Shelby
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: University of Hawaii at Manoa - Bachelors, English
Graduate Degree: Western Governors University - Masters, Secondary education
reading, baking, hiking, writing, scuba diving, going to the desert and offroading, playing with my dog, Boomer. rollerblading,
College English
Comparative Literature
Elementary School Math
High School English
Homework Support
Other
Study Skills
Study Skills and Organization
Summer
What is your teaching philosophy?
Teachers are intellectual entertainers! Students should actively participate in lesson planning and discussions in a respectful manner. Learning should be fun and exciting; it's all about finding ways to relate a topic to an interest of the student.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
The first session should focus on getting to know the student. What do they like? Why is this subject hard/ what do they not like about it? What subject is easy for them? Do they like when things are read aloud, when they read alone, when there is a video, or when they get to do an experiment/hands on activity?
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Boosting a child's self-esteem and confidence goes a long ways. Set obtainable goals with the student, and help them achieve them. When they accomplish a small task, it really motivates them to continue trying, and eventually they want to do it on their own.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Positive reinforcements, high fives, rewards, breaks when working on a stressful/frustrating/difficult subject. Try to relate to them, and explain things I have trouble with but overcame so they do not feel alone.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Break it into small parts. Work at each part, and once the student has mastered all the parts, combine them into a whole problem. Think riding a bike!
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Talk to them and see what they are good at. Do they like to draw? Yes? Well then after one or two sentences, let's draw a picture of what was happening. A few more sentences, then draw another picture. At the end of the passage we will have pictures reminding us of what we read. Or, read a few lines and try to find a way to relate it to the student.