go for a walk.
• Private tutoring in the late afternoon until early evening.
• Tennis clinic or a fun tennis match with teammates.
How do you bring ideas to life?
If there is something that I want to accomplish, then I usually talk it out with family members, write a to-do list, and research whatever I would like to bring to life. I am very organized and lean on others for guidance.
What’s one trend that excites you?
Pickleball! It is the biggest sport/activity that is currently trending. Not only do I play with my friends, but I am also an assistant coach.
What is one habit that helps you be productive?
Every week, I create “to-do lists” that help me to stay productive. I enjoy completing a task one at a time and crossing it off as I complete it.
What advice would you give your younger self?
The advice that I would give my younger self is to follow your heart and instinct and take every opportunity that comes your way. Do not be afraid to take chances and to spend every moment with your loved ones as life is short.
Tell us something you believe almost nobody agrees with you on?
To be honest, all the people that I surround myself with have similar beliefs as me.
What is the one thing you repeatedly do and recommend everyone else do?
The one thing that I do that I feel everyone else should do is each day take a minute or two to just sit in silence and breathe. Be thankful for being alive and for being who you are.
When you feel overwhelmed or unfocused, what do you do?
When I feel overwhelmed or unfocused, I like to write my thoughts down in a book or spend time outside, playing tennis, hiking, walking, etc.
What is one strategy that has helped you grow your business or advance in your career?
With my private tutoring, a lot of my clients are from word-of-mouth and networking amongst the clients that I already have. Talking to neighbors, family members, and mentioning my private tutoring business whenever I can, are all a part of how I grow my client base.
What is one failure in your career, how did you overcome it, and what lessons did you take away from it?
In life, everyone feels like they failed one way or another. Whenever I have felt that I failed in something, I leaned on others for support. I’ve always felt that my family and loved ones would give me the best advice on how to move forward.
I do feel that everything happens for a reason, so I try to look at the positive side of things. If that doesn’t work, I try to understand why it happened or what I could have done better.
What is one piece of software that helps you be productive? How do you use it?
There is really no one piece of software that helps me to be productive. I do, however, like digital planners as they keep me organized.
Do you have a favorite book or podcast you’ve gotten a ton of value from and why?
There are so many books that I have read that have taught me valuable lessons. One of these books is “The Five People You Meet in Heaven” by Mitch Albom. There are so many lessons that this book teaches you. Some are:
• Everything happens for a reason.
• Every action or decision you have, makes an impact either on you or the people around you.
• You meet people in this life for a reason – some are for a short time and others are longer.
• The importance of forgiveness.
What’s a movie or series you recently enjoyed and why?
A Million Little Things – It taught the value of friendship and overcoming obstacles in life.
Key learnings
• Stay organized, using to-do-lists or digital planners and manage time efficiently to be the best version of yourself.
• Be compassionate and look for the best in every person.
• It is okay to not accomplish something at first, lean on others and try your best a second time, you can and will succeed at anything you put your mind to.
• Friendship and family are extremely important, along with faith and spirituality.