Mary Helen: Downey tutor
Certified Tutor
I have worked in education my entire life, first as a teacher, then as an administrator, and finally a college professor at Neumann University near Philadelphia. I taught students who were studying to be teachers and so I am familiar with current teaching methods.
Since retiring, I love working one-on-one tutoring students at various levels. I recently tutored a third grade boy who suffered a concussion and forgot much of what he had learned. Within about four months. I was able to bring him close to where he was academically before the accident. My teaching philosophy is to take each student where they are and work with them to achieve success. I strive to do this with both humor and patience.
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Undergraduate Degree: Chestnut Hill College - Bachelors, English
Graduate Degree: Immaculata University - PHD, Educational Administration
playing card games and learning the ukulele
- Adult ESL/ELL
- Adult Literacy
- American Literature
- College English
- College Level American Literature
- Elementary School Math
- Elementary School Reading
- Elementary School Writing
- English
- English Grammar and Syntax
- High School English
- High School Level American Literature
- High School Writing
- Math
- Middle School Reading
- Middle School Reading Comprehension
- Middle School Writing
- Other
- Phonics
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
Not every student learns the same thing in the same way on the same day. I try to find student strengths and gear learning sessions to those strengths. Everyone CAN learn, and it's my responsibility as a tutor to find the best path.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Depending on the age and level of the student, I play a version of "20 (really 5) Questions" where I get to ask the student about his or herself and they get to ask me questions. I want to find out what the stumbling block is that they feel is holding them back. I then proceed to teach a general lesson in whatever I am tutoring. At the end of the session, I like to ask what new thing they learned that day.