
Justin
Certified Tutor
Undergraduate Degree: Eastern Washington University - Bachelors, Biology, General
Golf!, Bowling, movies, sci-fi fiction
Anatomy & Physiology
College Biology
College Chemistry
High School Biology
High School Chemistry
Life Sciences
Nursing
Other
Study Skills
Study Skills and Organization
What is your teaching philosophy?
A big picture view with a holistic approach focusing on comprehension and easy digestion. The equation for great study habits, lower stress and top grades.
How can you help a student become an independent learner?
My organizational method of teaching the material are the same tools necessary to becoming a self-starting, independent learner. We match the style of organization with the student's thought process; repeating the pattern in planners, notes, etc., builds good thinking habits that translate into good working habits.
How would you help a student stay motivated?
Motivation comes naturally when we are excelling. Helping people with a positive attitude towards the material, finding confidence and believing in their success is my universal recipe for motivation.
If a student has difficulty learning a skill or concept, what would you do?
Everyone has difficulty with skills or concepts from time to time. As long as the material can be related to something we understand already, it can be overcome. My talent is in helping people find those relationships.
How do you help students who are struggling with reading comprehension?
I use two approaches together for reading comprehension. Simplifying the material and creating a multi-step reasoning process to follow as a fail-safe. When in doubt, "follow the process".
What strategies have you found to be most successful when you start to work with a student?
So far, all of my students find immediate success within one or two sessions with me. Primarily, implementing custom organizational tools, individualizing and simplifying the learning process can be accomplished very quickly. With that, students begin to see being a student as a profession that is conquerable.
How would you help a student get excited/engaged with a subject that they are struggling in?
We all find it difficult to keep interest in something we don't excel in. However, everyone has more potential for success than they realize. Most students don't realize how good they can be at ANY subject. It's very exciting to discover how great of a student you can be when you're given the tools to succeed.
What techniques would you use to be sure that a student understands the material?
Certain subjects lead to specific approaches; however, I believe in not wasting any time on things that aren't working. Jab, move; jab, move. I roll through multiple learning/teaching styles until the positive feedback illuminates the winning technique of choice.
How do you build a student's confidence in a subject?
A tutor's job is much more than helping add comprehension; building confidence is one of the biggest aspects. During evaluation, it's important to identify what the student is good at. Not only does it give opportunities for positive reinforcement, but it helps the tutor understand how the student learns and relates information. Everyone kicks butt at something.
How do you evaluate a student's needs?
I put myself into their scenario, schedule and everything. Using a big picture approach, I quickly test out the main topics that they've been exposed to so far. It identifies where we need to spend our time and some learning strengths to capitalize on and relate information to.
How do you adapt your tutoring to the student's needs?
Some of my approach is adapted to each student. I try to let the student help drive the session and am constantly evaluating verbal and nonverbal indications for understanding, pace and to make sure we don't over-work during one session.
What types of materials do you typically use during a tutoring session?
I try to utilize everything the student has access to. This includes textbooks, online resources they use, notes, worksheets and anything else they may work with. I think it's important to help build success habits within an existing system instead of requiring my students to change to a system of my creation.