Alyssa
Certified Tutor
I am an undergraduate student at Indiana University Bloomington majoring in Biology and minoring in Gender Studies. Originally, I am from Terre Haute, IN where I received my Academic Honors Diploma and volunteered through the National Honor Society at my high school. Although I do not have any professional tutoring experience, I have taken eight AP courses which have allowed me to understand that it is important to find a study style that suits YOU and not necessarily anyone else. Also, through Varsity tutors, I have been approved to tutor:
Algebra one, Geometry, Literature, AP Language and Composition, English, low level Spanish, the HSPT, and both the upper and middle level SSAT and ISEE entrance exams.
I find it very important to ask students what their goals are in regards to tutoring and remind them of when they reach those goals. I also find it essential to discover study/learning methods that best suit students such as visual and audio learning.
In my spare time, I love making art. I draw in pencil, colored pencil, and pen and have sold prints and drawings on my Etsy website. Recently, I have started to learn how to make pottery on the ceramic wheel.
I also have been trained to volunteer at the Middle Way House and cannot wait to start a position there.
Connect with a tutor like Alyssa
Undergraduate Degree: Indiana University-Bloomington - Current Undergrad, Biology, General
I love drawing and art in general and have actually started to learn how to make ceramics recently. I also enjoy going to the Humane Society and will begin volunteering with the Middle Way House this winter.
- Algebra
- AP English Language and Composition
- College English
- Comparative Literature
- English
- Geometry
- High School English
- HSPT Prep
- ISEE Prep
- ISEE- Middle Level
- ISEE- Upper Level
- Languages
- Literature
- Math
- Middle School Math
- Pre-Algebra
- Spanish 1
- SSAT Prep
- SSAT- Middle Level
- SSAT- Upper Level
- Test Prep
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I would get to know a student and ask him/her what his/her ultimate goals are going forward.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I would praise a student whenever he/she made progress and remind him/her of how far his/her learning has come.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would go back to the root of the question and determine what exactly it is asking. I would also utilize different resources such as visual cues and rewording a problem to help the student understand.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I look for context clues with the student and go over topic sentences, main ideas, and purposes of readings/excerpts.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I have found it most successful to actively cater my teaching style to what helps the student best. It is important to hear direct feedback from the student.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I would remind him/her of progress that has been made and explain to the student why that particular subject is important.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I use hands-on approaches as well as outside resources/problems.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
I provide challenging questions so that students feel that they can do even difficult questions in a subject well.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I ask a student specifically what he/she is struggling in and what kind of resources he/she would like me to provide.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I utilize different types of problems based on strengths and weaknesses of the student.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I use worksheets/problems from reputable online sources as well as hands-on paper and pencil types of problems that I can work with the student on.
What is your teaching philosophy?
I think it is very important to cater to individual student needs. I also believe it is vital to determine what helps a student learn most; for example, visual cues, rewording problems, and other methods. Furthermore, it is important to take feedback from the student and engage the student in the problem solving process.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
A student can become an independent learner by working through problems with me first, and then using steps and methods that he/she finds most useful to solve problems alone.