Samantha
Certified Tutor
I'm a DC area native and recently completed my Master's degree in International Relations at Johns Hopkins University School of Advanced International Studies. I completed my B.A. at Brown University in 2013 with a degree in international and comparative political science and economics. I have experience working with students of a variety of ages from coaching an elementary school Science Olympiad team to working with adults prepare for the GRE after having been out of school for decades. Whether it's GRE test prep, French, math or economics, my approach to tutoring is to find what strategies work best for the student and work on methods for students to be able to make progress both in and out of tutoring sessions. My favorite part of tutoring is seeing students improve and build confidence in areas they used to be nervous about or dislike. One of the reasons I enjoy tutoring French is that I myself was initially very afraid to learn a foreign language. I had a speech impediment as a child and had to attend speech therapy, so I know very well how nerve-wracking it can be to learn, and especially speak, a foreign language. But not only did I learn French, in my last job I used French often to speak with foreign government officials and even briefly interpreted for a Member of Parliament. So no matter how frustrating you find learning French to be or preparing for a standardized test or learning math to be, I can assure you if I can do it, you can too!
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Undergraduate Degree: Brown University - Bachelors, 1. International and Comparative Political Science 2. Economics
Graduate Degree: Johns Hopkins University-Schools of Advanced International Studies - Current Grad Student, 1. Conflict Management 2. International Economics
- SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1580
- SAT Math: 790
- SAT Verbal: 800
- SAT Writing: 760
- GRE Quantitative: 169
- GRE Verbal: 167
international relations, hiking
- Advanced Placement Prep
- Algebra
- Algebra 2
- Algebra 3/4
- AP Comparative Government and Politics
- AP Economics
- AP French Language and Culture
- AP Macroeconomics
- AP Microeconomics
- Business
- College Algebra
- College Economics
- College Political Science
- Conversational French
- Economics
- Elementary Math
- Elementary School Math
- French
- French 2
- French 3
- French 4
- Graduate Test Prep
- GRE
- GRE Analytical Writing
- GRE Quantitative
- GRE Verbal
- High School Business
- High School Economics
- High School Political Science
- Languages
- Macroeconomics
- Math
- Microeconomics
- Middle School Math
- Political Science
- Pre-Algebra
- Pre-Calculus
- Quantitative Reasoning
- SAT Reading
- Social Sciences
- Social Studies
- Test Prep
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
One of my main goals is to help students become independent learners. Whether it's helping them discover tactics that work well for them or offering advice on how to fit study time into an already packed schedule, my goal is for students to be able to accomplish their learning goals, even after our tutoring sessions end.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
In a typical first session with a student, I'll discuss with them what their specific goals are, what they've been having the most difficulty in, what learning techniques they've found to work best for them, and evaluate their current level in the subject.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I try to help students get engaged with a subject they are struggling in by relating the concept to something they are already interested in. In math and economics, that might mean putting abstract concepts into real-world examples. For French, I can suggest ways to practice French by doing things students are already interested in.
What is your teaching philosophy?
I try to adapt my teaching style to whatever works best for the student. I use the first session to discuss how the student prefers to learn and test out different methods to see which works for the student.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I always try to remind students that they can do it. Whether that's pass the GRE or a class. All it takes is dedication and a smart approach to studying.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
If a student is having difficulty learning a concept, I try to reframe it in a way that relates to everyday life so it seems less abstract.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
When I first start working with a student, I try to find out exactly what their challenge is, whether it's a specific challenging topic or difficulty figuring out how best to study. The more precisely I can identify the student's challenge, the more I can tailor our sessions to address it.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I always have students do practice questions after we've covered a topic; that way we can both be sure that they can apply the concept to the types of questions they'll get on the test.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
I try to build a student's confidence by reminding them that many people struggle at first. Just because a topic is not easy for them at the beginning, that doesn't mean that it won't get easier.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I ask all students to take a diagnostic test before our first session if they do not have a previous test score. I then spend the beginning of the first session going over past tests and discussing with the student what they think their biggest challenges are.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Often students struggle with reading comprehension on tests because they don't know how to scan texts for the most important information. I work with students to help them focus on the most important part of a text so they can answer reading comprehension questions more quickly and accurately.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
For online tutoring I use the online tutoring company's platform. For practice questions, I use questions from the tutoring company's bank as well as questions I've made that supplement the tutoring company's bank.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I tailor my tutoring sessions to the specific needs of the student. I will vary the way I explain concepts to match what the student finds easiest to understand. While I develop plans ahead of each tutoring session, I adapt those plans as the session goes along based on the student's needs.