Benjamin
Certified Tutor
As a graduate of the College of William and Mary (Class of '09), I had the opportunity to complete my degree in Psychology with concentrations in lecture-based and clinical studies of Kinesiology as well as the cognitive development of children. The content of my academic concentrations in school reflect my strong belief that education is part of a much larger picture in the scheme of a satisfying and meaningful life. Yes, the body requires exercise to remain healthy and to develop further, but so too does the mind! The brain is metaphorically a muscle that can be developed through repetition of the correct training patterns. While attending William and Mary, I continued my passionate pursuit of foreign language studies, particularly French Literature and Spanish immersion over the summers away from school. During winter and spring vacation from college, I tutored high school students who were preparing for all levels of Spanish exams in my hometown of Arlington, Virginia. I also helped with translation of English into Spanish for immigrants from Central America employed by local restaurants and construction contractors. While I enjoy History and American Literature immensely, I am most passionate about tutoring students who are interested in the improvement of their performance in either Spanish or French. I have always felt an affinity for teaching foreign language as my grandfather taught Spanish at Berkeley in California and my mother taught high school Russian and English. My approach to teaching language to others and to learning on my own is one based on identifying key principles and concepts while simultaneously providing examples and explanations to further illustrate and explain these ideas. Being thorough is key! In my spare time, I enjoy hanging out with my eight month old daughter, Delilah, coaching triathletes, and training hard in the pool, on the track, or out on the bike!
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Undergraduate Degree: College of William and Mary - Bachelor in Arts, Psychology
Triathlon, Bartlett Multisport, Reading, Movies
- AP English Literature and Composition
- AP European History
- AP Spanish Language & Culture
- AP United States History
- AP US History
- AP World History
- College English
- Comparative Literature
- Conversational French
- Conversational Spanish
- English
- French
- French 2
- French 3
- High School English
- Languages
- Literature
- Social Studies
- Spanish
- Spanish 1
- Spanish 2
- Spanish 3
- Spanish 4
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe in engaging students throughout the teaching process rather than simply talking at them. It is imperative to be thorough in making sure that each element being taught is absorbed and reinforced adequately for retention and mastery.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Right off the bat, it is important to develop an understanding of how a student learns best. The best way to do this is to give the student a chance to describe whether he or she likes to learn by doing or by watching a demonstration of the concept(s) in question.