Jennalisa
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: University of California-Riverside - Bachelors, Bioengineering
Graduate Degree: University of California-Riverside - Masters, Bioengineering
GRE Quantitative: 154
GRE Verbal: 148
Running, hiking, dancing, cooking, learning languages, studying medicine, math, science, biomedical devices, volunteering.
10th Grade Math
11th Grade Math
12th Grade Math
1st Grade Math
1st Grade Reading
1st Grade Writing
2nd Grade Math
2nd Grade Reading
2nd Grade Writing
3rd Grade Math
3rd Grade Reading
3rd Grade Writing
4th Grade Math
4th Grade Reading
4th Grade Writing
5th Grade Math
6th Grade Math
7th Grade Math
8th Grade Math
9th Grade Math
Algebra 3/4
Biomedical Engineering
Cell Biology
Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering
College Biology
Elementary School Math
Elementary School Reading
Elementary School Writing
Evolutionary Biology
General Biology
General Chemistry
Handwriting
High School Chemistry
Homework Support
Molecular Biology
Other
Summer
Vocabulary
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe that every aspect of education is important and that every student learns in their own unique way. I like to figure out what it is that kids needs most help with, and how they learn best in order to assure they excel.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
In my first session, I like to ask the student what they need help with and test them a bit to see where we should start. Oftentimes, we can jump into a lesson from there, and that will also give me an idea as to which direction to go in for the following sessions.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
When first introducing a lesson, I will first guide students through it, then give them practice problems to work out on their own. Throughout this process, I will find lessons and activities that engage the students and encourage students, their questions, and reflective thinking.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I encourage students when they do well. When students feel discouraged and are struggling, I gear my lessons toward them by making activities that are fun for them and fit their learning styles.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would find another way to explain the concept or skill and provide practice for them.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I give a snippet of reading material, have them break down each sentence and paragraph, interpret the purpose and meaning of each sentence/paragraph, and answer common reading comprehension questions. I believe that practice makes perfect.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Before I began tutoring, I thought that I could make a lesson based on what the student struggled with and on their grade level. However, I quickly learned that lessons needed to be taught differently for each individual student regardless of grade level and test results. After teaching the fundamental concepts for a lesson, I give them a chance to practice with little to no guidance to ensure they understand the concept, tweak the lesson based on how they performed, provide them with activities geared toward them both in tutoring and as take-home, and continuously review and test their knowledge to make sure that they can recall the concept in the future.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I like to create activities and games that they enjoy, and give them personalized scores so that they can see their own progress. For example, the younger kids I worked with recently had fun with drawing and coloring activities, whereas the older kids had fun with point-based games and charts that would display how well they did on each question I gave them.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I typically test students at the end of the session and at the start of the following session with quizzes, activities, and assignments. I have also found that it is important to test students later on as well to make sure they can recall what they learned.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
I encourage students and move at a pace that accommodates their learning needs. I sometimes set goals and give them scores to show them their progress.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I evaluate a student's needs by discussing what they need help with, and testing them to determine what we should work on. Seeing how they perform gives me an idea for what their needs are.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I find lessons based on grade level and needs, and then alter the lesson to fit the student's needs.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
Paper/pen or computer workspace to write out equations and draw figures, reading material if applicable, an equation sheet if applicable, a lesson for guidance, and a game or activity materials (e.g. flashcards).