Denis: Spokane County tutor
Certified Tutor
I was born and raised in Quito , Ecuador until I was 10 years old. I then came to Nashville, Tennessee where I attended Montgomery Bell Academy and Vanderbilt University. During my years at MBA, I became the lead the mentor for the YMCA Hispanic Achievers Program. This program focused on recruiting volunteers to teach English to adults, as well as Spanish to young adults. Because of my hard work and dedication to the program, the YMCA decided to make me a board member at the age of 16. As a board member, I decided to expand the youth program to include tutoring younger students in basic subject areas. While at Vanderbilt, I focused a lot of my time on my studies and tutored privately for extra income. However, I have always gone back to Ecuador since I was in college and made it a priority to spend time tutoring under privileged children. My passion to educate effectively stems from my ongoing interest into reducing the educational gap in the country. I plan on enrolling in law school soon to embark on that journey. My favorite extra curricular activities include the Best Buddies program and Special Olympics. Additionally , my hobbies include traveling, sports and nutrition, languages, and culinary arts. I can't wait to meet you!!
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Undergraduate Degree: Vanderbilt University - Bachelors, Political Science and Government
family, travel, cultures, languages, people, health and nutrition, sports, music,
What is your teaching philosophy?
I strongly believe that the best teachers are the ones who can relate quickly and effectively. Being patient and finding ways to make the learning experience more engaging is key to the student's success!
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I like to spend time getting to know their background and what their overall goal will be. I think this is an important foundation to see the main challenges in the present and the future.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
This is tricky because not all humans are the same. Some people thrive individually, but some thrive with the support of peers or study groups. It is essential to determine what kind of learning the student will need.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
By assessing their passions.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Depending on the concept, I will need to use methods outside their current learning tools to develop something more engaging. Difficulty in learning usually stems from the topic being too dull. So, finding a new and fresh way is usually a good tool to overcome this barrier.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
By summarizing it to them. Some of the best lawyers I know have a hard time understanding what they read. So they have people who have summarized that material for them. Their auditory skills are more in tune than their reading.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Establishing common ground. Getting to know their personality first to see how they are able to learn.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Everyone has a competitive side. Therefore, I will try to find games to develop that drive the competitive nature of each student.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Pop quizzes. These tedious random "obstacles" prove to be effective to keep students sharp.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Offer students time to reflect after each lesson. Ask students what they think went right and what they think caused them stress. Have students share their responses with the class. This is a great way for students to see how their peers overcome their problems, which in turn will help them with their own self-confidence.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
A cloze exam is an atypical way to test the understanding your students have of grammar. To write a cloze exam, write an original paragraph, or take one that your students have used in their studies. Then replace every fifth or sixth word with a blank. Ask your students to fill in the blanks with words they think would be most logical and grammatical. You will see a variety of answers among your students, but as long as the answers are grammatically and logically correct, the student should receive full credit.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
Provide visuals via the board or overhead Use flashcards Have the student close his eyes and try to visualize the information Have the student take notes and use colored markers to highlight Teach the use of acronyms to help visualize lists (Roy G. Biv for the colors of the spectrum: red, orange, yellow, green, blue, indigo, violet) Give explanations in small, distinct steps Provide written as well as oral directions Have the student repeat directions When giving directions to the class, leave a pause between each step so the student can carry out the process in his mind Shorten the listening time required Provide written and manipulative tasks
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
Flashcards, boards, puzzles, fill in the blanks, highlighters, audio and video.