
Jim
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: University of Waterloo - Bachelor in Arts, Economics
Graduate Degree: University of Southern California - Master of Arts, Economics
Hockey, investing, travel
Business
College Economics
High School Business
High School Economics
Macroeconomics
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe in taking a team approach, where both the tutor and student share a mutual goal of improving the student's knowledge in a specific subject. I have found that this encourages an open dialogue, typically in a question and answer format, which will ultimately get to the core of where improvement is needed. I also highly believe in the use of metaphors and analogies to help simplify, and thus explain, key concepts.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
The first session will typically include 30 minutes of getting to know the student, his/her personal interests, favorite subjects, and why they sought out tutoring. Then I will introduce my approach, expertise, and goals for the student. With the remaining time, we will delve into the study material.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Teaching students the art of critical thinking is extremely important, in my view, and something I will attempt to implement in my lessons. The more a student learns to think for themselves, the easier they will be able to apply principles, theories, and laws on their own.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
For dry subjects such as accounting, economics, math, and finance, I use metaphors and real-life examples as frequently as possible to help keep subject material interesting (specifically weaving in examples close to the interests of the student).