Kriss: Skokie tutor
Certified Tutor
I work with students on written response and other forms of communication.
I believe the power to unite people through ideas belies the surface of every piece of language; it teems at the margins, billows at the rim of critical response, and dares to implode if not for the courage of the writer to engage in heated dialogue with text and audience.
To achieve such a thing, and effectively, means not only to chisel the skill for syntax, grammar, research and format; it also means realizing a passion to change the reader???s mind, spark a fire in one???s audience face-to-face, and conjure the kind of ripple effect that leaves the world forever moved.
My aim as a tutor is 2-fold:
1. to sharpen students??? writing and oratory skills, and
2. to inspire and affirm self-belief???the notion that the student and her, or his, ideas are worthy and worth sharing.
EXPERIENCE
In 2011 and 2012, I taught two undergraduate-level lectures at the University of Maryland College Park: How Colonialism Caused Gender Stratification in the U.S., and The Harlem Renaissance: A Sanitization and Regression of Black Art.
In Fall 2012, I lived in Hamburg, Germany for three months as a DO School Music Challenge Fellow, where I facilitated a multi-lingual and multi-ethnic class of young adults in choral and dance performance.
Upon returning to the States, I worked in the private sector as a marketing copy and web specialist, and in 2014, created and facilitated a mindfulness and meditation workshop as part of The Rise of The Artrepreneur Presents: Unleash the Beast. an original 3-part art series about becoming who you are. The series will continue with its 3rd edition later this summer.
Since 2015, I???ve toured Philadelphia and Chester Counties??? charter schools, serving as a guest teacher and mentor to students ages 11-17.
EDUCATION
2008-2012: University of Maryland College Park | Bachelor???s Degree in Liberal Arts | Major: Communication
Minor: English, one semester. Concentrated studies: African American Studies, Gender Studies, and Public Relations.
2012-2013: The DO School | Certificate in Music and Social Entrepreneurship
TUTORING SUBJECTS: Reading, Writing, Essay Editing, Literature, Grammar and Mechanics, Public Speaking, English, Math, Elementary Math.
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Undergraduate Degree: University of Maryland-College Park - Bachelors, Communication
Live performance, mindfulness, health and wellness, style and culture, universal law, food, makeup
- College English
- Comparative Literature
- Elementary Math
- Elementary School Math
- English
- English Grammar and Syntax
- Essay Editing
- High School English
- Literature
- Math
- Public Speaking
- Reading
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
The aim at all times, is connection. Connect with the student where they are, and they will find their purpose in the text and in their response.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
First, I get acquainted with the student and their expectations, needs and strengths. I use these items to write a Learning Plan as a guide for future sessions. Next, I take the student through “Show What You Know”, an assessment based on general information learned at their grade level. Throughout the session, I make it a point to build a genuine understanding and spark a positive connection with the student. This could mean "About Me" icebreakers or other activities that divert from any potential anxiety associated with the learning process as they know it. Finally, I collaborate with the student to construct a learning plan that works best for them. This way, they feel a sense of ownership, accountability, and enthusiasm about their progress.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I advocate for incentives, reset activities, and agenda-setting so their progress feels more tangible and visible to them. When they see how far they've come and what's left, they realize the task at hand isn't so big after all.