Marvin: Homer Glen tutor
Certified Tutor
I've taught as a Florida certified high school teacher and also tutored young as elementary children.
Some of my students are dyslexic, under the umbrella of special needs, or don't even speak the same language as I do.
No matter the child, because I am my energetic and youthful self, students can relate to me and are more in tuned to want to learn from me. If I have to speak to my student in meme, pop culture, or in the lingo of the latest social media trends, they will get my message.
I spent my first year of education tutoring only students diagnosed with dyslexia and ADHD at an intensive learning center, as the two are often paired. I was trained in methods such as Orton Gillingham and Linda Mood Bell that work better for this target group.
The experience taught me plenty about multiple learning styles. Educators must strive to fully stimulate their students. Sometimes it requires triggering all senses and figuring which sense the child learns with best. Repetition of writing, saying, touching, and organizing letters & numbers in the form of chips, blocks, sand and various tactile mediums can make for the best results and sometimes none of this is needed. I, the teacher, have learned to be flexible in approach and to listen to my student the same way I expect him or her to listen to me. So when I teach, we both learn. And through this process, I maintain my youth.
Tell me what your specific challenge is, whether it's a particular subject, organization,
or just the need for a homework buddy when mom and dad don't have time.
Let's see what we can work out
Connect with a tutor like Marvin
Undergraduate Degree: Florida International University - Bachelors, English
Music
- American Literature
- Elementary School Reading
- Elementary School Writing
- English
- English Grammar and Syntax
- Essay Editing
- High School English
- High School Level American Literature
- High School Writing
- Middle School Reading
- Middle School Reading Comprehension
- Middle School Writing
- Phonics
- PSAT Critical Reading
- PSAT Writing Skills
- Public Speaking
- Test Prep
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
Every student is different.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I use ice breakers and light assessments with math from various grades.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I structure tutoring sessions around good organization, detailed note taking, deconstruction of textbook formatting, context clues, and I stress the strength of the internet as an infinite resource.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I use educational videos, attach subject to their interests and or idols. E.g.: speed = distance over time. For a young boy, this could possibly be taught with the visual of a football field's yard line and a famous football player doodled on paper.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Questioning along the lines of the multi-levels of Bloom's Taxonomy.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Start small with the most simple concepts and then slowly advance. Highlight and emphasize growth and success every step of the way.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I conduct an initial assessment upon introduction, use math problems of varying levels, look at writing samples, conduct reading comprehension drills, ask parents, and email a student's teachers.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
Take note in post-lesson, and I reflect on what worked and what did not. Figure out how to improve. I bring materials and strategies appropriate for that student's learning style. I research new methods of dealing with a student's specific issues and try them all until one method excels.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I teach my students a variety of skills: identification of main idea; context clues; encourage googling of vocabulary; common affixes/word dissection; annotation; visualization. We also read together in turn and often stop for understanding via questioning for student interpretation.