Gene: Nassau County tutor
Certified Tutor
Through 6th-12th grade, I had a very capable tutor that could answer all my questions, explain concepts in clear ways that I could understand, and work at my own pace. Because of him, I was able to excel at high school math and received perfect scores on my AP tests. After I finished my own ACT testing, I was able to ACT tutor some of my peers through junior and senior year of high school. I found it extremely satisfying to help them understand unfamiliar material and raise their test scores. Because of these two experiences in my life, I am very interested in tutoring and believe that I can help others the way my tutor once helped me.
I am capable of tutoring ACT material, Algebra, and Psychology; I have prior experience tutoring for the ACT, I have a strong foundation of algebra given to me by my own tutor, and I am very passionate about psychology; all reasons that compel me to want to tutor others. I find it very satisfying to teach someone something they don't understand for their own benefit, and I am very fortunate to be able to tutor through this service. Although interacting with someone online or meeting in person could be inefficient or awkward, I am committed to giving students the most comfortable tutoring experience possible and helping them learn as much as possible in the shortest amount of time; my goal for my students is to equip them with better skills and more expansive knowledge than they came to me with, and I will achieve this goal through my own teaching methodology and charisma.
I am currently a freshman studying Psychology at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. I hope to enroll in the College of Business this summer and also earn a degree in Finance. I would like to one day be an investment banker, own a hedge fund, or practice as a psychologist at my own clinic. In high school I was a part of Feminists' Club, volunteering at a local youth group, and the Boys Swimming and Diving JV Team, which I was captain for my senior year. At college I am involved in a social fraternity, a selective junior investment banking and consulting program, and volunteering at my local Boys and Girls Club. In my free time, I enjoy lifting weights, swimming, reading nonfiction and self improvement/motivational books, cooking, thrift shopping, and traveling, among other things.
Thank you for taking the time to read my personal statement, and have a great day!
Connect with a tutor like Gene
Undergraduate Degree: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Current Undergrad, Psychology
Lifting weights, reading, swimming, traveling, and cooking among other things
- ACT English
- ACT Math
- ACT Science
- ACT Writing
- Algebra
- Algebra 2
- AP Calculus BC
- AP Microeconomics
- AP Psychology
- Business
- Math
- Pre-Algebra
- Psychology
- Social Sciences
- Test Prep
What is your teaching philosophy?
A good connection between teacher and student can facilitate learning. Even in roles regarding tutor and student, I try to be a friend first and be charismatic to allow the student to be as comfortable as possible. If this can be established, they won't hesitate to ask questions or call out mistakes that I may even make, and the process of their learning becomes easier and more enjoyable.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I would try to make conversation to get to know the student as much as possible. I wouldn't try to remove time from the actual tutoring, but following my philosophy, my goal of the first session would be to make a meaningful connection with the student so that they may learn more comfortably in future sessions.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I would try to explain concepts in a way where they think for themselves and arrive at the conclusion, rather than just teaching them exactly what they need to know.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Through anecdotal advice and positive reinforcement, I would try my best to keep students motivated. I believe a focus on long-term goals could help increase motivation substantially.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would follow a methodology where I would walk through a problem step by step, and precisely locate where the student was having difficulty understanding. I would go through the process of coming about this step with the student in order to determine what he was confused about, and I would try to explain this portion of reasoning in as many different ways as I could, in order for the student to understand how that would work. I believe that being slow and meticulous in working through problems is the best way for students to effectively learn difficult concepts and skills.