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Tom
Certified Tutor
Education & Certification
Undergraduate Degree: CUNY Queens College - Bachelor in Arts, Mathematics
Graduate Degree: Kennesaw State University - Master of Science, Applied Statistics
Hobbies
math,physics,stats,creating simulations,teaching
Tutoring Subjects
College English
College Physics
Elementary School Math
High School English
High School Physics
What is your teaching philosophy?
I strive to ensure that each hour we spend together is very productive and results in real improvements that are immediately visible in schoolwork.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Since time is limited, it's important to assess a student's strengths and weaknesses and address the weaknesses as quickly as possible so that improvements can be made promptly.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
When we work together, we can do one problem. Then the student should immediately do a similar problem, with minimal input from me. That's how you can make rapid progress and prepare for tests well.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
This is a deeply philosophical question. It's a matter of connecting with people well and understanding what they value in life. Once education is connected to what a person values, the process of learning becomes more meaningful because it's bringing a person toward a desired goal.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
It's important to return to the fundamentals to ensure that they are 100% mastered. Once the fundamentals are in place, we build by beginning with simple, but still relevant examples. These are then used as a scaffolding toward more complex examples. Of course, it's also important to explain concepts from different perspectives, as there are many kinds of learners.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Once, I was working with a third grader to help him improve his reading. We started reading much less and focused more on vividly imagining the meaning of each sentence. This has the immediate effect of making each word read assume a new level of clarity.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
It's very important to always allow each person to start from a place of success, even if that success seems small. This single step can then lead to much greater progress.