Donna: Westminster tutor
Certified Tutor
My goal is to inspire my students to become lifelong learners. My instructional style allows my classroom to be interactive; creating an experience that allows my students to enjoy learning and inspiring a greater desire to learn. The sessions are student-centered and revolve around determining the fundamentals that need to review to increase mastery of new topics. The tutoring sessions will encompass the appropriate curriculum. My ability to mentor and develop the skills necessary for my students to be successful.
My instructional experience includes working in K-12 for over nine years. The experience includes teaching Algebra I and Personal Finance in high school. Middle school and elementary teaching experience include; English, English as a Second Language, Math, Science, and Social Studies.
Knowledge gained in my undergraduate program in Marketing from Georgia State University, Masters from Grand Canyon University in Elementary Education, and my current coursework to earn a Doctorate in Organizational Leadership from Grand Canyon University will serve as an asset for in this tutoring program.
My career experience demonstrates my natural drive to be innovative, a critical thinker, responsible leader, and effective communicator. My unmistakable determination to make a difference in the world of education, my community, the United States, and the world will be evident by my efforts and work in this program.
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Undergraduate Degree: Georgia State University - Bachelors, Marketing
Graduate Degree: Grand Canyon University - Masters, Elementary Education
My hobbies include biking, hiking, and reading.
- Elementary School
- Elementary School Math
- Elementary School Reading
- Elementary School Writing
- English
- ESL/ELL
- Essay Editing
- High School Writing
- Math
- Middle School
- Middle School Math
- Middle School Reading
- Middle School Reading Comprehension
- Middle School Writing
- Other
- Phonics
- Pre-Algebra
- Public Speaking
- Study Skills
- Study Skills and Organization
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
My teaching philosophy is student-centered and focused on building the whole student. The ability to improve the student mastery of the subject matter is essential. However, building the student self-esteem is just as important for future learning.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Initially, an introduction to the session for only a couple of minutes. In the first session, I would take the time to understand the student's prior knowledge.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
My students become independent with the appropriate modeling when they demonstrate their mastery on the topic.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
My sessions are structured so that students can remain motivated. Depending on the student, they receive a certain number of points to earn free time.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
When a student has a difficulty, I will step back and reteach the concept that leads to the mastery of the new concept.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
When a student is struggling with reading comprehension, I will teach the student how to identify keywords in the reading; the identifier words to highlight or underline for reference later.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
The most important strategy is to make a connection with the student. Once the connection is made, the session with the student will be successful.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
The key is to create an opportunity for the student to have success in that subject. Once the self-esteem is improved, the mastery of the subject matter will come easily.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Building the student's confidence by creating success opportunities in the subject. This opportunity will build the desired success in the subject area.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
Determine the prior knowledge of the tutoring subject, and then complete some reteach and prior knowledge assessment. Note: the assessment is short. This assessment is only to determine the student's needs.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
The assessment or observation will allow me to adjust the level based on the student's ability to work in the session.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
In my tutoring session, I use a dry erase board and markers, an on-screen whiteboard, and visual pictures. Then, the use of manipulatives to increase the understanding.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I will have the student explain the answer and how they arrived at that answer.