...as a private Spanish tutor for two elementary school students. While I tutor a broad range of subjects, I am most passionate about science and writing. I find that students have different learning styles, so I try to incorporate that into my tutoring. It's important to me that students come out of tutoring sessions understanding the material and if I find that presenting the information in one way does not work, I'll work with students...
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...recently, I was a Teaching Assistant for a watershed course at Colorado State University, in which I enjoyed leading laboratory sessions and working through problem sets with undergraduate students. I have a long (6 year) history of tutoring students from Elementary to High School ages as well - in Music, English, Math, and SATs. These experiences have all been incredibly rewarding, and I look forward to meeting new students and guiding them toward those "aha!"...
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...to seek their own truths. Tutoring is a beautiful composition of art and science. One must understand both the material and the student. Not just simple comprehension, but in what manner the comprehension is reached. I enjoy breaking down problems into logical sub-units. First, the underlying equations (or axioms, or vocabulary, or processes) must be understood, preferably on an instinctual level, as it is easier to remember ideas when they make sense at a core...
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...test prep class. My approach to tutoring is to identify a students strengths and build upon them through frequent quizzes and reflective analysis. Additionally, having just gone through the college admissions process, I am privy to its length and complexity so can lend advice on anything, namely essays. I have plenty of experience writing and have been published in a local newspaper. While I think math is the easiest subject for me to teach, writing...
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...city, preferably Philadelphia, and be an urban planner and designer, redeveloping and revitalizing rundown neighborhoods by making them attractive to the public again. I want to leave my mark on the world and be able to say I enhanced the lives of all those who are residing in, working in, or merely visiting the city. My background in mathematics is very extensive. I took all honors mathematic courses up through AP Calculus BC in high...
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...Behavior Analysis. As a Board Certified Behavior Analyst (BCBA), in my day job I primarily work with children with special needs (primarily Autism Spectrum Disorder, Down Syndrome, ADHD, ODD, along with other diagnoses) helping them to learn HOW to learn and to acquire the necessary pre-academic, academic, communication, social, and self-care skills needed for success and happiness. I came back to tutoring because I wanted additional work that would be meaningful and exciting to me....
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...one test, but rather that it sticks with you to build a solid foundation of knowledge and confidence that you can carry forward. My favorite subjects to tutor include English, SAT test preparation, math, and psychology. My approach to tutoring is to meet the student where they're at and go from there. I find that this way we can build a productive tutoring relationship where I can help individualize learning to each person's particular learning...
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...passion for teaching. In my free time, I rock climb, dance, and build crazy robotics projects. I love helping students of all ages build understanding and excitement for various subjects. I believe that, with patience and the right set of tools, you can grow to enjoy any subject. As someone who used to be terrible at math and was taught to love it, I can attest to the fact that the right teacher can make...
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...school students for over 7 years. On top of all of that, I'm an aspiring professional in the business world - this past summer I worked at an internship in financial consulting (banking advisory & analytics), and have previously held internship positions in human capital consulting & private equity, as well as in patent law. My interests are widely varied and eclectic - pro baseball (Go Mets!), Broadway theater, American public policy & politics, global...
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...online in test preparation, as well as various academic subjects. I have more informal teaching experience as a counselor intern naturalist at the Point Reyes Nature Science Camp as well. These jobs have been extremely rewarding, as I have had the opportunity to help my students better understand new concepts and form strong study habits. I also have learned how to explain problems and concepts in multiple ways. When I'm not tutoring, I love photography,...
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...around finding the root cause of a students struggles, be it misunderstanding of content, time management, or any other reason, and offering multiple specifically-tailored methods for the student to employ before settling on what works best for them. I aim for my clients to improve as overall students as well, so that they can be successful in the face of any future academic challenges. Aside from my teaching and academic pursuits, my favorite hobbies are...
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...in education. I firmly believe that every student has the potential for "math literacy"; with a little help, anyone can be a math-confident person. I am most comfortable teaching math subjects (from preschool to BC Calculus), but I do have some background in reading/writing tutoring. I currently work as a sous chef four nights a week, but otherwise my schedule is open. I prefer online but am willing to travel up to 20-25 miles if...
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...through highly effective modeling is another goal I have as an educator in the classroom. By accomplishing this goal in prior experiences, students have met the targets and expectations that I designed and implemented. Working closely with colleagues in the Learning Center remains beneficial because I have been motivated to make the course content as relevant to our students’ lives as possible in order to best engage them in learning activities and assessments. In order...
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Although I spend my days teaching in a classroom, I love moonlighting at a tutor because of the individualized attention that my students receive. I bring several years of classroom experience to the table, as well as a teaching credential from the University of Oxford and a BA from Northwestern University. While my classroom experience is in English/reading and history, my tutoring experience has been in everything from math to foreign languages. ... In short, I...
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...use my experience and expertise to help students master new concepts and skills. I would characterize my tutoring style as positive and persistent, but above all, I like to tailor my approach to best suit the needs and learning style of each individual student. My specialties are test prep (AP/SAT/ACT/SSAT) and science subjects, including biology, chemistry, and physics. I am also experienced with tutoring US and world history, literature and composition, and general essay writing....
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...work with them in a reduced-stress environment. My top three goals are to give students skills to succeed in life, to help them manage stress during this trying time in their lives, and to give them guidance for future success. My biggest joy in tutoring comes from working with students to figure out what works best for them and building relationships with them. Tutoring to me isn't just about giving information for them to recycle...
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...Reading, and English. I have also spent the past 7 summers tutoring students in grades K-7. I have a B.A. degree in Elementary Education from Millikin University with a middle school endorsement in Math. I have a Master's degree from Concordia University in Curriculum and Instruction and have completed classes toward a certification in special education. My passion is Mathematics. I believe instilling confidence in my students is the key to their success and I...
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...and does not work when it comes to teaching techniques and tailor my approach to best help my student learn. Additionally, I've seen that asking questions and guiding my students to the answer helps them retain more information than simply telling them what the correct answer is at the start. Overall, my goal with each student is to have them understand the concepts of whichever subject they need help, so that they can better remember...
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...the student wants to learn and what they need to learn. It is important to make lesson plans as engaging and relevant to the student's life as possible, because this is the way to guarantee an interest in and love of learning. Although I know that my students have a lot to gain from me, I view tutoring as a two-way process in which both parties stand to learn from each other.... A student-centered, collaborative approach...
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...currently studying chemical engineering at the University of Michigan. I have always helped out my fellow students with schoolwork, and I have tutored in the National Honor Society for three years. My tutoring strengths include my abilities to stay calm, be patient, and offer different perspectives on the learning process. I do not just help my students learn the material, but I also teach them how to learn it. I tutor math and test prep...
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Receive personally tailored ISEE- Middle Level lessons from exceptional tutors in a one-on-one setting. We help you connect with the best tutor for your particular needs while offering flexible scheduling to fit your busy life.
ISEE- Middle Level Tutoring FAQ
The Independent School Entrance Exam (or ISEE) is a widely accepted exam available in three levels: Upper, Middle, and Lower. Each form of the exam includes multiple-choice questions and an essay question. The number of questions in each section and the amount of time given to finish them is dependent on the level. Varsity Tutors can help you connect with an ISEE Middle Level tutor.
The Middle Level is for students who are entering the seventh or eighth grade. Your child will have 2 hours and 40 minutes to complete all five sections of the exam. The sections include Verbal Reasoning, Quantitative Reasoning, Reading Comprehension, Mathematics Achievement, and the essay.
The Verbal Reasoning section of the exam is made up of sentence completion and synonym questions. Both of these sections are designed to evaluate your child's ability to reason, as well as his or her vocabulary knowledge. There are 40 questions in this section of the exam, and your child will be given 20 minutes to complete said questions. Your child's ISEE Middle Level tutor can work with him or her to determine proficiency in verbal reasoning. The tutor will use this knowledge and his or her experience with the exam to create an individualized learning plan for your child.
The Quantitative Reasoning section of the exam has 37 questions, for which your child will be given 35 minutes. This section is used to determine your child's problem-solving and mathematical thinking skill level. It does not assess the amount or areas of mathematics he or she has learned. To help improve your child's score in this area, your child's tutor will help with test-taking strategies to ensure your child is reading each question thoroughly and carefully, identifying exactly what is being asked before proceeding to an answer. This is one of the more difficult skills for students because it requires critical-thinking skills as opposed to problem identification and rote memorization.
The Mathematics Achievement and Reading Comprehension portions of the exam measure how well your child is able to answer curriculum-based questions that are appropriate for his or her grade level. The Reading Comprehension section has 36 questions, and your child will be given 35 minutes to complete this portion of the exam. Your child will be given 40 minutes to answer the 47 Mathematics Achievement questions.
The final section of the exam is an essay question. Your child will be given a grade-level appropriate prompt that asks a question that is globally applicable and relevant. ISEE does not score this portion of the test. Instead, it is sent to the school or schools designated on the registration form, along with the scores for the rest of the exam. It is also important to note that the exam is only graded on the number of correct answers. There are no penalties associated with giving a wrong answer, so your child's tutor can instruct on how to eliminate options and answer all questions, even if your child is unsure of the correct answer.
The Varsity Tutors live learning platform gives you the ability to schedule your child's private ISEE Middle Level tutoring session when it is most convenient for you and your family. Sessions can be held in person or in an online learning space. Varsity Tutors can help you connect with a private ISEE Middle Level tutor who can help your child prepare for the exam. To connect with a tutor, contact Varsity Tutors today.
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Recent ISEE- Middle Level Tutoring Session Notes
Today the student and I went over two reading sections together. There was a definite improvement from one session to the next; we got four answers wrong on the first one and only one wrong on the second one! I noticed that he tends to automatically jump to one answer and gets stuck on it, ignoring other answers that he didn't take as much time with. I encouraged him to make sure he can find a direct connection between the language in the answer and the wording of the passage. I also made sure to tell him to check that ALL parts of the answer are correct, not just the first half or second half. There was definite improvement from one passage to the next. I gave him more essay and reading work to do for next time.
Light review of geometry concepts involving perimeter, area, and angles. The student seems to remember most of the material fairly well/ picked it up again fairly quickly. We will continue review, in addition to covering ratios next time.
The student did really well today on cross multiplying and division! He has some homework that I am emailing you. Memorize 15 words from the book everyday.
The student and I continued to review math content; we went through algebraic equations and working with variables. He was having some trouble with notation and common formats. He can explain expressions, equations, and order of operations. He has some difficulty with the distributive property, especially with negative signs. This is something that we'll continue to work on but he'll need to do practice on his own as well. It helps when he works step-by-step. He can do a large number of word problems correctly in his head. He's also good at evaluating the quantitative comparison questions. He is a good student and works hard during our sessions. He's good about asking questions when he needs help.
Today we went over the material and lesson plans that we will be covering moving forward pending a tentative mid-January test date. The student worked on completing her summer reading assignment. She will finish that for homework.
We started looking at the ISEE today. The student's mathematics base was fairly weak, so we felt that it was prudent to build her math skills up before starting test prep. First I did an overview of the test format, then we began to examine the verbal section. She is very proficient with her reading, and those skills transferred over well to vocabulary. Our objective is to learn about 20 new vocabulary words each week.
