Ellen

My main focus is on each student's learning style, and to a more holistic approach by incorporating course material in their own lives, applying abstract theories to what they experience in their everyday life. I believe this approach empowers students to articulate ideas and process concepts in ways that are meaningful to them, which requires deep understanding that can only come when students internalize and actively apply knowledge in creative and meaningful ways. I define "teaching and learning" much as I would define "communication:" giving knowledge and facilitating understanding; theory and application, helping and challenging; maintaining rigor and encouraging creative experimentation; and respecting helped develop the skills necessary to make that possible. For this reason, I encourage critical thinking and the improvement of oral, reading and written skills in all of my tutoring sessions.