Willie
Certified Tutor
I love tutoring chemistry and anatomy for several reasons. I like the aspect of sharing my knowledge with others so that they can use it. It gives me great satisfaction to be able to help others on material that they need help with and then they can use that to further succeed. I feel that tutoring is not only a skill and a talent but a gift as well. Not everyone who gets A's in a class can tutor it. It takes good amount patience, unselfishness, and practice to be a good tutor. Ever since I started tutor around 6 years ago I haven't stopped since. I started tutoring general chemistry mostly Chemistry 2 in 2009 at Florida A&M University. As I just began starting tutoring friends and then branching out to other students I saw my self getting better at tutoring the information. So for every semester since 2009 I've been tutoring chemistry and then in 2010 I started tutoring anatomy. My teaching style or tutoring style is to break down the information so that the student can understand the material and use it to solve further problems. To me the answer is not the most important part of solving the problem is how you get to the answer is whats more important. So that I try to stress to students that I tutor because if you can get the concept of how to do the problem then you can master any problem that contains that concept. I graduated in 2010 with my Bachelors in Biology and then recently this summer I graduated with my Masters in Anatomy and Physiology. Also to add tutoring also in my life experience helps reduce my stress by helping others.
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Undergraduate Degree: Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University - Bachelors, Biology, General
Graduate Degree: Florida Agricultural and Mechanical University - Masters, Biology, General
Playing sports, writing poetry, tutoring, hang out with friends, play cards, go to the movies, dance
What is your teaching philosophy?
My teaching philosophy on tutoring is that you break down the material to the person so that they can use those steps or information for another problem. I think one of the most important aspects of tutoring is to get the concept of whatever you're reading.
If the person gains the concept of whatever subject they are doing, they will have a good foundation on how to answer the questions.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I would assess what the person's problem or problems with the subject are. See how they start the problems and what are things that they struggle in. Next, I would give them tips on how to study, or what they should be looking at to get a general concept of the material. Then, I'd do some practice problems to see where they are at in understanding the information.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
One of the best ways is to show them how to study efficient. You can study a whole chapter, and at the end not understand anything that you just read. So it's important to study efficiently by rewriting your notes, making notecards, drawing, or doing basically anything that uses repetition of the information you're going over.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I would tell them that not everyone started out knowing everything or tutoring a subject. It takes time, practice, and effort. Focus on your goal and think of the steps in obtaining your goal.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Find ways to practice the concept so that the student would get it. This can be finding games, writing notecards, or anything that can stimulate their mind on the subject so that it won't seem boring.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Showing ways on how to find keywords and context clues in the sentence. Also, if you don't understand a word, look it up, because other words or sentences can stem from that word.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Doing practice problems in the book first because they break down further and then doing some practice problems from outside of the book. Writing note cards for material that the person may not understand or has a hard time remembering.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Give examples of how this subject is used in everyday life. I think some people think that what they are studying has nothing to do with the real world. But if you show them how the subject is important and how we use it or see it, then it becomes more relevant.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Doing practice problems step by step. Writing note cards, and highlighting material in the text that you think is important.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Start from the basics, and then slowly build them up.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
By seeing what they struggle or need help with in a certain subject.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
By showing them examples and then letting them do examples to see if they understand the concept.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
Practice problems, books.