Lamar
Certified Tutor
I specialize is math tutoring. I have experience working with students in math ranging from learning to count all the way to Calculus. I enjoy helping a student gain confidence and find concept easy after previously finding it difficult. In my tutoring style I incorporate a lot of examples to help correlate the math concepts to everyday life.
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Undergraduate Degree: Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University - Bachelor of Science, Industrial Engineering
Graduate Degree: American InterContinental University-Online - Masters in Business Administration, Business Administration and Management
Fitness, motorcycles
- Algebra
- Algebra 2
- Algebra 3/4
- AP Calculus AB
- Arithmetic
- Calculus
- College Algebra
- Elementary Math
- Elementary School Math
- Geometry
- Math
- Middle School Math
- Pre-Calculus
- Trigonometry
What is your teaching philosophy?
I like to make teaching fun, and I try to use examples based on interests. I enjoy when a student comes to me when they don't understand, and they leave confident.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
The first thing I always do is ask about interests so that I can keep that in mind with when coming up with examples and problems. Then I would talk to the student and the parents to get a feel for their concerns, and then I would tell them both about my teaching style.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Making sure that I am not doing the work for them and asking questions to make sure that they understand what they are doing.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
If I notice that they are losing motivation I would take a brief break and get them talking about something that interests them. Then I would try to relate the discussion back to the work we are doing.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would explain the material a different way. I would then ask what parts are giving them trouble. From there I would use their interests to develop an example.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I usually work with math students, but there have been times where we work on reading skills on a short math day. I usually have them break the story up into small sections and then give me a summary in their own words of each part. After the story is finished I have them take all the small summaries and put them together into one.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
To put it simply, the most successful strategy has been to identify interests and try to make the work fun. If we laugh at least one time, the explanation of the material is easy.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I would tie the subject to something they like, because there is always a math connection. In my 10+ years of tutoring I have always found a connection.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I constantly ask questions throughout the process. I also have times where I see if they can teach me a problem. I will also have them walk me through a previous problem.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
I treat it like any new thing; start with small victories and then move up to the more complicated work. I focus on what they did right, even when the problem is wrong. From there we also talk about their interests to distract them from the intimidating work for a few minutes.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I start by asking them. I also look for cues in things that they don't say. I also look for tendencies when working on problems together. I ask seemingly unrelated questions to confirm my evaluations.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
The style, the tone, the pace, and the quantity of content delivered can vary from student to student. It can also vary from session to session in the same student. I look for cues like motivation, frustration, and confidence, and tailor the session accordingly to reduce negative feelings and increase positive feelings.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
It varies on the subject. The standard materials such as pencils and paper. I use white boards. There have been times where I have the student stand up to illustrate the concept by identifying certain angles in their house. I also bring textbooks if necessary. The material can vary based on the learning style of the student.