Sami
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: Western Oregon University - Bachelor in Arts, Interdisciplinary Studies-Education and Mathematics
Playing board games and card games, creating greeting cards, paper-crafting, writing, reading watching movies, quilting
Elementary School Math
ISEE Prep
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
When students struggle with reading comprehension, I utilize research-supported methods such as incorporating poetry and physical body movement to increase comprehension skills.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I feel one of the most important aspects for success is the tutor/student relationship. I spend time getting to know my students and letting them learn about me. This builds trust, a vital component for learning.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Every subject becomes more interesting when students can connect to it personally. Because I take time to get to know my students, I am able to incorporate their specific hobbies and interests in my lessons and teaching methods.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I prefer to use hands-on, engaging, real-world instruction. I adapt board, card, and dice games to teach various math topics, and I use recipe ingredient measurement when teaching fractions. I connect all topics to language arts by incorporating interesting books and literature.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
In a first session, I would introduce myself to the student and begin to establish trust. We would spend time getting to know each other, and I would ask if he or she has any questions about me or about tutoring. We would also discuss potential tutoring goals.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, we would have a conversation and discuss our thoughts about what the difficulty may be. I would listen to student and parent input, and adapt my instruction methods to meet the student's needs. I would also research alternate teaching strategies and incorporate creative solutions.