What is your teaching philosophy?

In my tutoring sessions you will see students excel in an environment with clear expectations and positive reinforcement. When instruction is being delivered it is well planned, targeted, and differentiated to ensure that all students are learning. Students are exposed to many teaching styles, manipulatives, and technology. I am reflective and able to determine next steps quickly. My data reflects high-quality instruction, where students meet and exceed grade level expectations. I am consistently seeking out new learning opportunities and I frequently attend district professional development classes. In December 2013 I graduated with my Master's in Curriculum of Instruction with an emphasis in Elementary Reading and Writing. This experience and advanced degree will allow me to contribute to your school on multiple levels. I come highly recommended and am able to provide contact information and letters of recommendation.

What might you do in a typical first session with a student?

Before the session I would get to know the student and their goals. With the goals in mind, I would bring materials to help me assess a starting point for our future tutoring sessions. I would also bring some of my favorite books for the child and I to read together. I feel like this is a fun way for us to have a conversation to get to know each other.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

The student will be exposed to several lessons to solidify skills that they are struggling with. With a gradual release method (I do, we do, you do) the student will have plenty of time to try the learning on their own.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

My lessons are constantly changing. I use high interest materials, manipulatives and relatable content. The students will have fun as they are learning, they will receive positive praise along with direct feedback and they will see their own growth as we continue our sessions. This will motivate them to continue their learning.

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?

We will attack the difficult concept with several different ways of looking at it. For example, with a math problem we might act out the problem, draw a picture, use pen and paper, use manipulatives, watch a video, etc.

How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?

Through modeling I will help the students understand how to answer a reading comprehension question. We will also spend time practicing what comprehension strategy they are using. We will use a variety of ways to practice comprehension. We will act out the plot, we will draw story maps, we will write or draw connections that we have and we will integrate guided reading books, nonfiction and rich literature to practice these skills.

What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?

Positive praise, direct instruction and holding the students accountable for their own learning.

How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?

Making learning fun. I have a wide range of materials that gives the student a chance to choose how they want to practice that subject and hopefully help them see the material through a new light.

What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?

Pre-assessment, monitoring notes, checking their returned school work, post- assessments, interviewing parents and student to see how they think their progress is going.

How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?

Positive praise, the use of goals, before and after work samples and moving on to new material once they have mastered what we are working on.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

Pre and posttests, monitoring notes, observations.

How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?

I am a quick thinker and I have an excellent background to allow me to get to know the student’s needs in order to plan an appropriate lesson.

What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?

Literature, manipulatives, white board and marker, paper, markers, pencil, etc.