Jan
Certified Tutor
When given the right tools and supportive guidance, every student can achieve academic success. I found this to be true with private elementary school students, public inner city high school students and college level students. I'm committed to helping students find success. I received my Bachelor of Science in Education degree (with a major in Art and English) and my Master's degree in Teaching English as a Second Language at Central Missouri State University. I've enjoyed a variety of teaching scenarios and love watching the "light turn on" when students master their objective. My first passion is writing, especially composition and research papers. My second passion is drawing and painting. I'm in the process of completing two children's books that I have written and illustrated. I'm also writing about my experiences as an inner city high school teacher and the awesome students who entered my classroom and my life.
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Undergraduate Degree: University of Central Missouri - Bachelors, English and Art - B.S.E. Secondary Education
Graduate Degree: University of Central Missouri - Masters, Teaching English as a Second Language
Writing, drawing, painting, weight training, jogging, nature walks, and gourmet cooking
- AP English Language and Composition
- Art
- Ceramics
- College English
- College Essays
- Drawing
- English
- English Grammar and Syntax
- ESL/ELL
- Essay Editing
- High School English
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
Teaching is more than academics; it involves developing trust and confidence between teacher and student, which opens the door to learning.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I would ask what the student wants to achieve and what have they done in the past that gave them results.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I can ask questions that will help them develop critical thinking skills and self confidence.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I would remind them of their previous successes and how great that felt.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would use a different learning approach (such as visual or logical) and explain using a different angle or example.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Simplify the sentence, restate the sentence, and discuss meanings of important words. I would use different techniques depending on the student's reading level and grade level.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
A warm, friendly and calm attitude and tone usually puts students at ease. I ask several questions, including what they enjoy about the assignment/project and what they would like to see happen with it. Where do they already feel successful?
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I would try to find some connection from the subject to something the student is interested in or has already felt successful about.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I would ask questions requiring comprehension, while supporting through positive affirmations.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
By affirming the student's capabilities and reminding them of what they already know about the subject.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
So much can be revealed about a student's needs through their statements, whether positive or negative about themselves and/or the subject.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I use a variety of approaches to fit each student's best learning style. For example, if someone is visual and understands patterns, I would show them how the project creates an organized pattern. Once they "see" that, they would be coached to branch out from there.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
Tools such as examples, visual diagrams, and various printed resources that pertain to the project would be presented and discussed.