Kristin: Lakewood tutor

Certified Tutor

Teaching is my passion. It is rewarding to help a student achieve a goal and instill a lifetime love of learning. The moment a concept clicks and the look on a childs face when he or she finally understands is priceless. A teachable moment such as an internal spark of comprehension is the most rewarding part of being an educator. I have worked in the field of education for over 20 years. I am a graduate from Sam Houston State University, with a Bachelor Degree in Elementary Education. I also have an Associate Degree in Child Development and am a state certified teacher. I currently hold three Texas Educator Certifications which are: Classroom Generalist (EC-4), Special Education (EC-12), and ESL which is English as a Second Language (EC-12). I am currently working on obtaining my Master Degree in Curriculum and Instruction. I have taught Kindergarten through 2 nd grade in public school, have taught Pre-K in private schools, as well as having the opportunity to write and implement curriculum for Pre-K and present at workshops for other educators. I have tutored for years ranging from Pre-K through 6 th grade. I am certified to teach all subjects.

However, my particular areas of strength are Phonics, Reading, Writing, Science, as well as preparing students for state tests such as the STAAR. I enjoy tutoring because it allows 1:1 learning interaction with a student, extends learning outside of the classroom setting, and integrated lessons can be related to age appropriate real-life experiences. I firmly believe that every child is capable of learning and grasping concepts. I feel both as a teacher and a tutor, it is important to recognize each individual students unique personality qualities, needs, interests, strengths, weaknesses, ways of thinking, and learning style. An instructor that is genuine, passionate, and enthusiastic about teaching, as well as establishing a connection with a student, is beneficial to the learning process. It is essential to be aware of these individual aspects to be able to prepare lessons and activities set up to ensure success. I use a variety of teaching strategies and activities to keep a child engaged while learning to accomplish a goal. I typically begin tutoring sessions by reviewing the students school areas needing attention/the parent requests for their child, in addition to learning about the individual qualities that are imperative I assess. The first session should focus on these perspectives in a relaxed manner with the main priority of getting to know the student, establishing a connection helping the child feel at ease, and excited about the next session.

My educational materials include hands on objects, games (both purchased, handmade, learning objective resources for numerous state TEKS learning objectives, and kinesthetic lessons for active gross motor learning), classroom lessons or work sent home for assistance/correction, the use of dry erase boards other than pencils and paper every time, workbooks, printed lessons, Neuhaus Reading learning resources, and interactive lessons both online and off using technology. If a student has the opportunity to use different learning strategies to gain an awareness of a concept, he or she is more likely to retain information and have an overall better understanding of learning a specific skill or topic. This applies to both children needing assistance with a certain area, as well as a student needing to extend further knowledge of subject matter. My ultimate goal is to help a student truly learn and obtain knowledge, not just memorize material. The more that you read, the more things you will know. The more that you learn, the more places youll go-Dr. Seuss.