Penny
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: Univ of CT - Bachelors, Animal Science
Graduate Degree: Johns Hopkins Univ. - Masters, Education
Yoga, gardening, camping/hiking, kayaking
College Biology
Ecology
High School Biology
Life Sciences
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe that many students need a motivated adult to help lead them to their best methods of study.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Ask them what they enjoy the most and what topics/situations give them the most trouble.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Find their strengths and weakness, and work on ways to incorporate both into their study habits and practice.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Make the exercises/learning engaging, meaningful, and fun.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Teach it in a different way, use more examples, make it relevant, and break it down into sub-skills.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Break down the material. Review and revise often. Use shorter prompts/assignments. Focus on specific skills and build in scaffolding.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Get to know them. Let them know I care about them as individuals. Ask questions about what they like/dislike, and what challenges them.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Make learning appropriate and engaging for different learning styles. Use examples/material that grab their attention. Play to their strengths first, then introduce more challenging material.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Have them explain the concept/give examples to me in a new/different way such as a cartoons, games, and stories.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Start with some review. Give them lots of encouragement and positive feedback, then begin mixing in more challenging material.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I ask them what they feel good about and what makes them struggle. I like them to learn to self-evaluate and then give them encouragement and feedback.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I ask for students' input about their learning style, goals, and study habits. This information helps me adapt lessons to better meet their individual needs.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I use books, pen/paper, index cards, and a laptop during tutoring sessions.