Pedro
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: Universidad Pontificia de Salamanca - Bachelors, Insurance Science
Graduate Degree: King College London - Masters, Mcs Disasters, Resilience, Adaptation
Travel, sports, yoga, outdoor activities
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
The first session is the time to build rapport with the student, to evaluate his academic level and needs and to establish goals.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
By providing tools and techniques to gather information and to self-evaluate.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
By establishing individual lesson goals aimed to accomplish overall learning goals. Positive feedback is essential to keep the momentum moving forward.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Show patience and start over. Maybe the lesson should be given at a slower pace; maybe it should be broken down into two or more lessons. Go back to where the student projects confidence again.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I break down the text in sections and analyze the main idea of each. It's important to make sure difficult vocabulary is understood. Taking notes of main ideas, and having discussions about the reading also helps.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Having empathy, being patient and starting a lesson with a short, fun activity to engage the student and bring him/her into a study/learning time.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Games and short activities help a student get engaged. Good rapport created with the student helps the teacher bring the lesson closer to a practical situation in the life of a student.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Group or controlled practice, individual practice and evaluations.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
Establishing an ideal communication channel with him/her (and his/her parents if necessary).
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
Props, texts, maps, videos, laptops.
What is your teaching philosophy?
Teaching is a learning time for both the student and the teacher. With patience and empathy, a lesson should be given as follows: 1) Engage the student with a short, fun activity. 2) Demonstrate the day's lesson. 3) Group/controlled practice and feedback. 4) Individual practice and feedback.