Drew
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: University of Notre Dame - Bachelors, Mechanical Engineering
SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1520
SAT Math: 790
SAT Verbal: 700
SAT Writing: 730
Fitness, Music, Blogging
C++
College Physics
Computer Programming
CSS
High School Physics
HTML
MATLAB
Mechanical Engineering
Statics
Technology and Coding
What is your teaching philosophy?
Practice makes perfect. Do problems until you can confidently answer 9 out of 10 correctly.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I would ask about his/her hobbies, what they know about what they're currently requesting help with, and how they feel they learn best.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Allow them to attempt solving problems on their own first, only giving tips when they get stuck.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Tell them that they'll feel 10x better about themselves after the fact if they put in the work and do well. Failing never feels good. So, put in the work now and you'll be happier later.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I'd slow them down and have them dissect sentences phrase by phrase. They need to know how to comprehend each part of the sentence correctly. Speed comes with time.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Seeing how they approach a problem on their own before aiding them.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I would share some of the cool things that math and physics (my area) can do that I learned about during my college career.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Make them perform problems on their own without my help to make sure I don't become a crutch.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Practice makes perfect! More problems and practice will always help them improve, given they practice correctly -- that's why I'm here.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
Questions and observation. Ask what they struggle with and observe their shortcomings when answering their problems.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I learn about the student's interests and try to incorporate them into tangible examples. Also, I ask how they learn best and teach them that way.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
Notebook, pen, and calculator.