Deanna
Certified Tutor
I have lived in Florida for over 25 years. I have taught for 5 years at the intermediate level with science and math being my favorite subjects. Science brings out the curiosity in all of us, which sparks my interest. I have coached Odyssey of Mind for 8 years now and it truly is my passion. I believe that all students have the ability to become life long learners and problem solvers. Odyssey of the Mind is a competitive organization where a 7 member team from the primary to college level compete solving problems with no outside assistance. This instills teamwork, problem solving and creativity. I love to learn and I try to help others feel this way as well.
My teaching style is very hands on with the use of manipulatives and interactive learning. I love the use of interactive notebooks to log learning and it enables a hands on approach with a resource to look back at in the future. I love learning and my goal is to share that in others.
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Undergraduate Degree: Edison State Community College - Bachelors, Elementary Education
I love cooking, I have a degree in culinary arts. I also love decorating cakes. I love swimming, hiking, and spending time in the mountains. I also love to coach Odyssey of the Mind.
- College English
- Elementary Math
- Elementary School Math
- English
- ESL/ELL
- High School English
- ISEE Prep
- ISEE- Lower Level
- Math
- Phonics
- Reading
- SSAT Prep
- SSAT- Elementary Level
- Test Prep
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
My teaching philosophy stems from the 7 habits of a successful person, where we have to teach to the whole child to be proactive, keep the end in mind, and put first things first. Also learning should be engaging and exciting to create lifelong learners with a love and logic approach.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I think a preassessment is a great way to assess what a student knows, but I would start with a brief survey of their likes and dislikes to get to know them so that I can personalize the learning experience for them so they will be more engaged in learning.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I think scaffolding is the best way to do this, as well as setting goals is a great way to have the students take ownership for their learning.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
By setting goals and tracking their progress and by praising their accomplishments often.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would do research to try another approach. I had a student that struggled with multiplication and I taught her how to do lattice math, and she began to understand.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I have a toolkit of strategies that I use. First you need to target where the struggle is occurring. I have a chart that I test their skills and find where the root of the issue is by using running records as a baseline.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I think getting to know them is the first step, and creating a positive relationship with them.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I think that applying their interests to the subject is helpful. Sports is a great way to work on math. Also reading can be taught by reading anything that interests them like comic books, etc.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I think a variety of formative and summative assessments is a great way to check for understanding. However, creating a project is a great hands-on way to check for understanding as well.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
I think preassessments and scaffolding help in this area because you are allowing them to use what they know, with support to get them to the final destination.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I believe that you must keep the end in mind, so if they are evaluated and given a pretest, then you can structure the lessons to fit their particular needs.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I think using things that they like and have a passion for helps in this area. Also, I am a lifelong learner, so I am constantly taking additional classes and doing research to make my teaching better.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I am a huge fan of interactive notebooking because it can be referenced again and again. I love anchor charts, and since we are in a digital age, I can't be without some technology.