Jack
Certified Tutor
My mission is to play a small part in helping students achieve their dreams! I am a graduate of the University of Notre Dame, BA in Philosophy (2014), and I am currently enrolled at the University of Washington's Master in Teaching Program, Secondary English. In the past few years, my work has been almost exclusively in educational settings with youth. I spent five summers at a summer camp devoted to social and environmental justice, working with all age groups and doing everything from managing a day program to leading extended backpacking trips. I spent a year working as a wilderness therapy field guide, helping students achieve a breakthrough in their personal lives in a backpacking setting in central Oregon. And I was an instructor at an outdoor school in southern California for a year, teaching science, leadership, and outdoor education classes. Not to mention my tutoring experience--in college I tutored high schoolers in all subjects, from math and science to text prep and history. As a Masters candidate for a Secondary English teaching degree, I am most passionate about tutoring English and History, and my high scores on the ACT (36), SAT (1570), and GRE (169) certify my aptitude for tutoring toward standardized tests. I love working with youth, especially high school students--so much that I've devoted my life to it! And I am committed to educational equity, helping students from all backgrounds and with all abilities achieve their goals. When I'm not working with youth or in class, you can find me climbing, hiking, or curled up with a good book.
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Undergraduate Degree: University of Notre Dame - Bachelors, Philosophy and English
Graduate Degree: University of Washington-Seattle Campus - Current Grad Student, Masters in Teaching--Secondary English
- ACT Composite: 35
- ACT English: 35
- ACT Math: 35
- ACT Reading: 34
- ACT Science: 36
- SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1560
- SAT Math: 770
- SAT Verbal: 800
- SAT Writing: 740
- GRE Verbal: 169
climbing, hiking, fitness, knitting, philosophy
- ACT Prep
- ACT English
- ACT Math
- ACT Reading
- ACT Science
- ACT Writing
- Algebra
- American Literature
- AP English Literature and Composition
- British Literature
- Business
- College Business
- College English
- College Geography
- College Level American History
- College Level American Literature
- College World History
- Comparative Literature
- English
- English Grammar and Syntax
- Essay Editing
- Geography
- GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment
- Graduate Test Prep
- GRE
- GRE Quantitative
- GRE Verbal
- High School English
- High School Level American History
- High School Level American Literature
- High School Political Science
- High School World History
- High School Writing
- History
- Human Geography
- IB Global Politics
- Math
- Middle School Reading
- Middle School Reading Comprehension
- Middle School Writing
- Philosophical Ethics
- Philosophy
- Political Science
- Pre-Algebra
- PSAT Critical Reading
- PSAT Writing Skills
- Public Speaking
- SAT Reading
- SAT Subject Test in World History
- SAT Subject Tests Prep
- SAT Writing and Language
- Social Sciences
- Social Studies
- Test Prep
- World History
- World Religions
- Writing
What is your teaching philosophy?
My teaching philosophy is experiential, conversation-based, and personal. I try to get to know as much as I can about the students, what works best for each, and how to tell when they have achieved comprehension.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
In a first session, I would take time to get to know the student and their understanding of the subject material, and I would work with them in a very conversational, open way to make a start in addressing their needs.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I like to ask the student questions, see if they can explain the concept to me or explain the necessary steps to coming to an answer, and give them the tools and resources to further develop their understanding.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I would use a lot of positive reinforcement and emphasize the little successes in the lessons.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
One of my best youth work talents is patience; I would go through similar sorts of problems, using different approaches until achieving a conceptual breakthrough.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I make sure first that I understand where they are in their reading ability before suggesting books and other resources to further their comprehension. This may include audio, using a dictionary, and limiting screen time!
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Always, always positive reinforcement! Celebrate the little victories, and reward improvement.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
My best conceptual tool is having a student explain a concept to me, complete with going through an example question. I also make sure to engage them, asking questions, and encouraging different learning styles to find what fits best.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
My philosophy is that it's best to continue to encourage, focusing on successes, and finding ways to improve that are less harsh or critical and more inviting.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
In order to determine a student's needs, I engage them in conversation, I ask them what their needs are, and I will also go through some questions step by step to determine where the understanding is and where it breaks down.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
My style of tutoring is 100% individualized--I treat each student uniquely depending on what I know about them, their learning style, and how I can best meet their needs.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
The resources I use are practice questions/problems, resources such as textbooks, dictionaries, or calculators, and I will also use visual aids to assist in concept mastery.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
The strategies I rely on most readily are engaging visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learning; using a Socratic method of questioning toward comprehension; and positive reinforcement!