Carolyn
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: Smith College - Bachelor in Arts, Education and Child Study/German Studies
SAT Math: 710
Running (I ran my first marathon this year!), travel, scrapbooking, clarinet, reading
1st Grade
1st Grade Math
2nd Grade
2nd Grade Math
3rd Grade
3rd Grade Math
3rd Grade Reading
3rd Grade Writing
4th Grade
4th Grade Math
4th Grade Reading
4th Grade Writing
5th Grade
5th Grade Math
5th Grade Reading
5th Grade Writing
College English
College Geography
Elementary School
Elementary School Math
Elementary School Reading
Elementary School Writing
German 1
High School English
High School Geography
ISEE Prep
Other
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe that each student travels on their own unique path to knowledge. I believe that a teacher is a guide along these paths, walking alongside each student, supporting them where they struggle and guiding them when there is a fork in the road.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
In a first session with student, I would focus on getting to know the student to better understand how they see themselves as a learner, and to foster a connection that will help the student feel comfortable taking risks and asking for help while problem-solving.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I motivate students by helping them build their confidence as a learner, and grow their understanding of the process of learning. Students who see learning as a process of curiosity, perseverance and growth do not get discouraged when they struggle to get the "correct" answer. Rather, they readily try a new approach or strategy and gain a deeper understanding of the problem in front of them.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, I try to talk to the student about which parts of the concept or practice they already understand and then teach to and build on that knowledge. I believe that this not only helps the student feel comfortable and confident as they struggle with a challenge, but it also clears the way to create schema to solidify the student's understanding.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
When I start to work with a student, I think it is crucial to develop a safe learning environment. Asking students to share their biggest challenges and then be willing to take risks with a tutor requires trust, so I try to be very open about my own learning processes and model perseverance and risk-taking.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
Engaging students in school is a particular strength of mine as a classroom teacher. My students would describe me as almost overly-enthusiastic at times because I personally get excited about material. I love calling challenges "juicy," I praise students when they test out a new vocabulary word in their own explanations, and I make a very conscious effort to applaud and celebrate students' hard work.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
I help students become independent learners by helping them develop problem solving strategies and practices. Coaching students to approach problems in a variety of ways across multiple subjects enables them to always find a way to start understanding a new concept or solve a new problem.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I help students who are struggling with reading comprehension by working with them on interacting with the text in a variety of ways. Of course, I ask questions to check for comprehension, but I also sometimes ask students to retell parts of the story in their own words, try to act it out, write a letter to a character about themselves, draw a picture of an important scene or idea, etc.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I check student understanding by asking students to talk through their processes and ideas as they work or after they give a response. I may also ask students to solve a similar problem or answer a connected question to see how deep their understanding is and whether or not they can connect their knowledge to other questions and contexts.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
The thing I do to build a student's confidence in a subject is to give them positive feedback for the ways in which they approach a problem and the effort that they put into their work. I tell students that it is particularly difficult to persevere through challenging subjects and problems, and I encourage them and praise them for the ways in which they take risks and put themselves out there in tackling subjects that are hard. In this way, a challenging subject is an opportunity to grow and learn, instead of an opportunity to feel failure.