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Zachary

Certified Tutor

I am a grad student at Colorado University Boulder, and I am currently pursuing a P.h.D in Evolutionary Biology in the Daniel Medeiros Lab. I am a recent graduate from the University of Idaho, where I received a Bachelors of Science in Biology and a Bachelors of Art in Spanish. I have participated in undergraduate research, writing my own research proposals and presenting my work at research expositions.

I am looking to be an active tutor in Spanish and Evolutionary Biology on VarsityTutors, and have had an active history of being an official and unofficial tutor throughout my college years in Biology, Spanish, and TESL. I have more than nine years of Spanish experience under my belt as well, and I have also put these skills to the test by studying abroad in the spring semester of 2015 in Salamanca, Spain, where I attended the University of Salamanca and studied Classic Linguistics.

As a student with ADHD, I dealt with studying difficulties on a regular basis, frequently needing tutoring assistance throughout high school and my freshman year of university. By the end of my sophomore year, I had developed my own approaches to studying content and figuring out ways of how I learned best and also how I could help other students learn. I am very energetic, out-going, friendly, and engaging during tutoring. I am also an advocate for active discussion with students, removing the awkward barriers between teachers and students that often block the path to learning information.

I am very excited to be an official tutor with VarsityTutors, and I'm excited to become an active part of this community and contribute my knowledge to any students that need it!

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Zachary’s Qualifications
Education & Certification

Undergraduate Degree: University of Idaho - Bachelors, Biology, Spanish

Hobbies

Fishing, hiking, swimming, linguistics, conlanging

Tutoring Subjects
Conversational Spanish
Ecology
ESL/ELL
Evolutionary Biology
Languages
Latin
Life Sciences
Science
Spanish
Spanish 1
Spanish 2
Spanish 3
Spanish 4
What is your teaching philosophy?

Most people aren't memorization machines; you don't input information and regurgitate content. Learning is a process that is supposed to engage people and challenge them to think in new ways. I always aim to make learning interesting and to challenge people to think outside of the box.

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

In a first session with a student, I would begin with an introduction of myself and, if they want, the student might talk about themselves. We would go through the basic outline of our study plan and discuss modifications to it if necessary. The key to successful tutoring is for a teacher and student to be on the same level of expectations and understanding of ability and personality.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

In my opinion, the key to becoming an independent learner is to be able to be set in the right direction for learning. The truth is that all learning is done independently; a teacher does not force a student to acquire information, but rather a teacher enables a student to learn on their own accord. Every student is unique, and the goal of a teacher is to find the appropriate teaching methods that enable students to put the pieces together in learning.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Motivation can sometimes be a faltering emotion; one day, we might be completely energized and dedicated for work, while others days, we may struggle with basic focus and retention. In order to keep motivation, you have to keep goals realistic and be able to overcome obstacles. Students don't always realize this though, and can feel like they are not making progress. If you are able to show a student that their goals are actually being fulfilled, even if in small steps, they will be able to hold motivation and achieve their goals.

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?

One of the biggest mistakes teachers make is assuming that they always know the best methods for a student to pick up new information. I believe that progress can always wait, if it means that I need to go back and actively talk with a student about their difficulties. An active discussion between student and teacher, especially in a one-on-one situation, is vital for helping students make progress. A teacher can only teach so much as they know their students - their strengths AND their weaknesses.

How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?

Students can become excited and engaged in their studies when they feel like their studies will have purpose. The fulfillment of effort towards something that matters is critical for motivation and dedication - to be able to see that hard work pays off. However, it's not always easy for students to see the big picture of their studies. It is the responsibility of the teacher to be able to convey this importance to the student and to show them the application of theory.

What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?

I am a firm believer that a student's true knowledge of content is not shown in the scores of a test, but rather their ability to free form discuss their learning. A conversation with simple questions after lessons can help convey it, the three most important questions being "What", "Why", and "How". The ability to answer test questions will ultimately come from a student's ability to think abstractly, and personal dialogue between a teacher and a student about learning outcomes helps show this understanding.

How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?

Confidence is difficult to instill by a teacher, as everyone has different beliefs of performance versus expectation. However, a teacher can act as a line of support for motivation and communication into which a student can project their confidence (or lack thereof). A student's confidence helps a teacher learn how strongly to encourage and support them. Students can feel bad when they are treated as children, however, so a teacher must know how and when to project emotional support.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Within a couple tutoring sessions, a teacher should know a student's strengths and weaknesses, and their overall understanding of the topic being taught. A teacher should also be able understand the basics of a student's personality and their method of projecting information that they have learned. Every student is unique in this aspect, and a teacher must be able to gauge this distinction. My teaching philosophy revolves around interpersonal dialogue with my students, and the best way to evaluate their needs will come from communication and an ability to adapt lessons to their personality.

How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?

Every student learns in their own unique way, mostly along the spectrum of theory vs application. As tutoring sessions go on, a teacher must be able to gauge a student's learning methods and adapt their lessons to it. It's also important that a teacher has excellent interpersonal communication skills, as some students will not directly convey their difficulties and needs. Above all, it's important to realize that nobody's perfect, and patience and acceptance of differences are critical for a teacher.

What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?

Personally, I have found that students reciprocate best to big picture concepts before beginning to tackle individual topics. My teaching philosophy focuses on a top-down approach to understanding information. If a student is able to understand the background and the general framework of a question, they can use free-form logic to help them with similar questions that they may not have even studied yet.

What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?

I have always been an advocate of using side videos during lessons to give another perspective on content, but I rely primarily on my own handwritten notes that I make before every lesson. As supplementary material, I often link simple Wikipedia links to related content that we've discussed. Throughout my university years, I actually taught myself a lot of content through Wikipedia links on my own free time. The information would not be mandatory to review, but it helps students pick up information that they may have missed or simply not understood during my lessons.

How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?

Learning is a combination of hearing, seeing, and doing, and every student is unique in how they process information. I was a weak reader when I was younger, and I personally preferred watching videos and practicing writing in my free time. If a student struggles with reading comprehension, we could either spend more time practicing on individual lessons or, if necessary, I would include more auditory lecture or even incorporate simple images to help relate concepts.