Ryan
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: Lewis & Clark College - Bachelors, Religious Studies
Graduate Degree: Portland State University - Masters, Economics
GRE Verbal: 168
I love to watch movies, read books, play tennis, bike, hike and go to the beach
Business
College Economics
High School Business
High School Economics
Macroeconomics
What is your teaching philosophy?
I hope to convey an enthusiasm for the subject that helps students discover something interesting to them in the material. I also feel that constant feedback from the student is crucial, in that it helps me tailor my approach to the student's specific needs.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I might have them answer a few basic questions in order to gauge where they are with the material. I would also ask them which area is most difficult for them so I would know where to focus in our session. I would also ask them how they best learn in order to orient my approach to suit their particular learning style.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
In order to really learn and remember a subject, you must ultimately do the work yourself, which means that no matter how much prompting I provide, the student must eventually discover their own way of completing the work. In my experience, lots of explanation and minimal interaction is needed when a new subject is first introduced; however, the student will begin to take the reins more confidently as they go through more examples, discovering their own specific ways of approaching problems, thereby creating those neural pathways that can be accessed for later use.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I think that relating to a student on a personal level is important. I was not always as motivated as I am now ,and I understand the frustration that comes with a subject which can seem obscure. Being in the present moment, however, can be a useful skill for unmotivated students. Taking one problem at a time and ignoring the long view can be very helpful in containing apathy. And since it will be necessary to complete the work, a little bit of work in the present moment will pay dividends later on.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would stop and take as much time as necessary to help that student find what specific concept is providing the difficulty for the student. I would then go back to the fundamentals of that concept, if necessary, in order to rectify any possible lapse in learning which may have occurred in the past that led to the current difficulty.