Sami: Santa Barbara tutor
Certified Tutor
I am a graduate of Whitworth University, where I received a Bachelor's degree in English literature and writing. I worked as a writing consultant in the Whitworth Composition Commons, the university's writing center, and as an undergraduate teaching assistant in both literature seminars and writing workshops. I have experience working with high school, college, and graduate students across disciplinary lines. I love to work with student writers, whether they're working on literary analysis, argumentative essays, presentations, or poetry. I'm excited to work with any writer, on any project, at any stage in the project, and I want to make writing fun and rewarding for students. When I'm not reading or writing, I enjoy hiking, arts and crafts, dogs, and exploring YouTube black holes.
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Undergraduate Degree: Whitworth University - Bachelors, English
Reading (of course), cooking, crafts, and hiking.
- ACT English
- ACT Reading
- ACT Writing
- AP English Language and Composition
- AP English Literature and Composition
- College English
- College Essays
- Comparative Literature
- Creative Writing
- English
- English Grammar and Syntax
- ESL/ELL
- Essay Editing
- High School English
- Literature
- Poetry Writing
- Public Speaking
- Reading
- Test Prep
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
Any writer, any project, any stage!
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
First, I'd want to get to know the student and her goals for our time together. Then I'd like to get working on whatever project she had going on.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I like to give students lots of resources to find the answers they need on their own.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I like to stay focused on the big picture, and sometimes I'll give little homework assignments to keep students working between sessions.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Practice, practice, practice.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I like to look for keywords in questions and in the text, take lots of time on my first reading of the text, and always look up new vocabulary words.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I like to ask the student a lot of questions, to make sure I'm addressing their concerns and needs as well as possible.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I try to come up with ways that the project connects to something they do care about, whether that's through subject matter, or technique.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Practice more of the material, and remove myself from the process slowly.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
It's really important to encourage the student, and to comment on the things they're doing well, especially when they figure out a tricky concept.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I ask them about their concerns first and foremost, and then I make my own notes on the materials they bring with them.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I look for any sticking points, or frustration that the student shows, and try different techniques based on different learning styles to work around those issues.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I always have pencils and paper; I like to have a whiteboard, a pair of scissors, and access to the internet.