Samuel
Certified Tutor
I agree with Henry Adams, who said, paraphrasing, that a teacher affects eternity because he can never tell where his influence stops. I have found that to be true from the statements of former students who have so stated. It's a gratifying feeling to see former students become successful, accomplished adults.
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Undergraduate Degree: Eastern Illinois University - Bachelors, History
Graduate Degree: Florida International University - Masters, Social Studies Education
Graduate Degree: University of Miami - PHD, Law
Purebred Dogs
- ACCUPLACER Language Use
- ACT English
- ACT Writing
- Administrative Law
- Adult Literacy
- African-American History
- Ancient and Medieval Heritage
- Anthropology
- AP U.S. Government & Politics
- AP US History
- AP World History
- Bar Exam
- Business
- Business Ethics
- Civics
- Civil Procedure
- CLEP Prep
- CLEP American Government
- CLEP History of the United States II: 1865 to the Present
- CLEP Humanities
- CLEP Introduction to Business Law
- CLEP Introduction to Educational Psychology
- CLEP Introductory Sociology
- CLEP Social Sciences and History
- CLEP Western Civilization I: Ancient Near East to 1648
- CLEP Western Civilization II: 1648 to the Present
- College English
- College Level American History
- College Political Science
- College World History
- Constitutional Law
- Contract Law
- Criminal Law
- Earth Science
- Economics
- Elementary School
- Elementary School Reading
- Elementary School Science
- Elementary School Writing
- English
- English Grammar and Syntax
- Essay Editing
- Ethics
- Evidence
- Family Law
- GED Prep
- GED Reasoning Through Language Arts
- GED Science
- GED Social Studies
- Government
- Graduate Test Prep
- GRE Verbal
- High School Business
- High School Economics
- High School English
- High School Level American History
- High School Political Science
- High School World History
- High School Writing
- History
- HSPT Language Skills
- HSPT Verbal
- IB Geography
- Intellectual Property Law
- ISEE Prep
- ISEE- Upper Level
- ISEE-Lower Level Verbal Reasoning
- ISEE-Middle Level Verbal Reasoning
- ISEE-Upper Level Verbal Reasoning
- Latin America History
- Law
- Legal Research
- Legal Writing
- LSAT Argumentative Writing
- Middle School
- Middle School Reading Comprehension
- Middle School Writing
- Other
- PCAT Verbal Ability
- PCAT Writing
- Personal Finance
- Philosophical Ethics
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- PRAXIS
- Property Law
- PSAT Writing Skills
- SAT Subject Test in United States History
- SAT Subject Test in World History
- SAT Subject Tests Prep
- SAT Writing and Language
- Science
- Social Sciences
- Social Studies
- Sociology
- Special Education
- Spelling Bee
- SSAT Prep
- SSAT- Upper Level
- Study Skills
- Study Skills and Organization
- Test Prep
- Tort Law
- US Constitutional History
- World Civilization
- World History
- World Religions
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
I use an interdisciplinary approach employing critical thinking skills.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Try to make the student comfortable and willing to talk, to determine his/her needs, and to assess the extent of any deficiencies.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Encourage the student to conduct his/her own research, and inquiry in order to satisfy curiosity.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Praise, praise, praise!
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Try a different approach; not all methods work with all students.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Determine, if possible, the reasons for the struggle. Is it cognitive, a short attention span, a physical issue?
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Help the student comfortable with me, as well as willing to be open and communicative. Engaging the student to determine their interests and building on that is also helpful.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Determine ways to make the subject relevant to the student's life now or in the future. I hated math, probably because I was not shown its relevance to my life (although I discovered the relevance later in life and now I love it).
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Rather than simply employ rote recitation, I would have the student explain the whys and hows of the material in the form of an oral explanation, or in a Socratic-style Q and A.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Continual praise to show that the student is mastering it, as well as positive feedback.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
This can be done via administration of pretests.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I alter my approach and presentation depending on the student's level, whether AP or remedial, or in between.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
That depends on the subject; for social studies, I use maps, photographs, YouTube videos, recordings, and other multimedia.