Linda: Vancouver tutor
Certified Tutor
I like to help students because I realize how important it is to do one's best in all subjects. I have been teaching for 40 years and am happy to say I have helped many people in their learning processes. I have worked with children, teenagers, and adults. I got a B.A. in English from U.C.L.A. and a Certificate in Teaching English as a Second Language from the same institution. I have tutored many students and my favorite subjects to tutor are English and English as a Second Language. I have also tutored Portuguese conversation. Of course while tutoring English, I have done a lot of work with composition and writing. My teaching philosophy involves discovering the student's needs and teaching to meet those needs. I believe a teacher must make a student feel comfortable and encouraged at all times. I believe in student-centered learning. I do have some hobbies as painting, reading, and watching movies.
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Undergraduate Degree: University of California-Los Angeles - Bachelors, English
I like to paint and draw, to read, and to watch movies.
- Adult ESL/ELL
- American Literature
- British Literature
- College English
- College Level American Literature
- English
- English Grammar and Syntax
- ESL/ELL
- Expository Writing
- High School English
- High School Level American Literature
- High School Writing
- Languages
- Middle School Writing
- Other
- Portuguese
- Study Skills
- Study Skills and Organization
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe in student-centered teaching, which means the student's needs are utmost. It is also important to make students comfortable and free of anxiety, so I treat my students respectfully. When students are led to come to the answers instead of the teacher dictating them, students learn and retain better. Teachers must be patient to be able to guide students in the direction of finding their success.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I would try to find out what the students need by asking them and evaluating their skills in the subject.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I can refer a student to places where they can read and study to improve a skill. I can provide exercises to help them improve. I would let them correct themselves in many cases, or explain to them how they can do that.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Students need to have an interest in their subject matter, so I would give exercises or assignments that are directed to their interests.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would give careful explanations on the subject and then ask a student to complete simple exercises that he/she can do easily first. Then I would gradually make the exercises more difficult until we had reached a complete understanding of the subject.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I would pick a text that is adequate for a student's reading level and interesting to the student. Then I would isolate the difficult vocabulary before starting, and make sure the student understood it. Then I would read the text together with the student, helping him/her with any difficulties.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Discussing the student's needs first. Then, I usually ask questions to evaluate a student's level.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I would relate the subject to the student's own interests, which I would discover previously. For example, if the student is interested in outer space, I would find material about the subject.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I would constantly ask the student if he/she understands well. I would also do short quizzes to check understanding.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
I would start easy and progress to the more difficult tasks so a student would become confident without stress.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I ask questions and do short quizzes throughout the teaching process.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I find out what the needs are by constant evaluation and questions. I ask the student to let me know if the needs are being met.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I have a variety of books I use, but I also use material from the Internet. I sometimes invent my own material if it is necessary.