
Nicki
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: College of William and Mary - Bachelors, Neuroscience
Graduate Degree: Virginia Commonwealth University - Current Grad Student, Public Health
ACT Reading: 34
SAT Verbal: 700
GRE: 314
GRE Quantitative: 153
GRE Verbal: 161
Health research, sports, crafting, animal care
College Biology
High School Biology
Homework Support
Life Sciences
Medicine
Other
PARCC Prep
Public Health
Social Sciences
Summer
What is your teaching philosophy?
As an education professional, it is my duty to boost student achievement by meeting individuals wherever they are in the learning process with whatever tools and support they need to succeed. I firmly believe that every student is capable of demonstrating academic excellence when provided adequate support. Accordingly, I aim to foster a growth mindset through instructional methods that reward student effort and steady improvement.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
Ideally, our first tutoring session will provide an opportunity to: - Understand a student's background - Clarify academic & personal goals - Identify any specific topics or content areas of high priority within a given subject - Gain awareness of any perceived barriers to success (student anxiety, conflicts at school, difficulty focusing, disorganization, time constraints, etc.) - Discern student learning style - Discuss any known preferences regarding instructional methods and/or techniques for meeting unique learning needs - Outline expectations for tutorial - Address any outstanding concerns or questions The length of this introductory conversation will vary and- based on the student's needs- may include a brief diagnostic assessment to gauge present understanding of the subject(s) being tutored.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
The gradual release of cognitive lifting, from tutor to tutee, is key to helping students succeed in their independent work. By providing students with guided instruction and encouraging them to reference alternative resources (notes, textbooks, practice worksheets, etc.) when they encounter challenging independent practice problems during tutorial, I can best prepare them to apply critical thinking skills and problem-solving abilities as independent learners outside of our sessions.