Daniel: Pflugerville tutor
Certified Tutor
I enjoy what I do. I feel satisfaction when helping people understand subjects that are difficult for them. Working with students one-on-one is very rewarding, because it gives the student the chance to ask their questions and get an answer. Having worked as an Engineer for more than a decade I know how the subject is applied and can relate that to you. We start by working at your pace, diagnosing what they know and don't know. Together we build a new foundation of knowledge not only to pass the test, but to add to your abilities for a lifetime. Word associations, simple acronyms, and even jokes can be helpful ways of making your brain remember what you've learned. Sold strategies for test taking are given so that what was learned can be shown on the test.
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Undergraduate Degree: Boston University - Bachelors, Aerospace Engineering
Graduate Degree: Boston University - Masters, Mechanical Engineering
Hiking, Kayaking, Aviation, Rocketry
What is your teaching philosophy?
Fun, friendly and informative is the best way to learn.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Diagnose what you know and don't know, then demonstrate to you what is missing. After that... practice, practice, practice the skill.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Confidence in asking questions combined with demonstrating where to go to answer your own questions will help any student become an independent learner.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Everyone is motivated by different things. Listening to you helps me encourage you by relating the subject to what's important to you.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
There are many paths to enlightenment. If one path is blocked by fear, we can remove the fear. If distraction is the problem, then we remove that distraction and teach focus. If one path doesn't connect, then we try another. Learning is like hiking, and it is okay to go down different paths to your destination.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Reading comprehension improves with practice combined with learning to relate the words to story ideas and themes.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Friendly, fun, and focused attention to the subject material.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Talking about a subject with someone else is a good start to learning it. Making the subject relevant to your life through examples you care about is engaging. Excitement comes when the skills needed or wanted are realized.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
The only way to know if you understand the material is to demonstrate it through practice in writing and by explaining it verbally. If you can teach it back to me, then you've learned it.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Confidence is built by experience.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
Diagnose their needs by giving a quiz (or a few quizzes) which require specific skills.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I listen to the student. Teaching is a back and forth exchange.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
The textbook for the class, paper and pencil, an iPad and a magic amulet of knowledge given to me by the wizard.