Amber
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: The University of Texas at Austin - Bachelors, Elementary Education
In my spare time I like to explore my creative side. I love to draw, play music, sing, and crochet. I also really love a good hike in the mountains every chance I get!
College English
Elementary School Math
High School English
What is your teaching philosophy?
As a teacher, my goal is to create a safe and welcoming environment for students to explore concepts freely. My goal is to facilitate learning by helping students gain the necessary skills to become active participants in their own learning. I will help students develop problem solving skills so that they will be able to take control of their own learning. I use a variety of techniques to illustrate concepts, including humor, to help make learning enjoyable and memorable so as to motivate students to learn and to retain new information. During our conversations, I assess student's personal learning needs and adjust my teaching/tutoring accordingly.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
In a typical first session with a student, I would spend a little time getting to know each other. I feel it is extremely important that the student feels comfortable and relaxed in order for them to respond positively to my assistance.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I do a lot of scaffolding, giving students a supportive structure within which to practice solving problems in a more and more independent manner. My goal is to develop communication that is focused on the student's learning that will help the student become more aware of the steps involved in learning, and help them to understand their personal learning style. I will work to improve their confidence by giving constructive feedback and guide them through the process of establishing and reaching goals. In this way, I believe I can help students become independent learners.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Positive feedback is key! Also important is the feeling of success a student gets when they are able to use the skills they learned in a tutoring session to correctly solve a problem and/or achieve a goal. Setting and achieving goals is an extremely important part of staying motivated, as well as rewards for a goal that is met. I would encourage the student to set up a reward for themselves for when they reach a goal, then celebrate with them when they do reach that goal.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
If a student is having difficulty, I would instruct the student on a simplified version of the concept/lesson, and then gradually increase the complexity as the student gains more understanding. I would be sure to check for understanding along the way. In this way, I can be sure to build up the student's confidence and knowledge.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
First, I assess the student's reading level and comprehension. Next, I would help the student retain information by giving them a vocabulary lesson before they read a difficult text in order to have greater confidence in their reading ability. I would also show the student how to read questions first, then look back at the text for the answer in the text.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I like to develop a rapport with students first of all. I tell them about myself, and then ask them to share with me in turn. I find that letting the students know that I am here for their success helps a lot.