Andreia received her Bachelor of Science in Astrophysics & Planetary Sciences and her Master of Arts in Education with a focus on curriculum and instruction from the University of Colorado. While completing her graduate studies, she worked as an engineer and spent four years as a test prep tutor. Before moving to the United States, Andreia worked at a non-profit in her native Brazil, helping students prepare for American universities through essay coaching and TOEFL and English proficiency test preparation. As a Hayutin educator, Andreia supports students in middle and high school with test prep (ISEE, ACT, SAT, GRE), subject tutoring in math through AP Calculus BC, AP Physics, AP Chemistry, biology, psychology, English, and world history, as well as writing, college essay coaching and executive function skills. In addition to tutoring, Andreia is pursuing her passion for creative writing and is currently taking UCLA Extension classes in neuroscience to deepen her understanding of character development. In her free time, Andreia enjoys music and plays both piano and guitar. She challenges herself to try 120 new things each year, a practice that recently took her and her husband on a four-month journey around the world.

 

We Asked, Andreia Answered 

  • What is one of your fundamental beliefs about education?

    I believe education is less about mastering content and more about building confidence, curiosity, and ownership over learning. Content is the vehicle, but the real goal is helping students feel capable and in control of their thinking.

    In my sessions, that shows up as focusing not just on getting the right answer, but on understanding how to approach a problem, how to recover from mistakes, and how to build systems that make learning feel manageable in the long run. I try to give students tools they can use independently so they don’t feel stuck or reliant on constant help.

  • What is your favorite subject to teach and why?

    I love teaching math, especially when it’s tied to problem-solving and strategy. A lot of students come in feeling intimidated by math, so it’s really rewarding to help them realize it’s not about being “naturally good” at it; it’s about finding patterns, developing logic, and lots and lots of practice.

    I also really enjoy teaching reading and writing because they involve understanding how people think, whether it’s analyzing an argument or figuring out the author’s purpose. It becomes less about memorization and more about interpretation, which targets higher orders of critical thinking. 

  • Share an anecdote about a time your student hit a wall and how the student overcame it.

    I had a student who really struggled with statistics and would often shut down before even attempting a problem. She had a lot of anxiety around the subject and would immediately tell herself she couldn’t do it.

    I knew she loved Ariana Grande, so I reframed our work into a role-playing scenario where she became Ariana Grande’s agent. Her “job” was to analyze fanbase data, compare stadium sizes, and decide which countries Ariana should tour next. As soon as we introduced that narrative, her entire mindset shifted: she became engaged, curious, and even excited to work with the data. She went as far as researching real-world numbers to make her decisions more accurate.

    Through this, she not only developed a stronger understanding of statistical concepts, but more importantly, she built confidence in her ability to approach and solve problems. She later told me that she would continue using this strategy on her own—imagining herself as Ariana’s agent—to stay calm and work through new problems.

    This experience reinforced for me how powerful it can be to connect learning to something meaningful to the students.

  • What makes Hayutin different?

    Hayutin feels very intentional and student-centered. There’s a strong emphasis not just on results, but on understanding each student as an individual: how they learn, what motivates them, and what support they need.
     
    There’s also a real focus on executive functioning and long-term skills, which I think is incredibly valuable. It’s not just about helping students succeed on one test, but about giving them tools they can carry forward and apply to every area of their lives.

  • What is the favorite thing you've learned from a student?

    One of the most interesting things I’ve learned from my students is how strongly emotion and identity influence learning. I’ve seen that when students feel anxious or disconnected from a subject, they often shut down before even trying. But when something clicks in a way that feels personal or engaging, their entire approach changes.

    This has made me much more intentional about how I frame learning experiences. I try to create moments where students can see themselves as capable problem-solvers, because once that shift happens, their progress accelerates in a really noticeable way.

  • Other than education, what is something you are passionate about?

    I’m really passionate about writing and storytelling. I’m currently working on a few creative writing projects, and I’m especially interested in how stories connect to memory, emotion, and the way people make sense of the world.
     
    I also love anything related to wellness and personal growth: finding ways to build sustainable routines, take care of mental health, and create a balanced life.

  • What’s something you learned about yourself after high school that you wish you knew back then?

    I wish I had known that struggling doesn’t mean you’re not capable. It usually just means you haven’t found the right approach yet. For a long time, I put a lot of pressure on myself to do everything perfectly, and I didn’t always give myself space to learn through mistakes. Now I see that growth comes from trying, adjusting, and being patient with the process.

  • What is a stretch you experienced growing up?

    Growing up, I tended to have more of a fixed mindset; I often felt that if something didn’t come naturally, it meant I wasn’t good at it. That made it harder to take risks or engage fully with challenges.

    Over time, I’ve worked to develop a growth mindset, and that shift has been incredibly impactful. I now see challenges as opportunities to learn rather than as indicators of ability. I now try to actively put myself in situations where I’m learning something new, even if it feels uncomfortable at first. For example, I set a personal goal each year to try 120 new experiences, as a way to stay open-minded, challenge myself, and continue growing.

    This experience has deeply shaped how I teach. I’m very intentional about helping students build confidence in their ability to grow, especially when they feel stuck. I want them to see that struggling is not a sign of failure, but a natural and important part of learning.

  • If you could tutor any historical figure, who would it be and what would your focus be?

    I think it would be really interesting to tutor Jane Austen, although I suspect I would have more to learn from her than the other way around. I’d focus less on content and more on how she structures narratives, how she builds tension, develops characters, and captures subtle human behavior. I’d love to explore the intersection between storytelling and cognition—how stories shape the way we think, remember, and connect with ideas. That’s something I’m really interested in, and I think it would be fascinating to approach it with someone who intuitively understood human psychology so well.

  • What’s the book on your nightstand you are dying to read?

    How to Be Perfect by Michael Schur. I love the idea of exploring ethics and what it means to be a “good” person in a way that’s both thoughtful and approachable. I’m also really interested in how big philosophical ideas can be broken down into something practical, which also ties into how I like to teach by making complex concepts feel more accessible and relevant. I also love Michael Shur’s style and sense of humor! 

  • Anything else you'd like to share?

    Teaching students to ask how and why matters more than simply answering what.

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