Julia
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: University of Redlands - Bachelors, English with an emphasis in Creative Non-Fiction
Reading, Writing, Hiking, Art, Exploring new places, researching topics of interest, movies.
American Literature
Art
British Literature
Elementary School Reading
Elementary School Writing
Handwriting
High School English
High School Level American Literature
High School Writing
ISEE Prep
ISEE-Lower Level Reading Comprehension
ISEE-Lower Level Verbal Reasoning
ISEE-Lower Level Writing
ISEE-Middle Level Reading Comprehension
ISEE-Middle Level Verbal Reasoning
ISEE-Middle Level Writing
Middle School Reading
Middle School Writing
Spelling Bee
What is your teaching philosophy?
With teaching English, it allows me the chance to give students a way to see the world through multiple lenses. The beauty of art, specifically stories, is that they allow an individual to step into another person's shoes and see what it could be like for them in certain situations. The more you read, and the more you understand, the more of an opportunity an individual has to learn about the world around them as well as themselves.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
During a typical first session, I would ask the student what it is that they are needing help with specifically, what certain things they expect from me, and then go over materials that I would need to best help them with what they were struggling with.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
By giving a student a strong set of organizational skills and several tactics that allow them to understand that material the best, and track what it is they need clarification or need to focus on.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I would track their progress to show they have improved over time, praise them for their successes, and make them realize that a thorough, deep understanding of the material is just as important, if not more important, than a perfect score on an exam.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I find it's best to employ a few different strategies with students who are struggling with comprehension. First off, it's important to go through the material with them as often as possible. I think that talking about stories, characters within the stories, and the general information is important to truly understand the message of a story.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I have found that getting to know a student, and their particular struggles is extremely important in helping them be the most successful. In getting to know them a bit, it allows you to build a trusting relationship with them so they will feel comfortable asking you questions that might make them feel inadequate, or telling you that you need to go over the same subject again.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I would speak with the student about my own personal experiences with a subject, I would also try and bring in outside materials. For example, if a student was reading a book for class that had been made into a popular movie, I would bring that up. I would track their progress, and their understanding of the subject so they could see improvement, which would hopefully allow them to be excited to learn more about what they were struggling with.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I would quiz them. I would create quizzes electronically, and ask them questions as I was going through the material that they should be able to answer to track their progress. If they were reading a book, I would read the book with them, and ask them questions about certain characters, have discussions about what the book was about as a whole, and make sure their understanding of the material is sound.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Building a student's confidence requires patience, understanding, and compassion. I believe it also requires moving through material at a pace that they feel comfortable with so they can truly understand what they are learning.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
Hopefully a student would tell me what they needed. If not, I would probably work with them a couple of times, and try and assess the situation that way. I would probably also ask that they take quizzes that I had created if they are working on reading a specific book or working on a specific project.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I would adapt my teaching methods as time went on. I would bring in outside sources, and work with them as closely as possible to make sure all of their needs were met. I would also hope, once again, that the students would tell me what they needed.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I would use post it notes, notepads, and blank documents during a tutoring session, as well as flashcards to review certain things, and whatever materials the student was working with.