
Amanda
Certified Tutor
I am a kindergarten teacher with the Charlotte Mecklenburg Schools. I have taught lower elementary for 6 years. Teaching is my passion. I believe that all children can learn, no matter their background or challenges. My favorite part of teaching is when a student has finally understood the content, and I can see the excitement in his/her face!
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Undergraduate Degree: SUNY at Geneseo - Bachelors, Elementary and Special Education
Graduate Degree: Nazareth College - Masters, Literacy Specialist
Reading; tennis; spending time with family; traveling
- 4th Grade Science
- 5th Grade Science
- College English
- Elementary Math
- Elementary School Math
- Elementary School Science
- English
- High School English
- ISEE Prep
- ISEE- Lower Level
- ISEE- Primary
- Math
- Other
- Phonics
- Reading
- Social Studies
- Special Education
- SSAT Prep
- SSAT- Elementary Level
- Test Prep
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe that all students can learn, no matter their backgrounds or challenges. I approach teaching with an open, creative mind, using student's strengths and interests to help improve their weaknesses. I believe that not all students learn at the same pace and sometimes need another approach to master a skill.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
In a first session with a student, I will play getting to know you games while focusing on the area of instruction needed. Through these games, I will learn about the student's interests to use for future instruction.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I will help a student become an independent learner by modeling a skill, doing the skill together, and then releasing the responsibility of completing the task independently. I will start with strong scaffolding and slowly remove it until the learner is able to perform the skill independently.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
To help a student stay motivated, I will use his or her interests during instruction. I will also build in brain breaks to help students keep focus and maintain stamina.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, I will use their strengths to help build their weaknesses. I will also use many different teaching approaches until the student gains an understanding.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
To help students who are struggling with reading comprehension, I will select reading passages that interest the student. I will also use their strength in reading to build their comprehension. I will break passages and books down into smaller chunks to build comprehension of the whole.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I have found playing games and having conversations about hobbies to be the most successful when I start to work with a student. Through these games and conversations, I can get a general idea of things the student enjoys, as well as determine some basic knowledge of content from the game.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
To help a student get excited/engaged with a subject they are struggling in, I would use a game or approach using something that the student enjoys or is motivated by. For example, if a student enjoys tennis, I would base my lesson around tennis.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
To ensure a student understands material, I will do quick checks for understanding. These can be as simple as asking a question, writing a quick response, or as complex as completing a written or multiple choice test.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
To build a student's confidence in a subject, I build their understanding of the content. Once a student understands the content, he or she becomes more confident.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
To evaluate a student's needs, I begin with looking at the standards. I ask the student questions, have him or her complete a task, and plan from there.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I adapt my tutoring by adjusting my approach to teaching, using student interests based on each student, and using each student's specific strengths.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I use many different types of materials, including games, hands-on manipulatives, videos, dances, and paper and pencil.