Tyler
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: Tufts University - Bachelors, Computer Science & Drama
SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1410
SAT Math: 700
All sports, acting, film, music, board games, video games
10th Grade
10th Grade Math
10th Grade Reading
10th Grade Writing
11th Grade
11th Grade Math
11th Grade Reading
11th Grade Writing
12th Grade
12th Grade Math
12th Grade Reading
12th Grade Writing
1st Grade
1st Grade Math
1st Grade Reading
1st Grade Writing
2nd Grade
2nd Grade Math
2nd Grade Reading
2nd Grade Writing
3rd Grade
3rd Grade Math
3rd Grade Reading
3rd Grade Science
3rd Grade Writing
4th Grade
4th Grade Math
4th Grade Reading
4th Grade Science
4th Grade Writing
5th Grade
5th Grade Math
5th Grade Reading
5th Grade Science
5th Grade Writing
6th Grade
6th Grade Math
6th Grade Reading
6th Grade Science
6th Grade Writing
7th Grade
7th Grade Math
7th Grade Reading
7th Grade Science
7th Grade Writing
8th Grade
8th Grade Math
8th Grade Reading
8th Grade Science
8th Grade Writing
9th Grade
9th Grade Math
9th Grade Reading
9th Grade Writing
Adult Literacy
Algebra 3/4
Bass Guitar
C++
College Math
Computer Game Design
Computer Programming
Data Structures
Elementary School
Elementary School Math
Elementary School Reading
Elementary School Science
Elementary School Writing
Fiction Writing
Handwriting
High School
High School Chemistry
High School English
High School Writing
Homeschool
Honors
HTML
Introduction to Fiction
Java
Mathematical Foundations for Computer Science
Middle School Reading
Middle School Science
Middle School Writing
Other
Persuasive Writing
Piano
Shakespeare
Short Novel
Singing
Software
Software Engineering
Summer
Voice
What is your teaching philosophy?
My teaching philosophy is to find the fun! If you like sports, then let's talk physics concepts in terms of basketball or soccer; if you love video games, then we can break down code and understand simple data structures that are used in your favorite first person shooters. Learning is all about finding your own personal "in" to the material and putting it in terms that you can relate with.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I'd get to know them a little. I'd ask what their hobbies are and what subjects are their favorites. Then I'd start to talk about their learning styles and what they think works for them and what they struggle with. I'd tell them a little about my experience with tutoring and my educational background, and then we could dive into some introductory material to get our feet wet. I'm all about making the student feel comfortable in the first session so they can feel free to speak their mind and let loose their creativity in problem solving and analysis.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I think becoming an independent learner is all about figuring out what you find most enjoyable with learning and how you can motivate yourself to want to learn. Sometimes that involves a strict schedule, sometimes that means a reward system, and sometimes it's totally different than both of those. The more you make learning enjoyable, though, the more likely you are to do it on your own.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Everyone is motivated in different ways. Some people need reward systems, others just need help with perspective. Motivation is about setting achievable goals that help you work towards stretch goals. Find the areas of your life that you put a lot of stake in, and then try to spin that for learning.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
First, I would try to break the problem down into smaller chunks that the student can understand so they feel like they're making progress. I also would try to tackle the problem from another angle such as doing a physical experiment or model to engage a different part of the brain. The main thing is to make sure that the student feels like they are making progress and not getting discouraged.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
First, I ask them what they remember from the passage to prove that they do remember things in general. Then I focus on how to recognize the main topics of a passage and give them cool techniques such as looking at subject sentences, concluding phrases, etc. Repeated practice on just trying to remember smaller passages also helps as you then work towards larger blocks of text.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Building trust and confidence between the tutor and the student is a must so that both feel comfortable in the work environment. Keeping things fun but focused is also of high importance so that the work doesn't become annoying or monotonous. Setting goals I always find to be very helpful as well so that students can really feel like they are accomplishing their tasks but also have something to work towards.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I would first break down the problem into smaller sections that the student can tackle piece by piece. By managing these smaller chunks the student feels like they are consistently succeeding. I would also try to find subjects or hobbies that the student enjoys and relate the subject they are struggling with to that hobby. For example, if a student really likes baseball and the subject they were struggling with is physics, then I'd relate physics principles with baseball and provide problems that are baseball themed.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I would make sure that the student is tested in multiple ways on the material so that they aren't just memorizing one format. I would also have them teach me the material and walk me through a problem. I would also make sure to come back to the material at a later time to make sure it wasn't a short-term memory deal.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Progress is the key. Make sure the student is making small successes in a subject so they can feel like they are improving. Small successes will lead to finishing an entire problem. I'd follow a similar structure with goal making. Have the student make small goals and a large goal so they can make tiny progress but constantly be working towards something.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I first ask the student what they think they need the most help with and keep that in mind while I work with them. I then would have them try out a couple of different problems and watch how they go about solving them and have them explain to me how they think the problem needs to be solved. From there I would try to identify if they struggle with concepts, simple human errors, or other factors.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I try to identify what my student's best method of working is (do they like to read, listen, work with their hands, etc.). I then try to explain concepts and work through problems in a style that they can easily relate with. It's always good to check in with the student consistently and make sure they are enjoying themselves and are agreeable to how we are working. Of course there are times when students need to be pushed out of their comfort zones, but that is handled with care and is done with very specific purpose.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I always use writing instruments and paper to draw or write out concepts. A computer is always handy to have to pull up images and have internet access to videos that can make things a little easier to understand. Certain subjects also call for different materials (such as math instruments or science tools).