We're thrilled to celebrate Gena Christ as our Tutor of the Month for September 2026! Based in La Habra, California, Gena brings more than two decades of educational expertise and an unmistakable joy for teaching to every session she leads.

Gena earned her BA in Liberal Studies with a Multiple Subject Teaching Credential from Mount St. Mary's College in Los Angeles, followed by a Master's Degree in Educational Psychology from Azusa Pacific University. She has spent over 20 years in education as an Elementary School Teacher and School Psychologist, and has been tutoring with Firefly Tutors for the past two years. She tutors all elementary subjects from TK through 6th grade and has a special place in her heart for the littlest learners, whose joy and eagerness to learn she finds infectious.

What Gena loves most is helping students reach those breakthrough moments of understanding. "My passion is helping students find those 'Ah-ha!' moments; those are the keys that open the doors to learning!" she shares. Drawing on her background in School Psychology, she fills her sessions with hands-on activities of every kind - puzzles, games, arts and crafts, play money, play dough, stickers, and more - along with songs, chants, rhymes, and movement to help tricky ideas stick.

Her favorite strategy of all? Using books and stories to show students that everyone faces challenges. With one of her favorites, Bubble Gum Brain, her students learn that mistakes are an important part of learning and growing - nothing to be embarrassed about. Gena models making mistakes herself, finding them, fixing them, and moving on, giving students permission to do the same. We fix it and move on!

Outside of tutoring, Gena loves to read, travel, garden, create arts and crafts, cook, and spend time with friends and family. Her favorite adventure so far was cruising the Greek Isles and exploring the ancient sites of Olympia, Delphi, and Ephesus - and she can't wait to see more of the world.

Gena's experience, creativity, and warmth make her a treasured part of the Firefly Tutors team. Thank you, Gena, for the "Ah-ha!" moments, the encouragement, and the heart you bring to every student's journey.