Brian
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: Carleton College - Bachelor in Arts, Economics, Political Science
Graduate Degree: University of Arizona - Master of Arts, Government and Public Policy
ACT Composite: 31
ACT Math: 32
ACT Reading: 35
SAT Math: 700
SAT Verbal: 750
GRE: 334
GRE Quantitative: 170
GRE Verbal: 164
Music, coding, games, hiking, cooking, reading
Business
College Biology
College Chemistry
College Geography
High School Biology
High School Business
High School Chemistry
High School Geography
Other
Quantitative Reasoning
Summer
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe that teaching should be fun for both the student and the teacher. Both should be fully engaged in the material and desire to develop a deeper understanding of the subject material.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
First, I would like to get to know the student, what they desire to learn, and what areas they might have potential issues in.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Foremost, you can instill a thirst for knowledge and help them find subjects that they are interested in learning more about.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
I would help a student stay motivated by making the subject studied more relatable to their lives and experiences.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I would "rephrase" the concept into one that is more relatable to them, and thus more engaging and interesting.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I help students who are struggling with reading comprehension by first engaging them in practicing on subject matter that they are familiar with. Additionally, I would continue with more relatable material than what is typically presented.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I have found that getting to know a student, their strengths, and their abilities before launching into tutoring is particularly useful, as it aids in making lessons and subjects more relatable, working to that student's strengths.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I would try to "rephrase" the subject into a form that students are more familiar with, and thus more relatable to their experiences.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
I believe the best technique for testing knowledge of material is to have a student attempt to teach the material to me.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
I build a student's confidence in a subject by starting with simpler topics in the subject before moving to more complicated ones, allowing them to gain experience and understanding. I would also attempt to reframe the subject such that its framing is more identifiable to the student.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I evaluate a student's needs by first having them explain what they desire from the course, followed by having them solve some example problems.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
I change my tutoring style based on how a student learns and what their interests are, thus better engaging them in the learning of the subject.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I make use of a variety of materials depending on the subject, ranging from the computer to pen and paper and practice problems.