
Drew
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: Bowdoin College - Bachelors, Biology, General
Graduate Degree: Saba University School of Medicine - PHD, MD
Soccer, skiing, surfing, guitar, sketching
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe that anyone can learn any material; it just needs to be presented in an engaging fashion. We all tend to do better in the subjects that we enjoy, but unfortunately we can't love everything; so it'll be my job to make the experience as likable as possible. Being a visual learner myself, I personally find visual aids helpful and like to draw out problems on a white board or notebook to introduce or reinforce concepts to students.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
I feel like a first session is all about getting to know a student's personality and learning style. What works for one person doesn't necessarily work for another, and your teaching style and manner of interaction has to be student specific. Starting to form a friendship I believe is also very important, because it fosters the kind of environment ideal for learning. If you don't like your tutor, how are you supposed to be motivated to learn from them?
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
Becoming an independent learner is clearly an important end goal to any tutoring experience. What we are trying to do is give you the tools to succeed on your own, which I believe is rooted in self-confidence. Over the sessions you will slowly gain confidence through completing assignments, scoring well on exams, and coming to the realization that you can master the concepts that you felt were once so daunting. At the same time, you'll know that if you falter or need a helping hand, that your tutor will be there for you.