Michael

What is your teaching philosophy?

Usually, I take the content and throw the characters from their favorite TV show in there. So far, the Pawnee plan to build a park in the New World did well to explain the US Revolution based off of the show Parks and Rec.

What might you do in a typical first session with a student?

First, see the material that has already been covered and what seems to be missing compared to the rubrics set by test creators. Next, we would discuss current material being covered, and I would start leading the student towards looking at the problem in the way the test requires them to.

How can you help a student become an independent learner?

Each subject and test is grading a student on certain ways of handling problems. By teaching students what these tests desire and how it applies to their daily classes and lives, solving the problems can become more natural to a student.

How would you help a student stay motivated?

Tackling one specific type of question per session doesn't put too heavy a workload on a student and can make instant results. For instance, if a student focuses on grammar on the ACT in one session, the improvement to their score on their next practice test can improve greatly overall just from that one session. Seeing one's progress can motivate them, as well as tackling a huge test piece-by-piece rather than all at once.

If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?

There are many different sources to look at when learning concepts: school material, YouTube, etc. Moreover, certain skills build on each other, and having a tutor lead the way helps students organize their thoughts to tackle tough problems.

How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?

Tackling the passage as a whole can be daunting. Sometimes it is easier to focus on the questions to see what key elements need to be focused on. If time permits, running through a reading at a student's own pace allows them to naturally understand aspects such as mood, voice, and persuasive elements that may not be as easily recognized at first.

What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?

Providing many different forms of content, such as the tutoring tools or creating PowerPoints based on what the student specifically asks for. Even YouTube has good material, such as time lapses I use for tutoring history courses.

What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?

I try to assign homework along the lines of fill-in-the-blank or categorizing subjects. It's not too time consuming and reinforces the main themes that the student needs to acquire, such as archetypes for a piece of literature or grammar structures in a foreign language.

How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?

I build off their knowledge. Students already have an idea and have begun to think critically, and with a little discussion, they can confidently understand the scope of their test/teacher and perform well.

How do you evaluate a student's needs?

I look at the material they have been assigned or will have a test over. We discuss the curriculum point by point and see what needs to be focused on.

How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?

I am fine with changing appointment times and creating content for the student. Just discuss it with me, and I will assist the best I can.

What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?

Tutoring learning tools, PowerPoints, audio recordings, maps/timelines, and YouTube videos.