Devika: Tulsa County tutor
Certified Tutor
Hello! I am a dedicated and qualified undergraduate student with a strong passion for teaching Spanish.
As an aspiring Spanish teacher, I have dedicated the past 10 years of my academic career to learning Spanish. Through past experiences with studying Spanish as well as current college-level coursework, I have developed a strong ability to understand different aspects of Spanish language and culture. In addition, during my junior year, I spent five months studying abroad in Spain through which I was able to confidently converse with locals as well as take 300-level Spanish courses.
I have had previous experience teaching Spanish as a teachers assistant at a few public schools in Seattle. I worked with middle school and high school students in classroom settings, which allowed me to be coached and observed by different instructors, develop professionally, and better understand teaching a wide range of ages.
I believe that good teachers are built out of their experience. Therefore, I highly value opportunities through which I can teach others as well as practice my Spanish.
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Undergraduate Degree: University of Washington - Current Undergrad, Early Childhood and Family Studies
Singing jazz, running, dancing Kathak, calligraphy, video editing.
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe education is about creating positive experiences through which learning, being culturally competent, and growing go hand in hand. I wish to inspire creativity and confidence in all my students and encourage them to be and do their best.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
In order to tutor a student, you must first understand who they are. In my first tutoring session with a student, I would take out the time to learn about some of my student's interests, learning styles, and study habits.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
The first step in becoming an independent learner is knowing your optimal learning environment and style. It is also important to know what your resources are and seek out help when needed.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Set attainable goals and be positive.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
To help a student better understand difficult concepts it is important to use a variety of mediums to help the content become clear. For instance, using video clips, readings, songs, or explanations.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
The first step would be to see if the student understands the general idea of what they are reading. What are they reading? Why is it relevant? Who wrote it? After establishing some of the general ideas, I would try to understand exactly what the student is struggling with so that we can clarify the content and improve their skills.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Understanding the student's learning style and providing lots of examples.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Show them why their subject is relevant and how it can be useful to them in the future.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
First and foremost, I would just ask the student. Establishing a clear and effective line of communication is very important. In addition, I would also provide practice problems or examples to ensure understanding of the material.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Positivity, encouragement, and realistic goals.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
Apart from asking the student, I can also ask the parents and use my observation skills to see where a student needs the most help.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
After establishing what the student's needs are, I can use a variety of different mediums through which the student best learns, such as videos, explanations, readings, or examples. I believe the key to adapting to a student's needs is truly listening to what they say and understanding what they need.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
Notebooks, pens, pencils, and a laptop.