Melinda
Certified Tutor
Having received my BA in English from Creighton University in Omaha and my master's in Creative Writing from Kingston University in London, England, I am back home in Omaha looking to expand my experience in tutoring. During the two and a half years that I was studying in the UK I also worked as a tutor. I did private, in-home tutoring as well as facilitating groups and classrooms. My primary subjects are English, ESL, Writing and Reading but I also work well with primary students in math. I have previous university coursework in Ancient Studies, so I am also very happy to assist with social studies and basic Latin.
I am focused on the importance of education at every level and dedicated, specifically, to helping and motivating others to improve and perfect their fluency and mastery of the English language. Each student has their own goals with tutoring and it is my objective to determine my students' learning styles and to adjust my teaching methods accordingly in order to create the best environment for supplemental instruction. Learning is important and it should be fun, especially for children. Therefore, I incorporate puzzles and games into our sessions.
I chose to study in the UK because I enjoy traveling and I love the rich history in Europe and particularly in England. I like to read and explore museums, and I really like to write. I have written several short stories and am in the process of revising a novella that I wrote for my master's dissertation. I have recently joined a writer's group and am looking forward to, one day, having some of my work published.
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Undergraduate Degree: Creighton University - Bachelors, English
Graduate Degree: Kingston University - Masters, Creative Writing
I enjoy travelling and have been to much of the US and some of Europe. Looking forward to expanding my adventures soon! I also enjoy reading and writing, yoga and swimming.
- Ancient and Medieval Heritage
- College English
- College Essays
- College World History
- Comparative Literature
- English
- English Grammar and Syntax
- ESL/ELL
- Essay Editing
- High School English
- High School World History
- Literature
- Math
- Middle School Math
- Phonics
- Reading
- Social Studies
- World Civilization
- World History
- World Literature
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe it's important to identify and focus on each student's individual needs. With one to one attention learning can be productive and fun!
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I like to spend the first session introducing myself and getting to know the student and any family that will be involved in the learning process. During this "getting to know one another" time, it's important to identify areas in need of improvement and plans to achieve success.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I think students lose their motivation after experiencing negative feedback, backsliding and failures. My philosophy is to give positive responses for their efforts as well as pointing out improvements (no matter how small they may be) as a form of encouragement to keep up the hard work.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Often skills and concepts can be learned in more than one way. I find that when a student isn't grasping something it could simply be the way the material is presented, so I try to approach the subject from a different angle until we find a way for the student to successfully learn the material.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I think the most important thing to do to be successful with a student is to establish a good rapport. I don't want the student to feel like I'm there to drive a hard line. I want learning to be fun and productive, and if the student understands that he is likely to relax and be more open to the process.