Sharanya
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: University of California-San Diego - Bachelor of Science, Biochemistry and Cell Biology
SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1550
SAT Math: 780
SAT Verbal: 700
SAT Writing: 800
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College Biology
College English
Conversational Spanish
High School Biology
High School English
Other
Social Sciences
Spanish 1
Study Skills
Study Skills and Organization
What is your teaching philosophy?
Anyone can be smart, but not everyone can teach. You know you really "get" a subject when you can effectively teach it to someone else. I always try to teach others by breaking the concepts down from a fundamental standpoint, explaining things in the simplest of terms.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I would have students see if they can answer their own questions before having them ask me directly.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I would remind them about how far they've come in terms of academic progress and how close they are to understanding the concepts' big picture. Just by being encouraging and optimistic about their progress, we can help students stay on track during the toughest times.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would ask them what they do and don't understand, and I'd explain what they don't understand step-by-step, as simply as I can.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Annotating is the best way to make sure students are reading things correctly! This includes underlining or highlighting key phrases and ideas, adding short notes in the margins- anything to stay as far away as possible from passive reading.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
Being able to relate to them and encourage them goes a long way. I was once a student (and still am!) and know firsthand how difficult it is to give up when you don't understand a concept.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Breaking down the concepts from a fundamental standpoint and explaining things in the simplest of terms can help make a previously daunting subject more understandable. Sometimes taking things one step at a time can make a difference in how a student learns a subject.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
After demonstrating/teaching the concepts first, I would give them questions for them to answer on their own in order to gauge their understanding of the material.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Practice makes perfect! I would have a student answer questions and solve problems as many times as it takes for the material to make sense.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I would ask them what their strengths and weaknesses are and adapt my teaching style accordingly. For example, if a student learns better by having concepts written out on paper (as opposed to just listening), I would incorporate a lot of visual aids when helping that student.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I would first ask how they learn best, and I'd try to frame concepts in that way so that they can learn as effectively as possible.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
Lots of paper for notes and notecards for flashcards, in addition to lots of different colored pens.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I would sit down with the student and ask about his/her strengths and weaknesses with the subject material, preferred learning style, and prior knowledge of the subject.