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A photo of Kirstie, a tutor from St. John's College

Kirstie

Certified Tutor

Hello! I have over 6 years of experience in educational settings with all ages. I am friendly, reliable, and most importantlycommitted to helping you learn! It is my top priority to create a positive learning experience that will help boost your test scores without boring you to tears. After all, shouldn't learning be fun?

Connect with a tutor like Kirstie

Kirstie’s Qualifications
Education & Certification

Undergraduate Degree: St. John's College - Bachelors, Liberal Arts

Graduate Degree: Harvard University - Masters in Education, Education

Test Scores
SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1550
SAT Math: 720
SAT Verbal: 770
SAT Writing: 800
Hobbies

I love reading novels, drinking tea, and listening to music.

What is your teaching philosophy?

I think that everyone can learn if they apply themselves, have the desire, and if they have a good teacher leading them through the steps! Learning should be fun and functional - it should lead you to the places where you want to go.

What might you do in a typical first session with a student?

I would introduce myself, talk about the student's' goals in the subject area, and then map out a plan of attack so that the student can experience success rapidly.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Students will learn scaffolded mini-lessons from me but are expected to apply what they learn in independent practice as much as possible. I will monitor student independent work and encourage students to work between sessions so they can progress in their skills quicker.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

I keep students motivated through my sense of humor and interpersonal connection. I also think I'm great at modeling for students that struggling is okay and that incremental progress can lead to gains if the student is willing to buckle down for the ride!

How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?

I typically teach students with reading comprehension issues strategies for attacking texts - especially ones that give a big bang for the buck, such as chunking text, context clue word attack strategies, and using grammar to help unlock meaning of complex texts.

What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?

I think interpersonal connection is the most important thing between a teacher and a student, especially because trust must be built in order for authentic learning to happen. I try to make sure that I have a baseline of skills through informal assessment before I start tutoring so that the student and I can monitor rapid progress.

How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?

I always make subjects fun and relatable! I personally love to learn and love to laugh, and I think that learning should ALWAYS be fun, lighthearted, and moving towards a clear goal.

What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?

I make sure to make the assignments small and simple steps along the way towards a larger goal - nothing is worse than being overwhelmed by a subject you don't understand.