Seth
Certified Tutor
My name is Seth, and I live in Washington, DC. I grew up in central Pennsylvania, in the heart of Penn State country. I have been teaching and tutoring since my junior year at Syracuse University, and I enjoy it immensely. At Syracuse, I worked with a program called Literacy Corps, tutoring students from all over the city. After graduating, I entered an AmeriCorps program in Pennsylvania, teaching full time for a year. I feel that having tutored for so long and being so recently out of school gives me an advantage in helping students. I intimately remember the struggles of trying to learn material that just wouldn't click in my head. Given that, I like to go about tutoring from that place of understanding. I believe that just because the material doesn't get through to a student, that doesn't mean it's unable to be learned. I'm excited to find new, creative ways to help in the education process.
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Undergraduate Degree: Syracuse University - Bachelors, Political Science and Government
TV, Movies, Reading/Writing, Sports, Traveling
- 10th Grade Reading
- 10th Grade Writing
- 11th Grade Reading
- 11th Grade Writing
- 12th Grade Reading
- 12th Grade Writing
- 1st Grade
- 1st Grade Math
- 1st Grade Reading
- 1st Grade Writing
- 2nd Grade
- 2nd Grade Math
- 2nd Grade Reading
- 2nd Grade Writing
- 3rd Grade
- 3rd Grade Math
- 3rd Grade Reading
- 3rd Grade Science
- 3rd Grade Writing
- 4th Grade
- 4th Grade Math
- 4th Grade Reading
- 4th Grade Science
- 4th Grade Writing
- 5th Grade
- 5th Grade Math
- 5th Grade Reading
- 5th Grade Science
- 5th Grade Writing
- 6th Grade
- 6th Grade Math
- 6th Grade Reading
- 6th Grade Science
- 6th Grade Writing
- 7th Grade
- 7th Grade Math
- 7th Grade Reading
- 7th Grade Science
- 7th Grade Writing
- 8th Grade
- 8th Grade Math
- 8th Grade Reading
- 8th Grade Science
- 8th Grade Writing
- 9th Grade
- 9th Grade Math
- 9th Grade Reading
- 9th Grade Writing
- Adult Literacy
- AP U.S. Government & Politics
- AP United States History
- AP US History
- British Literature
- College English
- College Essays
- College Level American History
- Constitutional Law
- Elementary School
- Elementary School Math
- Elementary School Reading
- Elementary School Science
- Elementary School Writing
- English
- Essay Editing
- European History
- High School
- High School Chemistry
- High School English
- High School Level American History
- High School Writing
- History
- Middle School
- Middle School Math
- Middle School Reading
- Middle School Science
- Middle School Writing
- Persuasive Writing
- Pre-Algebra
- Public Speaking
- Reading
- Short Novel
- Social Studies
- US Constitutional History
- US History
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
Students learn in many different ways. Just because they don't understand subject material taught in one manner does not mean they won't understand it looking through a different lens. My philosophy is to try different approaches to teaching the material until one of them clicks.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I would like to get to know the student. I think that teaching is often futile if there isn't a relationship built on mutual understanding. I'd like the student to talk to me about how he or she learns best. Once that understanding is there, we can move on to the material.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I can help a student become an independent learner by developing strategies based uniquely on how that student learns. Education is often painted in broad strokes, hoping to find one technique that fits as many students as possible. Tutoring is unique in that we have an opportunity to find a tailored approach based on the student's skills and needs.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I would help a student stay motivated based on his or her own goals. Some students genuinely want to learn, and others simply want to get a good grade. I think that by being honest about what the student wants out of his or her education, we can find the motivation that is already there.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would go about it in different ways, relating the subject to something less abstract, rephrasing the inquiry, or working at the foundation. Teaching isn't a one-size-fits-all profession, and there are dozens of ways to tackle one concept.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
If a student is struggling with reading comprehension, it's usually due to a lack of familiarity with the subject matter. For example, if I'm reading a published physics study, I won't retain a lot of that information because I'm not that familiar with physics. Talking about the text in a way that is relatable and builds upon existing knowledge means that the student can actually grasp what he or she is reading.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
The key is to find something in the subject that makes sense to the world in which the student lives. Learning grows outward, and as such, students needs to be able to root what they learn to what they already know.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Quite simply, from the ground up. You focus on what the student knows, not what he or she does not know, and then incrementally build from that.