Lina: East Orange tutor
Certified Tutor
I am a graduate of Washington & Jefferson College, from where I received a Bachelor of Arts in Spanish, and I am working towards receiving a Doctor in Physical Therapy. During my time at W&J, I completed a semester Study Abroad program at the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, where I studied intensely the Spanish language, history, and the culture. I have a passion for the Spanish language, which manifests in my membership in Sigma Delta Pi Spanish Honor Society, and in my tutoring Spanish for W&J College's Peer Assisted Learning Program. I am passionate for tutoring Spanish because I believe that learning language gives a better understanding of all aspects of life and opens doors to many more opportunities. Outside of academia, I enjoy traveling, sports, reading, and volunteering.
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Undergraduate Degree: Washington & Jefferson College - Bachelors, Spanish
Playing sports, being outside, reading, and learning new languages!
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I would first assess the student to see where they stand in the subject, and to see what their trouble areas are. The rest of the session would then be focused on beginning to resolve problem areas first, so the rest of the content in later sessions is clear and well-understood.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I would help them really become interested in the material being covered by taking a more interactive approach. I believe that getting students to be more involved in the learning process, rather than just listening to an instructor talk, gets them more interested in the material. The more interested a student is in the material they are learning, the more motivated they are to keep up with it.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would take a different approach at teaching it to them. Rather than just repeating the same thing over and over, I would find a way to explain to them the concept so that they do understand it.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
In a foreign language, I find that interactive activities show the most progress in students' learning.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
One technique I have found to be most useful is to have students try to teach the lesson back to me briefly at the end of the session or the beginning of the next. Having students recall information is the best way to be sure they understand it.