Shelly
Certified Tutor
I am an honors student at Texas State University woking toward a BS in Forensic Anthropology with minors in Mathematics and in Sociology. I have been tutoring friends and peers in various subjects since high school, though the bulk of my ability and expertise lies in essay, paper, and speech writing/editing, non-calculus based statistical analysis, basic algebra, and in test prep skills. My ultimate desire is not only to help students understand subjects that they may be struggling with, but to help them cultivate a interest in and passion for the material itself. Understanding and ability in a subject is great, but a true desire for knowledge outside of the classwork itself creates a student driven by curiosity and interest instead of just wanting to pass the class. In my free time, I work at the Osteological Research and Processing Laboratory at the Forensic Anthropology Center at Texas State University. I also enjoy reading, watching documentaries, and finding new places to explore.
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Undergraduate Degree: Texas State University-San Marcos - Bachelor of Science, Anthropology
- ACT English: 33
- ACT Reading: 31
- ACT Science: 33
- SAT Verbal: 740
- SAT Writing: 780
Reading, Forensic Osteology, Anthropology, Sociology, Statistics/Biostatistics, Epidemiology, Public Health, Research Methods, Documentaries, Going Outdoors
- ACT Prep
- ACT English
- ACT Math
- ACT Reading
- ACT Science
- ACT Writing
- Algebra
- Anatomy
- Anatomy & Physiology
- Anthropology
- College Algebra
- College English
- College Essays
- English
- Essay Editing
- High School English
- Math
- Pre-Algebra
- PSAT Critical Reading
- Public Speaking
- Reading
- SAT Reading
- SAT Writing and Language
- Science
- Social Sciences
- Statistics
- Study Skills and Organization
- Test Prep
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
Understanding of material is great, but even more crucial is a desire to learn and a passion for the knowledge itself, and those two things go hand in hand.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Stimulating an interest in the material creates the drive to want to learn, so cultivating an appreciation for and interest in a subject helps keep students motivated.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
If a student has difficulty, I would slow down the topic, break it into more manageable pieces, and make sure there is a lot of practice to ensure that it is understood.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Slowing down and trying to understand a passage in context and discussing the meaning of individual parts can really help a student grasp a text better than just reading it multiple times.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Getting to know the student's learning style is crucial to being able to help a student, as well as being extremely positive and offering a lot of encouragement when trying a difficult subject.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Gaining an appreciation for applications of the material in the real world can really help a student get excited about what they are doing.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Small tests of comprehension through demonstration of ability periodically throughout the sections of material can help to prove to the tutor and to the student themselves that they have mastered the material.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
By offering a lot of encouragement and pointing out things they have done well, a student can build up confidence in a subject and consequently improve.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
A combination of asking about needs and observing weaknesses in practice can help best evaluate a student's needs.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
Pen, pencil, paper, and any other supplemental material (such as texts for reading or references).