Rena
Certified Tutor
As an infant of only eight months old, I was adopted from China into a loving American family. From an early age, I was the most ambitious student in my classes and always challenged myself past my comfort zones. In high school I took all honors and AP courses and graduated with a 4.0 GPA unweighted and a 4.97 GPA weighted considering those honors and AP classes. I am currently attending Rutgers University in New Brunswick pursuing my major in Urban Planning and Design and my minor in Psychology and possibly Italian as well. For my future career goals, I plan to live in a city, preferably Philadelphia, and be an urban planner and designer, redeveloping and revitalizing rundown neighborhoods by making them attractive to the public again. I want to leave my mark on the world and be able to say I enhanced the lives of all those who are residing in, working in, or merely visiting the city.
My background in mathematics is very extensive. I took all honors mathematic courses up through AP Calculus BC in high school and Calculus I in my first year of college. I also have in-depth experience with English. In high school, I took AP Literature and Composition and AP Language and Composition as well as honors English classes. Besides taking classes in these subjects, I tutored at my local library with a volunteer group called Homework Helpers for all four years of high school. I tutored students in kindergarten up to eighth grade in all subjects. Not only did I help them with their homework but I also prepared them for upcoming tests and gave them study skills that would carry them through the entirety of their academic career. I view tutoring as a way to enhance the student's learning experience so that what they take away from school is not just memorized facts but knowledge and education in their purest form.
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Undergraduate Degree: Rutgers University-New Brunswick - Current Undergrad, Urban Planning and Design
- SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1460
- SAT Math: 710
- SAT Writing: 730
dancing, drawing, shopping, playing with animals, and playing with different makeup looks
- Algebra
- Algebra 2
- Calculus
- College Algebra
- College English
- Elementary Math
- Elementary School Math
- English
- Geometry
- High School English
- ISEE Prep
- ISEE- Lower Level
- ISEE- Middle Level
- ISEE- Upper Level
- Math
- Middle School Math
- Pre-Algebra
- Pre-Calculus
- Reading
- SAT Math
- SAT Mathematics
- SAT Writing and Language
- SHSAT Prep
- SSAT Prep
- SSAT- Elementary Level
- SSAT- Middle Level
- SSAT- Upper Level
- TACHS Prep
- Test Prep
- Trigonometry
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
My teaching philosophy is to always seek out a challenge. Nothing in life that is worth anything was achieved without struggle. It is important to continue striving for greatness even in the face of obstacles.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I would get to know the student by asking them basic questions. I would also gauge where they are at in terms of academic level by posing various questions.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I can ask them to attempt to do problems on their own and only ask for help when completely lost.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I would give them some sort of an incentive, like praise or even a little candy treat if the parent allows.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I attempt to explain it to them in layman terms. If they still do not understand then I come up with a simpler problem demonstrating the same skill on an easier, more understandable level.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I will tell them to take the passage sections at a time and to read more closely. Do not get caught up in the details but try to understand the entire picture instead. Read the questions first so you know what the question is asking for prior to the reading.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
The strategies I have found to be most successful when I start working with a student are taking problems step-by-step and explaining every step along the way, comparing the problems to things that they can relate to more, and giving praise when praise is due and encouragement when they need it.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I would definitely compare the subject and the problems to things the student enjoys. For example, if the student likes to play soccer, I would relate all the problems to soccer in various ways.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I would create my own final quiz at the end of each section and test the student to see whether or not they understand the material. I will put easy problems, medium-level problems, and challenging problems so that they are fully prepared.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
The only way to build a student's confidence in a subject is to keep testing them until they can answer questions without too much overthinking. When a student can recall the tools they are given quickly and apply their skills to a problem properly, they have full confidence in themselves.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I evaluate a student's needs based on my own observations of their behavior and idiosyncrasies. I see whether they physically look comfortable with the material, because that generally indicates confidence.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I adapt my tutoring to each student's needs by seeing how the student learns and what they particularly take to. If a student needs to physically write out their work, then I will have them do so.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I typically use a pencil or pen and paper or notebook. I have my notes from when I learned the material as well.