Where Confident Thinkers are Built
We go beyond tutoring—helping students engage, think deeply, build independence and develop the confidence to take on any challenge
Where Confident Thinkers are Built
We go beyond tutoring—helping students engage, think deeply, build independence and develop the confidence to take on any challenge
About Us
Deliberate U was started by a teacher with over 35 years in the Ontario school system.
The school curriculum builds upon foundational concepts. She noticed the same thing, year after year: a crack in that foundation that goes unaddressed, and the student leaves every new lesson more confused. This results in a loss of confidence, decreased engagement and a perception that "I'm just not smart enough". Thorough understanding of the fundamentals is key for building success throughout higher grades. We tutor to close that gap.
This involves assessing where the learning gaps are and getting to know how your student learns and what motivates them. One-on-one support means not only navigating through mastering course material, but learning invaluable things about themselves that they will carry forward wherever they go next.
About the Founder
With over 35 years in education, Fiona has worked across nearly every corner of the learning landscape — from homeschool environments and private institutions to public secondary schools, online classrooms, and everything in between. That breadth is what allows her to meet every student exactly where they are.
A qualified Ontario secondary school teacher with advanced qualifications in Mathematics, Science, English as a Second Language, and Co-operative Education, Fiona brings rare depth to a field where many stop at a single subject. She has administered and scored both the EQAO and OSSLT — the standardized assessments that stress so many Ontario families — giving her an insider's understanding of exactly what students need to succeed.
But credentials only tell part of the story.
Fiona has spent decades in the room with real students — struggling, succeeding, and everything in between. She has navigated complex IEPs, coordinated with resource teachers and school systems, written literacy diagnostic guides and built individualized pathways for learners who didn't fit the standard mold. As a business facilitator, public speaker, and workshop leader, she brings the same clarity and energy to parent conversations that she brings to student sessions.
What sets her apart isn't any single qualification — it's the pattern recognition that only comes from 35+ years of watching what actually works. She knows how school systems think, how different learners process information, and how to turn frustration into momentum.
She calls herself a lifelong learner. Her students would call her the person who finally made it click.
Our team
Subject expertise
All the tutors we hire have a university degree or are working towards one and are experts in their fields. Our online structure allows us to keep our best tutors even into their full time careers. These tutors are trained in the Ontario curriculum and have excelled in the exact courses and curriculum that your students are working through.
Hiring for resilience
When interviewing new tutors, we assess how they have handled feeling stuck and overcoming obstacles. This is exactly what happens in a session when a student doesn't get a concept the first way it's explained. Or perhaps a student had a bad day and shuts down. We hire tutors who relate and know how to work through obstacles from personal experience. We're looking for tutors we can trust to read the room and adjust.
Our Approach
Partner with parents
From learning styles to school systems and IEPs, we help families navigate it all—so school is a launchpad, not a measuring stick.
Student focused
We build ownership, not dependence
Students are active participants in their learning, not passive recipients. They learn how to think, plan, and take responsibility for their progress.
We teach the student—not the curriculum
Every learner is different. We adapt to them, their pace, and how they process information.
We stay flexible and creative
If something isn’t working, we change the approach—not the student. Sometimes it means movement, games, or unconventional strategies. Sometimes that means focused work. Whatever helps the concept click—we use it. Learning isn’t one-size-fits-all, and neither are we.
We build thinkers
We guide students through challenges, helping them problem-solve, reflecting on how they problem solve, which develops independence that lasts beyond academics.
Success by design
Fiona has taken her 37 years of experience as an Ontario certified teacher across private and public school boards, homeschooling, and online learning and combined them all to give you the best experience and the best tools for your student.
We remove the guesswork from getting top marks with structured support, regular check-ins, and habit-building strategies that compound over time.
We have a carefully curated toolbox of proven resources that are continually updated.
We know small, consistent actions—like 15 minutes of daily practice—build real capability, confidence, and long-term success.
Our Values
01
Confidence Changes Everything
Everyone has something that lights them up — a strength, a spark, a way of thinking that's entirely their own. We make it our job to find it, name it, and build from it until small wins become big confidence. When students believe they can figure things out, everything else follows. We do the same for each other — because a team that celebrates and supports one another creates an environment of excellence.
02
Relationships Come First
Trust, encouragement, and genuine care create a safe environment that is the foundation for real learning. We don't just show up for the homework — we show up for the student.
03
Understanding Beats Memorization
We focus on how to learn, not just what to learn. Surface-level help gets kids through tonight. We go deeper — meeting your child where they are, learning how they learn, and building skills that follow them beyond their education.
04
Feedback Fuels Growth
We listen deeply, adapt quickly, and create space for honest communication — with students, parents, and our team. Nobody gets it right every time, and we don't expect them to. Mistakes aren't failures, they're data. We learn, adjust, and move forward. A team that's still learning knows how to help your student love learning, too.
05
Celebrate Effort That Leads to Results
Test scores are one indicator, but they don't tell us whether a student is curious, adaptable, or starting to see how their education connects to the world around them. That's when their curiosity and passion engages, and it goes far beyond learning math.
Their report card may say they're fine, you've noticed otherwise.
Invest 20-minutes to get insight and answers.
