Taylor
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: Washington University in St Louis - Bachelor of Science, Mathematics
ACT Composite: 34
ACT English: 33
ACT Math: 36
ACT Science: 36
SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1550
SAT Math: 800
SAT Verbal: 760
SAT Writing: 730
League of Legends, running, typing, music
10th Grade
10th Grade Math
11th Grade Math
12th Grade Math
1st Grade Math
3rd Grade Math
5th Grade Math
8th Grade Math
9th Grade Math
ACCUPLACER Arithmetic
ACCUPLACER College-Level Math
ACCUPLACER Elementary Algebra
ACCUPLACER Sentence Skills
Algebra 3/4
Algorithms
AP
AP Computer Science
AP Computer Science A
Applied Mathematics
ASPIRE Math
C++
CAHSEE Mathematics
CLEP Calculus
CLEP College Algebra
CLEP College Mathematics
CLEP Precalculus
College English
College Math
College Physics
COMPASS Mathematics
Computational Problem Solving
Cryptography
DAT Quantitative Reasoning
Developmental Algebra
Discrete Math
Elementary Algebra
Elementary School Math
GED Math
GMAT Analytical Writing Assessment
GMAT Integrated Reasoning
GMAT Quantitative
GRE Subject Test in Mathematics
GRE Subject Tests
Handwriting
High School English
High School Physics
Homework Support
HSPT Language Skills
HSPT Math
HSPT Quantitative
IB Further Mathematics
IB Mathematics: Analysis and Approaches
IB Mathematics: Applications and Interpretation
IB Physics
Java
JavaScript
Middle School Reading
Newtonian Mechanics
OAT Physics
OAT Quantitative Reasoning
PCAT Quantitative Ability
PCAT Writing
Quantitative Reasoning
SAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 1
SAT Subject Test in Mathematics Level 2
SAT Subject Tests Prep
SAT Verbal
Spelling Bee
Technology and Coding
Vocabulary
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Learn about applications of the subject in society, school, or the workplace! It is much easier to get engaged in a topic if you can identify how it is relevant to your daily life.
What is your teaching philosophy?
A teacher is a resource for knowledge and discussions. Overloading a curriculum with excessive homework problems and lectures wrongly emphasizes the teaching process rather than the material.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
We will first go back to the textbook to isolate and review the difficult concept. Then, I will assign specific problems without confounding factors to make sure he or she understands it thoroughly.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I want to talk about the student's learning style, what he or she already knows, and what concepts are causing trouble. This will allow me to identify strengths and weaknesses and plan future lessons accordingly.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I like to briefly review previous concepts with questions that are intuitive and rather easy. Then, linking these questions to the difficult material is a natural progression that builds confidence and makes learning less abstract.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I would ask the student to explain the material back to me, as competence is a prerequisite for teaching. Homework problems, especially those that test knowledge of exceptions such as zero, are natural follow-ups that ensure independent understanding.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I will ask whether the pace is appropriate, as because tutoring does not cover an entire curriculum, different students have had different amounts of exposure. If I notice recurring trouble with fundamental concepts, we will take a step back to review and reinforce the student's foundation.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
For online tutoring, I use the interactive whiteboard to allow both of us to collaborate on a problem via shared diagrams and text. For in-person tutoring, textbooks can be useful references, but I also work with the student on the same sheet of paper to give additional insight.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
It is easy to lose motivation when the concepts the student is learning seem like random tests of memorization. I like to emphasize the bigger picture, and while the proverb of focusing on the journey rather than the destination holds truth, it is necessary to provide context for motivation.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Confidence is closely related to success, and it is important to recognize small successes, even though they may not imply complete mastery of the subject. Keeping a checklist of concepts and checking them off to show daily improvement can build confidence through progress.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
Our online platform gives practice problems that I use as a preliminary diagnosis. In addition, when I have discussions with students, it is clear that they have needs for a concept if they have trouble explaining it fluently.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Students who read fluently will naturally begin to comprehend the content. I encourage them to read easier materials such as magazines and text messages to increase comfort, then transition to more difficult passages and begin the next step of comprehension.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I will show a student what resources are available, whether they are calculators, online videos, or textbook appendices. Effective autonomous learners do not necessarily do everything by themselves, but rather understand the fundamental process of acquiring information.