David
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: University of Minnesota-Twin Cities - Bachelors, Mathematics
ACT Math: 33
ACT Reading: 33
SAT Composite (1600 scale): 1460
SAT Math: 730
SAT Verbal: 800
Tennis, Basketball, Yoga, Golf, Trivia, Football
10th Grade Math
11th Grade Math
12th Grade Math
1st Grade Math
2nd Grade Math
3rd Grade Math
4th Grade Math
5th Grade Math
6th Grade Math
7th Grade Math
8th Grade Math
9th Grade Math
Elementary School Math
What is your teaching philosophy?
Humor, passion, creativity, and communication. I'll help you find not only the answer but also why it actually matters in your own life.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Ask them about themselves, what areas they have been struggling with, and ask them about how they learn best and like to solve problems.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
It all begins by getting in tune with their problem solving process and setting up a process of analyses that will remove the teacher from the equation entirely, so they can work on the problems they encounter from the proper framework.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
The key for helping a student to stay motivated showing them that the material is relevant and useful beyond just the classroom. Showing them what they are capable of and will be capable of is key to this goal.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Take a step back and try to figure out what their problem solving process is, and then try to simplify it into more manageable pieces that can be digested before attacking more difficult problems. Sometimes the only way forward is back.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
Start out with what they do understand. Then identify what they don't understand. Next look back and try to restate the text in a way that is more familiar. Graphical aids can be employed to make connections between words and the real world so that the activity of reading comes alive. Finally giving motivation for reading, as well as tips recognizing common tropes and structures within the text, will give them the tools necessary for reading comprehension.
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I like to have students explain how they perceive the problem or subject in their own words so that I know where they are coming from and have a place to begin.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
I think humor is very helpful with engagement to any subject. Other techniques that can be employed are visual mediums, such as pictures or videos that are related to the subject of interest. Also introduction to applications of interest may be appropriate to engage students.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Having a student go through their approach to answering a particularly complex problem would be helpful in seeing their level of understanding that they have achieved in a subject.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
Praise their efforts in the area. Maintain a positive mental attitude. When they have reached a high enough level, let them develop their problem solving skills independently so as to increase their personal confidence.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
Assess their current understanding of the subject when they are introducing the material to you and determine the areas that will need greater focus.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
Everyone has a unique personality and problem solving style. The key is to adapt the subject so that they see the utility of having knowledge in the subject at hand as it pertains to them and how they think.