Ana
Certified Tutor
The majority of my experiences have been centered around learning. In these experiences, I have honed in on my passions, interests, and values. From my family of 6, I have learned the value of patience and the necessity to understand other's point of view. Playing rugby year round for the past 5 years has allowed me to set self-improvement goals to work towards. Being a tutor has taught me to push my students to seek and find their own academic fulfillment and success. These experiences and influences have fueled my desire to expand my knowledge and skills as I seek success in my future education and career.
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Undergraduate Degree: Seattle University - Bachelors, General Science
Rugby, volunteering, cycling, reading, backpacking, sketching, health, and science.
- Biology
- College Biology
- High School Biology
- Organic Chemistry
- Science
What is your teaching philosophy?
My teaching philosophy is to empower the student. As a tutor, I feel it is important to understand the support a student needs. Establishing a level of comfort and trust based on that understanding is something I value in the tutoring process. I do this by asking the student an initial series of questions that set goals for our partnership and establish the appropriate learning environment. Within this environment, I challenge my students to show me their grasp of the material, so I can assess how I can be an efficient resource. My philosophy is that the tutor's role is to act as an academic resource not only to help with conceptual understanding of a topic, but to empower the student to be an independent learner moving forward.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I will ask a series of questions to familiarize myself with the student and ascertain how I can be a helpful resource. For example, I will ask the student about their general academic interests. I will ask how the student feels about the subject we are studying. I will ask what their expectations are in having a tutor. I will ask how they think I will be most effective. I will ask about their learning style. I will ask if they have any specific subject material questions to start.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
A student becomes an independent learner by determining the study strategies and methods that proves to work for them. I can provide suggestions of study strategies and methods that have worked for myself or other students I have worked with. A key method I have utilized is the Socratic method. Through a series of self-questioning, students can use this tool to figure out what they know and conceptualize how to arrive at an answer when they feel 'stuck.' This method helps students become self-reliant and confident in their own understanding instead of relying on the answer to just pop in their head when they need it. This method can be utilized in all aspects of the learning process: in how a student studies, in how I tutor a student, and in how a student tackles graded work.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Encouragement, feedback, positivity.