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Sarah

Certified Tutor

I completed my Bachelor's of Science in Communication Sciences and Disorders at University of Illinois Urbana Champaign in 2012 and my Master's of Science in Speech Language Pathology at Saint Xavier University in 2014. Upon graduation I began work as a school based therapist, first for a special education cooperative and most recently with the Chicago charter school system. As a school based speech-pathologist I have worked with K-12 students at a variety of ability levels as well as transition aged students in a specialized program.

I love bringing my clinical skills to my work as a tutor because it allows me to break skills down to their fundamental levels. Working with students to understand the concepts at play helps them to not only get the right answer but to understand the why. This skill based learning helps students understand information more thoroughly and generalize the skills across questions more effectively. Outside of work I like to keep active through running and volunteering with a local animal shelter. My ultimate goal is to one day raise and train a dog as my partner in animal assisted therapy services.

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Sarah’s Qualifications
Education & Certification

Undergraduate Degree: University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign - Bachelors, Communication Sciences and Disorders

Graduate Degree: Saint Xavier University - Masters, Speech Language Pathology

Test Scores
ACT English: 31
ACT Reading: 36
Hobbies

Yoga, cooking, working with dogs

Tutoring Subjects
ACT Prep
ACT English
ACT Math
ACT Reading
ACT Science
ACT Writing
Algebra
Algebra 2
College Algebra
Geometry
Homework Support
Math
Other
Pre-Algebra
Special Education
Study Skills
Study Skills and Organization
Test Prep
How can you help a student become an independent learner?

By teaching skills at a foundational level and fading the amount of support at a rate that matches student learning. This pattern allows students to acquire new skills and the confidence to use them independently.

What is your teaching philosophy?

I focus on skill-based learning to help students understand WHY an answer is correct. This emphasis on fundamental skills helps students understand information more thoroughly and generalize the skills across questions more effectively.

What might you do in a typical first session with a student?

A first session would include an interview with the student to discuss their goals for tutoring and their personal academic strengths and weaknesses. This would be followed by directed diagnostic problem sets to identify where the breakdown that is causing their difficulties occurs. The session would conclude by developing a plan of action for moving forward, assigning the student practice problems or concept review as needed.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Helping the student to identify their goal for tutoring is the basis for motivation. Once students understand why they are participating in this extra work they can be reminded of the benefits whenever their motivation lags.