Holly
Certified Tutor
I completed both my Bachelor's in history and my Juris Doctorate at the University of Missouri. I have extensive experience tutoring children through after school programs and other various activities. I have also volunteered through the STEM program partnership with Boeing. I tutor history, geography, English, social studies, and elementary math. My favorite subject to tutor is history because I find it to be a set of fascinating stories that happen to be true. I believe it is important that you must find a way to interest students in what they are learning if you want to engage them in the material. It's also important that students understands that they do not have to learn everything in one sitting but instead, should break the material down into small, manageable sections and each small thing mastered should be celebrated. I enjoy reading, playing with my Great Dane, and knitting.
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Undergraduate Degree: University of Missouri-Columbia - Bachelors, History
Graduate Degree: University of Missouri School of Law - Masters, Law
I enjoy reading, hanging out with my Great Dane, spending time with my family, knitting, and computer games.
- College English
- College Geography
- College Level American History
- College World History
- Elementary Math
- Elementary School Math
- English
- European History
- Geography
- High School English
- High School Geography
- High School Level American History
- High School World History
- History
- Math
- Reading
- Social Studies
- US History
- World History
What is your teaching philosophy?
My teaching philosophy is that students have to be enjoying learning before they will be willing to put in the effort. Not all aspects of school and learning are fun, but if you can get a child to engage with you over a subject that interests them, they will be much more open to trying.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
In a first session it is best to get to know the student. What things do they like? What activities interest them? It is much easier to engage and teach them if you can use examples to which they can relate.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
You can help a student become an independent learner by giving them the opportunity to do things on their own then praising them for the work, even if it isn't completely correct.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
It's important that students understand that they don't have to learn it all in one sitting. Have small, manageable goals each session helps them realize their progress.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
If a student is struggling then it is necessary to find a way to make it fun!
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
You have to find stories that they are interested in. It's hard enough to comprehend difficult, uninteresting subjects. But if you can find something that is fun and interesting the process becomes much easier.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Day one, you have to spend time getting to know the student. It is much easier to explain things when you know what they like and can use examples from things that they already know.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
To build a student's confidence you have to start small. Give them a small task and once it is completed, even if it isn't 100% correct, congratulate them on getting through it. Remind them that the only need to learn a little at a time. Once they see that they can do it, their confidence will build slowly but surely.