Nora: Hempstead tutor
Certified Tutor
In the few years since I received my Bachelor's in Art History from the College of Wooster in Ohio I've had many different jobs. My ability to identify artistic movement based on formal qualities of art doesn't usually come into my day-to-day, yet the critical thinking skills and versatility of understanding I developed from a liberal arts education helps me excel in every responsibility I take on. I was lucky to attend excellent schools my whole life, and that the school system fit exactly with my learning style. During my time with Wooster's education department I was placed in a high school, pre school and a kindergarten, where I got to see a great diversity of teaching tactics and developmental levels. However, the limitations of the school system left me unwilling to work in the one-size-fits-all structure. Everyone learns in a different way and it's unreasonable to expect a school to cater to each learning style and personality, which is why I find tutoring to be an important part of an education. I want to help other students get as great an education as I did.
Drawing and Art History are my favorite subjects; I could talk about the Parisian move from the French Academy to the Impressionists for hours. While not as much fun, I think SAT prep is very important. As a naturally good test-taker, I always thought it was unfair that others had to study for months to pass a test I found so simple. Tutoring the best ways to take the test is my way of paying it back. I want to help students get on equal footing and move on in their education toward a well-rounded ability to think critically, which has made my entire adult life more successful. Outside of the educational sphere I have a slight obsession with Jane Austen, John Steinbeck, and trail running. I love to draw and collage mail items to send to friends around the country, occasionally stopping to try to teach myself the mandolin.
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Undergraduate Degree: The College of Wooster - Bachelors, Art History
- SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1500
- SAT Verbal: 730
- SAT Writing: 750
- GRE: 321
- GRE Quantitative: 159
- GRE Verbal: 162
Reading, Drawing, Collage, Cooking, Running
- Art
- Art History
- Drawing
- SAT Reading
- SAT Writing and Language
- Social Studies
- Test Prep
What is your teaching philosophy?
With a strong Liberal Arts background, I think it is important to recognize basic principles in any lesson and learn to apply them universally. I believe educating the entire mind instills a desire to learn much more effective than rote memorization, improving both the quality of education and the happiness of the student.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I would get an idea of where they are struggling and what they hope to gain from tutoring. We would set short- and long-term goals for our sessions, and I could get an idea of the student's learning style.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Encourage critical reflection of assignments and questions - teach them to figure out the principles their teachers are trying to convey rather than just finish the assignments.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
It's important to know what gets students excited. Any topic can be made multidisciplinary with a little creativity, connecting a less exciting topic to something the student likes.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I try to rephrase and re-explain using as many different ways of thinking as possible. If they're getting really stuck, I would try to get them out of their chair, maybe to act out the concept. It can get suffocating being stuck in your brain trying to understand something difficult, and I think moving around helps a lot.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Make sure all the basics are there - sentence structure, grammar, and that their vocabulary is up to the level they're expected to have. From there, you can build up to pulling apart paragraphs to their components - it's important to break everything down to a manageable level.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Review former teaching styles and learning abilities to get a sense of past learning experience. I think most students want tutoring to supplement what happens in school, so I want to hone in on what hasn't worked and figure out what will.