Karl
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: University of Delaware - Bachelors, Chemistry
Graduate Degree: Mercy College - Masters, Adolescent Education
music, reading, movies, sport, hiking, and the beach
College Chemistry
High School Chemistry
Honors Chemistry
Middle School Science
Physical Science
SAT Subject Tests Prep
What is your teaching philosophy?
My teaching philosophy is fairly simple: only through true understanding and conceptualization can one master a topic. It takes the help of teachers, classmates, and family members, but if you work to understand something, things will all seem to fall into place.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
In a first session with a student, I am mostly going to focus on establishing a baseline for that student. I will need to determine where that student struggles, where that student is strong, and what underlying background skills and topics are necessary to review. Once I have a better idea of that student's abilities, I can begin to customize a learning plan.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
The best way to help a student become an independent learner is to make them confident and comfortable with their abilities. When that confidence is achieved, it is much easier for someone to explore on their own.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
That depends on what initially motivates the individual student in the first place. I would see what any student's hopes and desires are, and start from there.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
There is always a reason for that difficulty. Together, through practice and discussion, we would find that reason and find a way to work through it. I have never taught a subject that was impossible to learn for anyone - some just require a little more effort and evaluation.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Stick to the basics. Reading comprehension struggles often stem from a lack of attention or interest (or both). We would work together on how to stay focused through an entire passage, while I checked to see if there were any other issues like vocabulary or sentence structure that we needed to work on.