Jaleesa: Bristol tutor
Certified Tutor
My professional mission as a teacher is to motivate, encourage, inspire, and provide support to students by means of providing a secure safe and loving environment where I can help in educating them emotionally, socially, as well as cognitively. This allows them to continue to establish a foundation that they can use for their life-long learning process.
I understand that parents are the primary educators for students, and that is why I believe it is imperative to build a strong parent teacher relationship. I believe that students all have the capability to be self-learners if teachers are able to build relationships with things they familiar with to connect with the concepts they are learning. Although children may have different learning styles, all children have the innate capability to learn, and I believe as an educator, it is my job to facilitate this process.
As a teacher, I do feel it is necessary to focus on what's best for the student and their goals. Students will grow and develop in various areas of their education, but the key to retaining information is making the learning process an experience. If students are able to explore these topics they will experience a higher level of learning. I always establish a sense of respect with my students by being genuine, transparent, and receptive to students' ideas and opinions. Once students are able to come to an understanding, the potential for learning and growth becomes unlimited.
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Undergraduate Degree: Pomona College - Bachelors, Africana Studies
Photography, Traveling, Shopping, Movies,
- ACCUPLACER Arithmetic
- ACT Prep
- ACT Math
- Algebra
- Algebra 2
- Elementary School English
- Elementary School Math
- Elementary School Reading
- Elementary School Writing
- English
- GED Prep
- GED Math
- Geometry
- Graduate Test Prep
- GRE Quantitative
- ISEE-Lower Level Mathematics Achievement
- ISEE-Middle Level Mathematics Achievement
- ISEE-Upper Level Mathematics Achievement
- Math
- Middle School Math
- Other
- Phonics
- Pre-Algebra
- SAT Prep
- SAT Math
- Study Skills
- Study Skills and Organization
- Test Prep
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe that every student is able to teach themselves concepts once they can relate to the material. My job is to help students relate to concepts so that they can understand them. Once students understand the material, learning becomes second nature.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I would introduce myself to my student and find out about them and their life goals. I think it is also important to discuss their needs for tutoring and what academic goals they wish to accomplish. Most importantly, I would want to discuss what learning style does the student prefer. Students learn in different ways, so it is important to know which way the student learns best.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I like to describe myself as an educator, because an educator teaches students how to think. I believe if we teach students how to think critically, we can help students become independent learners.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
The best way to help students to stay motivated is to remind them of their goals. Students have to envision where they are trying to go and have the desire to get there. Once we establish that, anything is possible.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would have to find a way to relate the concept to something they are familiar with. People learn better when they understand relationships. Once we find a connection, I would apply it to the concept so that they can understand how to solve the problem.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Many students have trouble comprehending because it is hard to focus throughout an entire reading passage. A great skill would be to encourage note taking during reading comprehension. It helps students digest what is going on and also remember what's going on without constantly re-reading.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
When tackling a new concept, I use the I do/we do/you do method. Where I would work out a problem myself, then we can do one together, and then the student completes one alone. This helps students get comfortable working independently.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I would introduce a game; many students find work challenging, but if you can make it fun, they enjoy it and look forward to it.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I would use the "teach back" technique. The student would have to teach me how to solve a certain problem. If the student is able to teach me a certain concept and fully explain it, the student demonstrates mastery.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
The best way to build a student's confidence is to constantly affirm the student and highlight their strengths. If a student feels that they are smart, they will be less intimidated by work that they are unfamiliar with.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
A student's needs can be evaluated by monitoring the way in which they solve problems. Once you understand what they are struggling with, you can determine what they need help with the most.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I believe you need to figure out what the student needs, and how the student learns best. Once you figure out these two things, you can adapt your style to be the most beneficial to the student.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I use paper, pencil, and a timer (and, at times, a calculator and dictionary). It is important to use as few materials as possible to get the students familiar with the testing environment. Timing is also important so that students can learn time management while testing.