My Philosophy of EducationBy Terry D. Barkley???Twenty men crossing a bridge,Into a village,Are twenty men crossing twenty bridges,Into twenty villages???.???Metaphors of a MagnificoBy Wallace StevensMy favorite quote has become a world view to me over the past twenty-five years. I have considered teaching a way of discovering the men, bridges, and villages that populate the world around me. Through my teaching of writing, as well as my own writing and reading, I delve into the hearts of many different souls, each with a perspective that I do not have. My purpose in teaching writing, speaking, acting, literature, and humanities is to draw that individual perspective out of each student who comes to me to learn. Writing, as well as acting and public speaking, allows the quiet ??? the shy ??? a voice. That voice needs to be heard, for it is through hearing all of the voices around us that we can truly begin to understand the variety and beauty that surrounds us everyday.This philosophy of education has been honed over many years of writing, acting, and teaching. Through my own writing and performances, I have gained insights into my own soul: my own likes and dislikes, my own dreams and perspectives. Through teaching, I have learned many things I never would have thought to know: how to field-dress a deer, how to make sushi, what worries a sixteen-year-old girl who feels alone in a school with hundreds of other sixteen-year-old girls, what a young boy believes science will one day discover, and why one man???s family may be different than the ???norm??? but is still a loving, nurturing group. In my teaching, I do a lot of modeling, understanding that sometimes students need guides to follow on the way to self-expression. So I show them my soul a bit to encourage a little revelation from their lives.To sum up: I believe education is the exploration for, finding of, and expression of old and new ideas. We learn from each other and those who came before us. Education teaches us to become active, thinking members of society ??? acting and reacting, observing and contemplating, learning and teaching. We, as teachers, also learn from our charges, as we try to teach and lead them. And, for me, that is the greatest thing about teaching.Terry D. Barkley

ACADEMIC BACKGROUND Growing up, I attended a small high school and found learning in school challenging. I moved away to college, and that is when the learning gap became evident. College was significantly more demanding than I anticipated, but I attributed any learning deficits to a lack of intelligence. A few years later, I met several inspirational instructors who saw my potential to succeed in the health sciences. They guided me through their courses and taught me to learn and study effectively. I developed a deeper understanding of what it meant to study science, and only then did I fall in love with academia and learning. While these challenges set me back in my studies, this experience allowed me to find a meaningful passion for teaching others how to learn. Tutoring allows me to help students sooner in their programs and avoid some of the negative experiences I had with academia earlier in my career. I have worked with many types of students, including high school valedictorians and students who have always found school challenging. I taught at a four-year university for eight years but have been a tutor for roughly 12 years. In addition to tutoring, I also advise and mentor students pursuing careers in health sciences, including pre-medical, pre-nursing, pre-physician assistant, and other health-related occupations. In 2012, I graduated Cum Lade with a Bachelor of Science in Graphic Design with a minor in Marketing from Northern Michigan University. After graduation, I completed my pre-medical coursework for medical school and applied to graduate school. In 2018, I graduated with a Master of Arts in Biological Sciences with a concentration in Biomedical Sciences. During that time, I was a Graduate Teaching Assistant and earned my first Teaching Effectiveness Award. TEACHING & RESEARCH EXPERIENCE In 2018, I started a Doctoral Program in Science Education. My research interests include cognition, metacognition, and problem-solving in undergraduate and graduate medical education. My research centers on understanding student thinking and learning while problem-solving questions on standardized examinations. I taught as a lecture instructor and laboratory teaching assistant and earned my second Teaching Effectiveness Award. I have experience teaching courses in-person and online, and in some semesters, I taught courses with up to 170 students in a single semester. After graduation, my goal is to attend medical and law school under a combined MDJD program and someday open my own clinical practice. TEACHING PHILOSOPHY As an educator, the best subjects to teach are those students can relate to the most. Connecting theory and application helps students enjoy learning, thus improving material retention. Learning burdens many students, but I strive to make learning engaging and enjoyable. The more students can understand what they are learning and, more importantly, why they are learning it, the less effort it takes to recall that information later. I work with students to develop their study skills and deepen their understanding of how to learn during and after tutoring sessions. I apply cognitive-constructivism learning theory during our sessions, requiring students to take on an active role during the learning process. How students learn largely depends on how their minds make sense of the material, and that only works if the student is motivated to improve and has a growth mindset. I use a "Talk-Aloud" learning approach, where students verbalize their thought process as they read through content or solve problems. Talk-Aloud allows me to visualize how the student processes information in their mind. Then, I can identify where they might understand a concept or miss a key detail. If that sounds complicated, it is easier to think of a Talk-Out-Loud as a mind-reading superpower that allows an instructor to "see" what errors students make as they learn. Learning is a two-way process requiring students to review the material before and after each session. Tutors are great for helping students identify problems, but they cannot possibly make students remember everything covered in sessions. It is up to the student to commit to the learning process, ask questions during each session, and review material often on their own time. My goal as a tutor is to help students develop critical thinking and learning strategies to become better independent learners, which will help them succeed in their programs and life. TUTORING EXPERIENCE Standardized exams - Test of Essential Academic Skills (TEAS) - Law School Admission Test (LSAT) - Medical College Admissions Test (MCAT) Coursework - General Biology - Cell Biology - Microbiology - Genetics - Human Anatomy & Physiology I and II - General Chemistry I and II - Organic Chemistry I and II - Biochemistry - Physics I and II (algebra-based) - Pathology - Pathophysiology - Pharmacology - Medical Terminology - Neurobiology - Endocrinology - Bioethics - Psychology - Sociology - Constitutional Law I and II - Criminal Law & Procedure - Business Law

Hello! My name is Gwen. I have a Master's Degree in Educational Administration and a Bachelor's Degree in Secondary Education. I am a certified math and Spanish teacher in Michigan in the U.S.A. I love to travel--I have lived in Spain, Ecuador, and Peru. I lived in Huancayo, Peru, teaching English to students ages 5 to 40 during a Fulbright scholarship. I have taught English, math, and Spanish in both rural and urban schools (including rural Manistique, MI and urban New York City!). I love to help students learn a new language and culture and/or strengthen their mathematics skills. I am very excited to help you learn a new language and open so many doors for you to explore the world. See you in class! -Teacher Gwen

I am a 1993 graduate of Northern Michigan University with B.A. in Elementary Education and a Mathematics major. I have been teaching full time math and social studies at the middle school level since 1994. I have taught and tutored students from third grade through high school with expertise in basic math, pre-algebra, pre-geometry and high school algebra. Having worked with students from every skill level, I have come to understand that learning math can boil down to understanding "patterns and numbers." My goal as a tutor is to patiently walk students through those patterns and guide them to recognize the that the symbols of mathematics represent actual physical objects. Using physical representations and real life connections I can help students gain a concrete understanding of the symbols they are manipulating. I have found this approach helps students gain confidence with difficult skills and concepts. I look forward to helping your child build foundational math skills and future academic success. My interests outside of teaching include spending time with family and friends, coaching volleyball and traveling abroad with my husband and two daughters. On recent trip to Italy and Spain, we spent five days hiking an 85 mile trail in northern Spain called The Camino. I love the outdoors in Michigan too, no matter the season! My winter fun includes downhill skiing and ice skating while summers are filled with boating and swimming on our Michigan inland lakes.

I'm not tutoring or buried in my textbooks, you will either find me rock climbing at the Triangle Rock Club, playing Ultimate Frisbee, working on my car, or enjoying the great outdoors (beaches, mountains, forests--you name it, I love it). On rainy weekends I enjoy tinkering with computers and old electronics, playing Pokemon, or picking at my guitar.

I am an interdisciplinary educator with an Ed.M. from the Harvard Graduate School of Education and a B.A. from Dartmouth College. My background is primarily in integrated arts learning and museum education and I specialize in visual arts, history and art history, and object-based learning. In all subjects, I take a creative, inquiry-based and learner-centered approach, designing opportunities for each unique individual to meet their learning goals.

I am a recent graduate from a masters program in biostatistics at Columbia University. I received my Bachelor of Arts in biological sciences, with a focus in neurobiology at Northwestern University. In August, I will be starting a doctoral program in biostatistics at NYU. I was a teaching assistant at Columbia University in my department and also have tutored graduate students and undergraduates privately as well. My primary areas of tutoring are math and statistics coursework in addition to math sections on standardized tests such as the GRE and GMAT. I am very passionate about helping students feel more confident and excited about math. In my spare time, I enjoy running, playing piano, and spending time with friends and family.

I am a graduate of Wesleyan University, where I received my Bachelor of Arts in Sociology with High Honors. With eight years of experience working in education, I've tutored students in math, science, history, and English, as well as helped students prepare for standardized tests. I've guided adults towards passing the US Citizenship Exam and taught English in India, where I lived for six months. Whenever I work with a student I personalize the lessons to fit their particular learning style, since I know every student is unique and having the right fit can make all the difference in making learning fun and effective. My strengths are tutoring the social sciences and humanities, as well as making math and standardized tests approachable to students that normally don't like those subjects. In my spare time I like traveling, spending time in the outdoors (climbing & backpacking), meditation, and playing soccer. Next fall I will be beginning my PhD in Education at Harvard University.

I am a rising sophomore at Harvard College and am about to declare as a Mechanical Engineering concentrator, working towards a Bachelor of Science degree. I've always enjoyed sharing my knowledge with my peers and those around me and have done so in both formal and informal settings. I've been a tutor for both Math and Spanish programs in high school and enjoyed the strides I made with students. I am willing to tutor any subject I have a background in, but am strong in mathematics, the sciences, Spanish, history, writing, and ACT prep. I enjoy teaching mathematics most due to the joy I can see in children once they master a topic and can answer even pointed questions meant to stump them, and maybe even put their knowledge to real world use. As a tutor, I like to give a strong foundation to orient my student, and then gradually grant them more freedom and independence until they can feel themselves grasp the concept, pointing out pitfalls or common errors along the way; teachers who used these methods on me always left the most lasting impressions. Outside of my studies, I really enjoy listening to music, both old favorites and new interests, reading classics, and gaming/playing basketball with my friends.

I'm Solange - a recent graduate from Harvard where I studied Sociology & Women's Studies. I've been tutoring for eight years now, and have worked with a wide range of ages and in a wide range of subjects. Some of my specialties are college prep/test taking II worked in the admissions office on campus); social sciences; and literature/writing.

I am proud to be a part of Varsity Tutors! I am originally from San Antonio, TX; I completed my undergraduate education at Rice University in Houston where I received a bachelor's degree in Biochemistry and Cell Biology. Currently, I am in my second year of medical school at Baylor College of Medicine.

I am a junior Mechanical Engineering major at Yale, and I hope to become a Naval Aviator after college. I am also a varsity sailor, and enjoy playing music with friends when I can get some free time. I have been tutoring my fellow students throughout my entire academic career, and I would best describe my tutoring style as one that adapts to each students' needs. For example, I have always tried to frame questions in a different way so that the student can better understand the question. Some students need visual representations of numbers and systems to understand them, and others benefit more by understanding the concepts behind each formula. I prefer to tutor in math and physics, and especially with real world application problems. I hope to help students improve their standardized test scores and their understanding of the math and sciences so that they can achieve their academic goals!