Robert
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: University of California-Irvine - Bachelor in Arts, Political Science and Government
Graduate Degree: Whittier College of Law - Juris Doctor, Law
ACT Reading: 32
ACT Science: 32
surfing, snowboarding, swimming, volleyball, basketball, soccer, flag football, hanging out at the beach.
Constitutional Law
Criminal Law
Law
What is your teaching philosophy?
I like to focus on what the client is having trouble with. I first want to get an idea of what isn't working for the client and then build on that. Also, seeing what, if anything, is causing the client to feel anxiety from the subject is also a major focus on mine. I then like to have the clients work out each problem on their own, and then have them explain why they answered the way they did.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
In a typical first session, I would give a little bit of my background to the student and then find out exactly what their goals are for our tutoring session(s). After that, I would devote the rest of the session to going over whatever trouble items the student is experiencing.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I believe that my enthusiasm, positive-mindedness, and patience help give the student confidence to realize that they can overcome their obstacles and also help them learn ways to solve problems on their own when not receiving tutoring.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I like to give positive reinforcement at appropriate intervals and remind the students that they will understand the subject; it just might take some time.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would have the student focus on learning that skill or concept for a majority of the tutoring session, until they felt that they have grasped the concept.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Unfortunately, reading comprehension is very important for studying, and I would develop a strategy for the student to implement, depending on what aspect of reading comprehension they were experiencing difficulty with.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Being friendly, less authoritative, encouraging, and making the tutoring session fun.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I would help the student by turning the session into a game that is fun for them to associate positive feelings with the subject that they are struggling in.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Once the student has expressed confidence in understanding the material, I would then quiz them to verify it. I would also have them create their own problems based on the material and solve them, too.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Building a student's confidence takes time. I would use each session to build on the previous session, and as more progress is made, I would point out to the student how far they have come since we first started on that subject. Usually, once a student realizes what they have achieved on their own, that helps to build their confidence in the subject.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I discuss the student's needs with them and their parent(s) and also discuss their general performance in school. I usually like to assess the entire realm of the student's academics and then give my suggestions on where there might be some focus needed.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
My goal always is to make sure that the student's needs for my help is being fulfilled, and I would adapt my tutoring upon determining what is working for the student and what isn't.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I mainly focus on the student's materials that he or she is having problems with, coupled with scratch paper to use to explain concepts or examples.