Jonathan: Summit tutor
Certified Tutor
Hello, I'm JD. Currently, I teach middle school math and do tutoring on the side. Helping students access content no matter their skill level is something that I try to achieve in every encounter.
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Undergraduate Degree: University of New Mexico-Main Campus - Bachelors, Special education K-12/General education K-8
Graduate Degree: Wayland Baptist University - Masters, Clinical Counseling
Artwork, Skateboarding, videogames, sports (basketball)
- Elementary Math
- Elementary School Math
- English
- Essay Editing
- Homework Support
- Life Sciences
- Math
- Middle School Math
- Other
- Reading
- Special Education
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
Every person deserves to be treated with dignity and unconditional positive regard. I teach my students to be encouraged by failure and mistakes, because having that kind of resilience builds champions.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Introductions, assessment of skill levels, and getting to know this person as a learner. Afterwards, we can address the content needed.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Scaffolding learning takes place on the spectrum of maximum to minimum, and eventually no support when mastery is reached.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
By using breaks and moderate difficulty, an instructor should assess the level of stress a student is under and keep it within an appropriate range throughout the completion of mental tasks.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Knowing learning styles and having a diverse range of communication styles aids in finding the mode in which learning takes place with the greatest amount of efficiency for the learner. I draw, manipulate objects, use wordless instruction, and allow for an infinite amount of mistakes with a massive amount of patience.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
By using reading strategies, such as marking the text and finding important details, while working our way to independent reading. It depends on what aspect of reading this learner is struggling with.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Laying out expectations, which for myself are centered around self-concept building factors, such as resilience against failure and mistakes, overcoming fear of communicating thinking, and that no matter what, I'm gonna be there for you in the process.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I would use a multi-sensory approach to instruction and assessment. I will assess the learner's ability to complete a task independently, and through observation and communication gain a sense of level of mastery.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Encouragement and patience are the secrets to building strength and resilience. "You can't yet!"
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
By assessing learning style and addressing learners where they are at in the content.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
By following the style of learning that fits them best.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
Visual, auditory and kinesthetic representations. I use models, step by step direct instruction, manipulatives, and graphic organizers just to name a few.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I would find culturally authentic resources and presentations, as well as connect the content to real life.