Shoshana: Hoffman Estates tutor
Certified Tutor
Hello! I am a dedicated tutor who loves helping my students grow and develop further understanding and comfort with English and Spanish reading, writing, and speaking. My experience in the field of education began while pursuing my undergrad degree at Northeastern University in Boston, where I tutored my peers in both Spanish and English. I continued to privately teach English while living in South America, and I teach private Spanish classes in my hometown of LA. My understanding and compassionate approach to tutoring provides a safe space for students to clarify and express their misunderstandings of the material, and I take great care to really understand and get to the root of the confusion or difficulty. I love seeing my students succeed, grow, and develop confidence within their ability to master these subjects.
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Undergraduate Degree: Northeastern University - Bachelors, Spanish
Graduate Degree: Emperor's College of Traditional Oriental Medicine - Current Grad Student, Traditional Chinese Medicine
Dance, Spanish conversation, Yoga, traveling
- Adult Literacy
- American Literature
- College English
- College Level American Literature
- Conversational Spanish
- Elementary School Reading
- Elementary School Writing
- English
- Essay Editing
- High School English
- High School Level American Literature
- High School Writing
- Languages
- Middle School Reading
- Middle School Reading Comprehension
- Middle School Writing
- Spanish
- Spanish 1
- Spanish 2
- Spanish 3
- Spanish 4
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
My approach to tutoring, and what I believe engages my students, is my ability to make the information they are learning relatable and interesting to their lives. I love to incorporate songs, stories, and colloquial language to allow the students to become interested, and then a little bit more receptive to some aspects of the language that may not seem that exciting, such as grammar. Additionally, since I am so familiar with the language in many different aspects (literary, classical, Old English plays and Shakespearean works), I can really see where exactly a student is struggling with the language, even if they may not be able to identify it, and be able to help them see where the confusion is occurring, identify it, and come up with a solution and a way to remember the rule (i.e. incorporating an acronym or mnemonic). Beyond this, I am incredibly approachable and eager to hear student's concerns or misunderstandings. Although I incorporate educational systems that work for many students, tutoring is always still a slightly individualistic approach. My understanding of the different learning styles allows me to be able to adjust my approach to fit the needs of each particular student. For example, if a student is a kinesthetic learner, we may incorporate some kind of physical game into the session to help them better remember and understand the material. If a student is a visual learner, I will bring in the use of charts, graphs, and colors to deepen their understanding.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Get to know where they are with the language, and figure out what is not being completely understood.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Quizzes, worksheets, and interactive exercises where the student has to answer and speak from their mind, without having the time to check a book.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
All kinds! I love to incorporate songs, stories, and games. Of course, worksheets and exercises too.