Trina
Certified Tutor
I am a graduate of California State University Dominguez Hills. I received my Bachelor of Arts in Communications, majoring in Public Relations and Advertising. I also have an Associates of Arts in Journalism. In my capacity as a Board of Education member, I earned a Masters in Education Governance. More recently, I was accepted into the Masters in Education Leadership at Grand Canyon University. I have worked as a tutor with Varsity for several years now, earning a 4.7 rating. What I'm most proud of is that I served my country in the U. S. Navy.
In addition to helping students achieve academically, I assist ESOL and ESL adult and K-12 students. Character Building is incorporated in the individualized and group lesson plans I develop for students. I have worked in Education for over 20 years in various capacities, from office and executive assistance, to intervention programs' development. Earlier in my career, I worked as the Administrative Assistance for the Institutional Review Board at Charles R. Drew University of Medicine and Science. My educational experience also extends to faith-based universities and parochial middle and high schools. My classroom teaching experience include Performing Arts, Religion, English Language Arts and ACT/SAT preparation.
In addition to developing intervention programs, I have served as the coordinator for the Afterschool Education and Safety program(ASES). During this time, I created the Young Lady of Excellence Mentorship Program. Its' mission is to help girls, ages 12-18 discover their talents and gifts that will guide them into purposeful careers. After 7 years working as a teacher, tutor, mentor, coordinator and administrator, I was elected to the local Board of Education where I served for 6 years.
I believe that every child can learn with the right encouragement, determination to succeed, and a strong support network. Finding hidden gifts and talents in children; helping them realize their full potential; and identifying their special qualities is what I'm most passionate about. I walk in patience, compassion and understanding and use positive reinforcement when working with my students. When I manage to carve out time for myself, I enjoy watching movies on the Hallmark channel and working out to include; Zumba dancing, Yoga exercise and meditation. More recently, I have added acupuncture and Tai Chi as pain management strategies.
Connect with a tutor like Trina
Undergraduate Degree: Cal State Dominguez Hills - Bachelor of Science, Public Relations
State Certified Teacher
Reading and Writing
- A Beginner's Guide: Excel
- ACT English
- ACT Reading
- ACT Writing
- ASVAB Prep
- Basics of Python for Beginners
- College Application Essays
- College English
- College Level American History
- Elementary School
- Elementary School English
- Elementary School Math
- Elementary School Reading
- Elementary School Writing
- English
- English Grammar and Syntax
- ESL/ELL
- Essay Editing
- High School English
- High School Level American History
- History
- Math
- Middle School English
- Middle School Reading
- Middle School Reading Comprehension
- Middle School Writing
- Other
- Productivity
- Programming Languages
- Public Speaking
- Reading
- REGENTS Prep
- Social Studies
- Technology and Coding
- Test Prep
- Video Game Design
- World Religions
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
My teaching philosophy is that every child is born with natural gifts and talents. I believe it is my duty, with pleasure, to help children discover what/where their talents and gifts lie.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Build a trusting relationship with my student. He/she can trust me to give my all to their success. Me, believe that my student can and will succeed.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Every student is an independent learner. My job is to help them realize that.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
By staying motivated myself.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I teach not only the textbook, but also relatable words and some action words, making it easy for you to remember and quickly improve.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I provide the right program to improve students' reading comprehension.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Strong listening.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Bring the subject to life by opening the student's imagination about the subject.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Reinforcement practices. Creating project based materials for students to use independently.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
By ensuring the student that he/she is the master of his/her level of achievement.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
Pre-assessment projects.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
By adapting to the student's learning modalities and level.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
Online programs, workbooks, arts materials, and other visuals.