Bonnie
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: University of California-Berkeley - Bachelors, Comparative Literature
SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1500
SAT Verbal: 800
SAT Writing: 800
GRE Verbal: 168
Reading, cooking, traveling, music
ACCUPLACER Reading Comprehension
ACCUPLACER Sentence Skills
ACCUPLACER WritePlacer
Art History
College English
Comparative Literature
High School English
Other
SAT Subject Test in Literature
SAT Subject Tests Prep
Study Skills
Study Skills and Organization
What is your teaching philosophy?
Listening is a key part of the way I teach. I am open and receptive to the needs of students, and I view myself as being there to facilitate their educational journey through understanding and providing the knowledge they are looking for.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I tend to use the first session as an opportunity to get to know the student and assess their goals and their current progress in attaining those goals. I find it is very important to establish this understanding early on, as it ensures we are both on the same page when it comes to our expectations for sessions.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
My teaching philosophy is very much based in the idea of helping students reach the goals they have set for themselves. I have goals for myself as a tutor and as a professional, but I find it important to allow students to follow their own journeys and make the learning experience something that they find value in for themselves. When students feel that they are in control of their educational process and are empowered to seek out and utilize knowledge, that is what strengthens them as independent learners.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Sometimes students are so focused on the outcome they are working towards that they lose sight of the progress they have made already. I think students can find great motivation in remembering and drawing strength from their accomplishments.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
In a situation like this, I am not afraid to experiment with different approaches to the same skill or concept. Simply because I may have learned it one way does not mean that is the way that will work for the student. It is my task as a tutor to find the approach that works.