
Tom
Certified Tutor
Tutors and teachers have possibly the most important job next to parents. As they play a part in developing a new generation of thinking individuals and life-long learners. I am excited to a part of this process each day as a teacher. It gives a feeling of satisfaction to see a student succeed, self achieve and grow from seeds you have planted.
I coach football so this time of year can be a but busy. In my free time I enjoy watching Ohio State (Go Bucks), golfing, and spending time with my family.
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Undergraduate Degree: Grand Canyon University - Bachelors, Integrated Social Studies
Graduate Degree: Ohio University-Main Campus - Current Grad Student, Coaching Education
Spending time with my family golfing, and football
- AP U.S. Government & Politics
- College Level American History
- Geography
- High School Geography
- High School Level American History
- High School World History
- History
- Social Studies
- World History
What is your teaching philosophy?
Giving students and parents a clear set of expectations and standards from day one is paramount in a successful classroom today. Critical and higher order thinking skills are the backbone to my education and teaching philosophy. I want all students who pass through my classroom to leave with these valuable skills that will stay with them through any endeavor they choose. Thus, becoming a lifelong learner. This will be done through a positive learning environment that harbors diversity in the physical sense and intellectual realm as well. Each student is diverse in their own learning, teachers need to recognize this and vary instruction to aid in each student’s learning ability. This will be done through lecture, visual aids, diagrams, technology, project based learning, and textbook referencing.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Find what areas the student is struggling with through basic conversation. Through conversation, assess the student’s previous knowledge on the topic, and tailor my instruction for what will need to be introduced. Explore with the student which ways he or she learns best.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Scaffolding the instruction. Help the student just enough then let them go on their own. Constantly encouraging their efforts and strengths. As well as letting them know that mistakes will happen as this is all part of the learning process. How will we respond to those mistakes is what is important. Through this positive learning approach, students will become intrinsically motivated to succeed not only in academia, but life as well.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
The positive learning approach of encouraging their efforts and playing to their strengths. Doing some hands-on activities will eliminate staleness and alleviate stress, thus fostering participation and excitement.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Identify where the difficulty occurs. Identify what the difficulty is. Restate the difficult sentence or passage in their own words. Look back through the text to solidify their response. Look forward in the text for information that might help them to resolve the difficulty.