James
Certified Tutor
I am currently a resident of the Ann Arbor area that is willing to provide tutoring services within the Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti areas. I possess over 20 years of experience with Detroit Public Schools and other school systems. I have taught individuals of all ages in a variety of subjects. After school hours, I would teach French and Spanish. I am a graduate of University of Michigan University and majored in French.
My love for foreign languages started at an early age as I grew up in a bilingual home that spoke French, which was the first language I learned. I love sharing my passion for languages with others. I currently teach Advanced French at the Ann Arbor Senior Center. I would be able to support individuals in the following areas for tutoring: Beginning, Intermediate and Advanced French, Beginning Spanish and English as a Second Language. Please contact me if you should have any questions regarding my tutoring services that I am able to provide.
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Undergraduate Degree: University of Michigan - Bachelors, Elementary Education
Graduate Degree: University of Michigan - Masters, Library Science
Sings, plays piano, enjoys speaking French, spends time speaking with his mother who is a native speaker from France. Enjoys going to France and loves the culture, the language, the people, the food. Enjoys reading, watching films, and being with friends. Does volunteer work at local hospital and leads a Trivial Pursuit game in the American House. Likes cooking. Has done some acting.
What is your teaching philosophy?
It is important to focus on what the students are doing right before providing corrective feedback on their mistakes. I believe it is essential to find out what interests the student and connect that to what they are learning.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
It is crucial that the tutor find out first the student's learning style is. Some students are visual; others are auditory or kinesthetic. It is helpful to assess whether the student is left or right brained. This is to ensure the student's tutoring experience will be enjoyable.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
In order to achieve this, it's important to encourage and provide positive feedback to the student when they do something correct. When a student asks a question, if the tutor discerns they can answer the question independently without support, the tutor can ask the student what they think.
The tutor can also recommend fun websites to learn a foreign language independently.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
The best way to help a student stay motivated, I believe, is to find out what that student is interested in and connect that to the lesson.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would take one step at a time to break the skill or concept down and make sure the student understands each step before moving on. I would also praise the student for what they are doing right.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I would find something for them to read that interests them as a way of building their confidence in what they are reading.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
To focus on what they are doing right and what interests them. Also, to find out what their learning style is.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I would find out what it is they enjoy and connect that to the subject they are learning.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
It is crucial to take one step at a time and make sure the student understands that step before moving on. I would also focus on what interests the student to motivate them to learn.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
By praising them when they are doing something right and making sure that is done before correcting their errors.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I would find out what their goals are - what they want and/or need to learn. I would also ask questions to discern how much they already know.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
By changing tactics when I discover a particular one is not working. If a student is having a hard time grasping a concept, one thing I've found helpful is to give clues.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I've used a variety of media - e.g., books, magazine articles, and films.