Thomas
Certified Tutor
I'm a rising sophomore at Hamilton College, a very small but very good Liberal Arts School in upstate New York. I really enjoy it there because of the great selection of humanities courses - which are my primary interest - and the focus on critical thinking that's placed on just about everything. I believe that critical thinking is one of the most important skills someone can learn. Most of the subjects that I enjoy - history, government, political science, philosophy, etc. - are subjects that inherently deal with concepts and creations made by mankind, and thus they reflect man's imperfect nature. The ability to analyze these concepts and creations with a mind for the why, the how, and the strengths and the weaknesses is invaluable. Analytical and critical thinking is something I will push for in all subjects that I tutor, including mathematics, as it is equally - if not more important there. I'm not always such a nerd though. I love action movies and video games the same as a lot of people my age. I love indie music and I like to jam on my guitar. I also have something of a dry sense of humor, but I appreciate any and all jokes.
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Undergraduate Degree: Hamilton College - Bachelor in Arts, Government
- SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1510
- SAT Math: 730
- SAT Verbal: 760
- SAT Writing: 700
Video games, movies, indie music, politics, philosophy
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Make the work that the student is doing feel important and relatable. A lack of motivation is a lack of understanding why you're doing something - I won't let that happen.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Break it down into small steps, making sure that each step is easily digestible. Then, locate where the problem is.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Teaching the student how to think for themselves about the task at hand, instead of relying on memorized instructions.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Emphasize the practicality and importance of the subject they are struggling with.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Giving the student a brief quiz of a few questions. The number of right answers doesn't matter; the students explanations for the answers given do.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Make sure they know what in that subject they excel at. Knowing your strengths builds confidence in the whole subject.
What is your teaching philosophy?
Every student has what it takes be brilliant. It's simply a matter of learning to think for yourself.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Get to know him or her a little first. Talk about school, and what they like and don't like.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
By teaching them to try and break down every lesson they learn and attempt to understand it. Memorizing facts doesn't make you smart; understanding them does.