Diana
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: University of California-Los Angeles - Bachelors, Chemistry
Graduate Degree: Concordia University - Texas - Masters, Education
Playing saxophone/clarinet, Sci-Fantasy books/movies/TV, reading, creative writing, crotcheting, knitting, Broadway musicals, movie soundtracks, my cat, Disney
Algebra 3/4
College Chemistry
College Physics
Conversational Spanish
High School Chemistry
High School Physics
Honors Chemistry
ISEE Prep
ISEE-Middle Level Mathematics Achievement
Other
Spanish 1
Summer
What is your teaching philosophy?
I believe all students are capable of achieving their highest potential. It takes work and dedication, persistence and perseverance.
What might you do in a typical first session with a student?
First off, I like to get to know the student. I like to find out their extracurriculars (sports, clubs, etc.), find out their favorite subjects, their weakest subjects, and their general achievement in all subjects. I like to create an atmosphere where students are free to say "I don't know," and I let them know that. Learning only comes when students allow knowledge in.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
I love analogies. They're what help me remember difficult concepts, even when the equations or rules escape my memory. If a student can remember an easy analogy, it can help them when they get stuck on a problem in future by breaking it down to something manageable. Also, I think the hands-on approach is best, especially when it comes to math. I love to let students start from scratch and see where they get stuck. Then we can focus on that problem area, and see what the root problem is, rather than just say "I don't get it" or "I don't know where to start.".
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
I like to offer students a choice. Some students like a bit of review of the topics before they dive into the material; others like to get right into the problems. I like to ask them where they want to start and go from there. If they need help on everything, then we do a little bit of everything in the time we've got. If they understand most of a topic but are having trouble with just one subtopic, then we'll work on that with most of the time. Student feedback is important to me. I like to know when something is confusing a student and we can work that sort of problem all session if need be, rather than skimming over something because they're afraid to feel stupid for not understanding. Every source of confusion is an opportunity for learning and mastery!