Shelby
Certified Tutor
I received my undergraduate degree in English and creative writing from Barnard College, Columbia University, where I graduated with honors. I am currently working toward my Masters of Science in Education at Bank Street College of Education, where I am a student in the Reading & Literacy program. Currently, I am an elementary and middle school teacher in New York City. I have experience working with diverse student populations and believe that all students can become lifelong learners regardless of race, gender, ethnicity, or socioeconomic status. As a former fifth grade teacher and current fourth grade teacher, I have experience teaching math, writing, reading, science, and social studies. My teaching and management style depends upon a unique blend of developmentally appropriate expectations, inquiry-based instruction, and humor. I believe that a student's social-emotional education is as important as any academic subject, and I customize lessons to appeal to each student's interests.
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Undergraduate Degree: Barnard College - Bachelors, English literature (concentration Creative Writing)
Reading, writing, watching and discussing television, cooking, making theatre, talking about my dog
- 10th Grade Reading
- 10th Grade Writing
- 11th Grade Reading
- 11th Grade Writing
- 12th Grade Reading
- 12th Grade Writing
- 1st Grade Reading
- 1st Grade Writing
- 2nd Grade Reading
- 2nd Grade Writing
- 3rd Grade Reading
- 3rd Grade Writing
- 4th Grade Reading
- 4th Grade Writing
- 5th Grade Reading
- 5th Grade Writing
- 6th Grade Reading
- 6th Grade Writing
- 7th Grade Reading
- 7th Grade Writing
- 8th Grade Reading
- 8th Grade Writing
- 9th Grade Reading
- 9th Grade Writing
- Adult Literacy
- Advanced Placement Prep
- AP English Literature and Composition
- College English
- College Essays
- Comparative Literature
- Creative Writing
- Elementary School
- Elementary School English
- Elementary School Math
- Elementary School Reading
- Elementary School Writing
- English
- English Grammar and Syntax
- Essay Editing
- Expository Writing
- Fiction Writing
- High School English
- High School Writing
- Homework Support
- Literature
- Math
- Middle School Reading
- Middle School Writing
- Other
- Persuasive Writing
- Poetry Writing
- PSAT Critical Reading
- PSAT Writing Skills
- Psychology
- Reading
- Social Sciences
- Study Skills
- Study Skills and Organization
- Summer
- Test Prep
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
Teaching is not a one-way street. Especially in the exploration of language and literature, I aim to engage my students by creating a dialogue about the work in question. I like to think I have as much to learn from my students as they have to learn from me.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
In a first session, I like to chat a bit with the student in order to get a sense of their academic goals as well as to gain an understanding how they like to communicate. Then we would do some diagnostic work--this means, depending on the subject, that I would provide materials at the appropriate education level to evaluate the student's learning needs.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I'm happy to come up with a reward system in order to motivate my students. Especially for younger students (elementary - middle school), I find that rewarding hard work by introducing a text that's a bit sillier or more "fun" than your typical homework assignment. My ultimate goal for all of my students is to show them that the skills they are fine-tuning during our sessions can grant them greater access to all kinds of fun and interesting material.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
My favorite method of assisting students with reading comprehension is to ask them to read a passage and then describe what they've read to me. I find that in engaging in conversation about the text in question encourages students to pick up on the smaller details that ultimately contribute to a greater understanding of the work as a whole.