Crystal: Petaluma tutor
Certified Tutor
I am a graduate of the University of Texas at Austin with a Bachelor of Arts in History (primarily Latin American History). I have always enjoyed learning about other places and cultures. Living and working in Puebla, Mexico from 2004-2006, ignited my desire to teach Spanish. I began teaching Spanish in the fall of 2007 and have taught Spanish I, Spanish II, and Spanish III.
I tutor Spanish (reading, writing, conversation, pronunciation, etc.), and I have experience teaching a wide range of ages. Knowing another language opens doors to many opportunities, and I love being able to help others become closer to those opportunities.
I believe it is important to understand and engage students with different learning styles in order to foster student success. As a classroom teacher and as a tutor, I strive to identify my students' primary learning style in order to most effectively and clearly teach them.
In my spare time, I enjoy reading, exercising, gardening, listening to music, and spending time with family and friends.
Connect with a tutor like Crystal
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I will ask the student a variety of questions to ascertain his/her strengths and weaknesses. This will help me focus on finding the best methods of fostering learning with that student.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I will use words of encouragement and suggest resources at the student's disposal that the student can use. I will also give the student examples from my life and the lives of others who are independent learners.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I will encourage the student with concrete examples of his/her improvement and remind the student that he/she is very capable of further achievement.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I will find more than one method of explaining the concept/skill, and I will practice the skill or concept in a variety of ways until the student masters it.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I will teach that reading can be a little like detective work, and I will teach them how to identify the "clues" which will improve their comprehension.