Arnelle: Ottawa tutor
Certified Tutor
Teaching as always been my favorite thing to do. As a child I would always try to teach my teddy bears and dolls. As I continued to grow I found the love of Mathematics. I figured if I put both of these together it would be a very good career path, which is why I am a Mathematics Education Major today.
The challenge of thinking and processing the logics of mathematics as always attracted me. As a member of the Mercy College Community I think that I would be a great fit for you and your needs with Mathematics. My ultimate goal in life is to be a 7th - 8th grade Mathematics Teacher with a focus in the topic of Algebra.
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Undergraduate Degree: Mercy College - Current Undergrad, Mathematics Education
Listening to Music and helping others
What is your teaching philosophy?
My teaching philosophy is to have a very open classroom. I believe that if a child feels welcomed and safe in your classroom, it will open them up to ask you questions and to let you know what they are confused about. I also believe that what you are teaching should be relevant to the students. My teaching philosophy stems from the Progressivism and the Existentialism teaching approach.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
In a first session with a student, I will have a pretest or pre-quiz just to see what a child needs to work on. I will ask the students questions to see what concepts of mathematics they understand and what concepts they do not understand.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I can help a student become an independent learner by giving them self-confidence in their work and asking them materials they might need. Finally, I will encourage whatever progress they have made.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
In order to keep a child motivated, I will let them have some sort of control while I supervise them. I will define the objectives needed in simpler terms. Lastly, students love to feel appreciated, so I will offer rewards for a job will done.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I will try to break down the concept in simpler terms, or I will try to use the concept in a different way to create a better understanding.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Students who are struggling with reading comprehension, I would choose shorter sections of a book or text. I would state the purpose, explain, and read aloud the section to the student in which I would stop periodically to ask questions about a sentence I read.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
The strategy of having an open classroom has been the most successful for me when working with students. I believe that when a student feels comfortable with me as a teacher, they are willing to open up more to me and perform better in the course.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I would help a student get excited with a course they are struggling with by giving them extra time to complete an assignment and giving them rewards to follow their work.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I would give an assessment or an exit ticket to make sure a child completely understand the material that was taught.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
I would praise and acknowledge students' accomplishments, both in private and in front of their classmates. I would always start with a positive statement, and then you can add on by referring to what they need to work on.